Update on SEO Copywriting Debate

Here are a few nuggets of SEO truth I've come across lately from a couple of industry pros whose work and opinions I respect:

"Good content isn't stuff you write for the search engines. Good content is unique. Really and truly unique. It is creative ideas that simply popped into your head which nobody else in your space has thought of yet. The key to good content is creativity." Jill Whalen, Oct. 26/05 High Rankings newsletter

"The (good) copywriter also understands that the goal of optimizing for search engine ranking, important though it is, cannot take place at the expense of the site's ability to persuade and convert." Bryan Eisenberg, Grokdotcom.com

I have recently shifted the focus of my own website content writing services to emphasize first and foremost the importance of strong copywriting, with search engine optimization as a secondary feature of, but not the driving force behind, the message. SEO used to play a larger role in my promotions but while it's still a significant factor, it's not in the forefront any more.

I feel this is not only a better, truer focus for the work I do for my clients, but also makes it much more satisfying and interesting for me. I mean, really... how gratifying can it be to receive an order containing nothing but a list of keyword phrases and a request to just write some content around them? That's happened to me far too many times to count, and I bet it's happened to you too. Let me know your thoughts.