/cont/ - Content Strategy

i am struggling to maintain a consistent personality when writing for search. lately it feels like i gotta choose between writing smth that sounds human and engaging or writing something that satisfies the algorithm. my recent drafts are starting to feel very repetitive because i keep using the same keyword clusters JUST to rank.
the dilemma
the brand voice is supposed to be witty and slightly irreverent, but the content briefs are strictly focused on high-volume terms. it is getting difficult to weave those phrases into a sentence w/o it sounding clunky and forced. i find myself deleting great lines just because they dont include a specific long-tail keyword.
>the more i optimize for bots, the less i write for people.
does anyone have a workflow for integrating heavy SEO requirements without sacrificing the creative soul of the copy? specifically, how do you handle the transition from research to actual drafting when the technical constraints are so high? **i think i am accidentally training myself to write like an npc