Most business website owners recognize the value of strong, compelling website content; they appreciate the importance of writing that commands attention and persuades visitors with reason and with art to buy something or take a particular action.

But there's a change happening. With the growing importance of search engine optimization and SEO copywriting, many e-businesses have shifted their content priorities. Satisfying the needs of human visitors has taken a back seat to keyword cramming and the scramble for higher search engine positioning.

And this has lead to some stilted and dysfunctional website content.

Search engine copywriting should help improve rankings, deliver traffic, AND convert it. Too many website owners employ SEO copywriting with the sole objective of driving traffic to their site. Period.

Then they cut that traffic loose to fend for itself. All those eager-to-buy prospects are dumped on the doorstep, facing web pages that offer them:

-No enticing headlines.

-No benefit-driven, you-oriented sales message.

-No persuasive pitch defining what makes this product or service superior.

-No irresistible call to action.

These visitors are clearly not getting the information or the motivation they need to make a buying decision. What they get instead is keyword-stuffed text that screams out, "Hey Google, spider this!" As a result, the site may get traffic but minimal or no increase in sales.

When it comes to search engine copywriting, doing half a job is worse than not doing it at all because you've wasted money on traffic that isn't generating revenues and the substandard copy is damaging your company's credibility in the process.

If you want to ensure that your web content is optimized correctly and you will actually be in a position to convert some sales, here is a checklist to run on your copy:

1. Does your optimized content offer useful information that's compelling, informative, and easy to understand?

2. Does it flow naturally or are the keyword phrases stuffed in beyond the point of sense and sensibility?

3. Does your content obey the first commandment of good copy: "Put thy customer before thyself." In other words, does it talk benefits ("This is how we can help you") or just glitzy features ("How cool are we?!)

4. Could a first-time visitor arrive at your home page and be clearly guided to the information he/she seeks without getting lost or confused? Content is vital to successful usability.

5. Does each web page include enticing headings/subheadings and clear, persuasive body copy, wrapped up with a strong call to action (a link to another page, an invitation to make contact, or a buy button)?

In short, your website content should adhere to the standards of good marketing communications that were selling products long before we became fixated on search engines. Because professional SEO copywriting never forgets that humans - not spiders - make the buying decisions.