Content writing vs copywriting in STEM: who do you need?

It all comes down to purpose.

While more and more companies recognize the value of having a writer for their marketing and communications—for better or worse, AI has played a role in highlighting the need for humans doing this work—many still struggle to determine the right type of writer to hire. Who do you need: a content writer or a copywriter?

For STEM in particular (universities, museums, STEM-related start-ups or NGOs, science ministries, etc), this question becomes even more crucial. With technical jargon, niche audiences, and complex ideas to communicate, it is vital to understand the differences between content writing and copywriting and how they can work together to achieve your goals.

Let’s break it down.

Content Writing: inform and build relationships

Content writing is about writing material that provides value to your audience by informing, educating, and entertaining them. Content is the cornerstone of inbound marketing or inbound communications. It helps you establish your brand as a thought leader in your niche, and build credibility and long-term relationships with your audience.

Content writing tends to be research-heavy: it requires writers to dive deep into a topic (unless curated information is provided by subject matter experts) to ensure accuracy and relevance, especially in STEM fields. A good knowledge of SEO strategies helps your content reach the right audiences in the right place, even for print material when marketing it digitally (e.g. a book). While storytelling plays a role in copywriting as well, good content writing requires solid storytelling techniques to keep readers engaged. All in all, content writing has a long-term vision.

Common forms of content writing:

• Articles (online and print)
• Blog posts
• Whitepapers
• Case studies
• Reports
• Ebooks
• Tutorials and how-to guides
• Newsletters
• Infographics
• Podcast scripts and transcripts
• Interviews
• Value-driven social media series
• Technical documentation (although some technical writing is more specialized by sector)
• Websites*

In STEM fields, effective content writing often demystifies complex technical concepts for non-expert audiences while maintaining precision—a key to building trust and credibility. For example, museums rely on content writing from their websites and blogs all the way to the written content in exhibitions. Companies need to establish their thought leadership on their niche, and currently, blog posts, email marketing, and whitepapers are key ways to connect with their audiences digitally (and making their websites score higher on search engines like Bing or Google). More and more companies and organizations are developing their own podcasts, either with scripted stories or interview-based episodes, which are usually accompanied by show notes, a transcript, and sometimes a translated transcript for more reach and accessibility. Someone needs to write all of this!

Copywriting: persuade and drive action

Copywriting focuses on persuasion, driving readers to take specific actions. Whether buying a product, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a brochure, copywriting is about making your audience act.

Copywriting is emotionally driven. Even though content writing requires understanding the intent of the reader and keyword research, I dare say copywriting needs more psychology and emotional knowledge to resonate with the audience. In copywriting, every word is meticulously chosen. Often copywriters (or copy teams) brainstorm over 20 or 50 attempts at a tagline or a call-to-action before tweaking and selecting the winner. For example: the “just do it”, the “think outside the bun”, the “think different” (I don’t even have to mention the brands, do I?). Copywriting has a short-term vision: while content writing builds long-term relationships, copywriting seeks immediate results. Apple didn’t try to convince you that an iPod was something you needed with a long explanation of its features, but went straight to your benefits, what you’d enjoy: “1000 songs in your pocket”. Something you did not even know you wanted. That’s copy.

Common forms of Copywriting:

• Advertising (online and print)
• Calls to action (CTAs)
• Email campaigns
• Landing pages
• Taglines and slogans
• Promotional social media posts
• Sales email sequences
• Websites*

*Other things like websites and marketing collateral (e.g. flyers, one-pagers) often require a combination of content writing and copywriting. For example, your homepage might need more persuasive copy than your blog section, which requires more informative long-form content. Product pages will require a combination of technical accuracy and persuasive copy.

As with everything in marketing and communications: the key is understanding your audience’s needs at different touchpoints. I want to add here that, as a former grammar-addict, copywriting is also more flexible with grammar and spelling: an that’s okay! It works.

No better or worse—just different

The primary difference comes down to the purpose: to inform and build relationships (content) or to persuade and drive action (copy). Neither is inherently better than the other, and most projects require both. Too much salesy language can harm credibility, while too much information without a clear call to action will not get you anywhere. Even just promoting content like a whitepaper or a blog post requires well-crafted copy to encourage downloads or clicks.

Writing in STEM

As a STEM content creator, I often navigate these nuances when working with engineers, scientists, and technical experts. Convincing technical teams that bending some grammar rules or simplifying complex ideas for persuasive purposes is acceptable can be a challenge—but one I love.

Great writing underpins both content and copy. Not everybody is simply “good at writing”—and yes, it is a skill that can be learned—but most times within STEM organizations (universities, museums, STEM-related start-ups or NGOs) the Subjet Matter Experts are simply already way too busy and should not spend time creating content. If you are ready to hire a content creator to support your strategy: let’s talk!

My favorite books about writing and storytelling (constantly updating this list):

• Don’t be such a scientist by Randy Olson (can recommend all his books)
• The science of storytelling by Will Storr
• Writing to learn by William Zinsser
• The Craft of Science Writing by Siri Carpenter
• Very Good Copy by Eddie Shleyner