I agree — that role is critical, and one we see clients (like Squidoo) putting more and more emphasis on. It fits into the mindset that every communication with a customer is “marketing” in the sense that the goal of marketing is to forge a relationship and a positive impression.

It’s certainly a challenge to manage this content and keep it consistent when it can be so highly personalized (there can be thousands of variations in even a modest app) — but it’s a challenge worth working on. Good to see you guys doing great work on this kind of thing with Mixx.

It seems as though the “copy-writer”, or at least the importance of the talent/knowledge that such a type-of-person might bring to the table is growing more and more important (or at least more in more in demand; the importance was always there). Many of our own clients are seeking this person out just to ensure what you are describing doesn’t happen. It isn’t that you necessarily need creative copy, but almost more a lead to consider the possibilities of a message — where it will be seen, in what context, to what audience and when. Content is king, but we often take it for granted and while we think it is top-of-mind, it almost gets pushed back-of-mind when developing a site (until it is too late).