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Since EMD updates, we haven't dropped rank at all. I'm aware of the topics on EMD, but it's been great for a certain client in a city the size of 450k. Very competitive KWd space too. In fact, we combined two of the highest searched keywords and made a single domain. The end result: this client gets calls all day long (tracking number) another thing your not supposed to do. This sites been stuck on Spot A in maps and #1 SEO results. Beyond citation done our way and good On page...no links. Go figure....

These are all great tips. At this early point in the game, your focus on old-school networking and on-page optimization will have a disproportionate impact. I would add that your site looks like so many other design portfolio sites in that: "Request a Proposal" is a high-commitment call-to-action For people who aren't ready for a proposal, there's no clear funnel for leads to move down Other than UTAH, there's nothing that identifies your ideal audience You need to look at your design company as if it were a product. How would you package that product? What are the buying stages? How do you move people down the funnel? Most design firms have the same issue. They put their portfolio online and expect that to make them stand out. But your really could benefit from product-izing your business. I think some flagship content could really help with this. The idea is to create a single piece of content - video, info-graphic, long-form blog post, etc. - that is relatively hard to duplicate by competition. Something really useful or informative. Make it free, then focus marketing and link building efforts around it. Bruce Clay, Inc. did this a number of years ago with their SEO Code of Ethics. Moz does it with their Beginner's Guide to SEO. Search Engine Land does it with their Periodic Table of SEO. You want to gather leads higher up in the funnel and build links along the way. With well-developed, useful, and focused content like this, it will be more likely for folks to share your site on social media and easier to establish yourself as an authority in something. That will result in easier link building. If you do it right, it'll also entice qualified prospects. For example, you could create a blog post+video/infographic about 10 Ways Small Businesses in Utah Can Stand Out Online. With a title like that, you will have identified your audience - small businesses in Utah - and their pain - how to stand out online. You would then have a pretty good hunch that folks downloading that offer are your audience. I know none of this is technical SEO help for you. But content has the biggest impact on SEO ... plus, I've seen great content beat technical SEO before.