When is an optimised site not an optimised site?

I recently completed the first phase of the copywriting for a client's new website. They're very keen on search engine optimisation (or "optimization" for my North American friends), but aren't too sure how to go about it.

I talked them through how I can help, including finding in-demand keywords and phrases which are under-supplied. I also explained that I would need to write some of the meta data, specifically the page title and the description tags.

Now the site is ready for testing, but I noticed my carefully constructed page titles had disappeared. It seems the web developers don't think they matter. I gently challenged them about this, and they said they tend to put in their own meta data.

This causes me a problem, as my copy will be less likely to do the job it's designed for. In the end, I've explained the situation to my client - and hopefully it will be resolved soon.

It's strange that some people in the industry aren't keeping up with developments in the search engine and directory market. Instead, they rely on outdated information, and pass it off as fact. If there's one thing I've learned about search engine optimisation, it's that there's always more to learn.