When Palm+Pine wanted to grow their visibility online, their website wasn’t showing up where it mattered. Then, they approached us to enhance their online visibility, drive organic traffic, and improve search engine rankings for key services.

In just a few months, we helped them 3x their organic traffic and start getting real leads – even from ChatGPT itself.

Here’s how our strategic SEO turned their local presence into measurable growth.

 

Client Overview

Palm+Pine Marketing and Design is a creative agency based in Annapolis, Maryland. They specialize in web design, branding, and marketing solutions for local and regional businesses.

 

Why Our Clients Love Working with Us

Here’s what the founder of Palm+Pine said:

 

See full review on Trustpilot

 

Challenges We Faced

Before working with us, Palm+Pine faced several issues that limited their digital growth:

• Low Search Visibility: Their website rarely appeared for key search terms related to web design and development services.

• Limited Organic Traffic: Minimal impressions and clicks meant few inbound leads.

• Weak Local Presence: Despite strong services, they weren’t ranking in nearby cities.

• Poor Keyword Performance: Core terms like “web design company” and “SEO services” had no traction.

 

Strategy & Implementation

We implemented a comprehensive SEO strategy for Palm + Pine, focusing on building strong foundations, optimizing for local relevance, and boosting authority through content and backlinks.

1. Keyword Optimization & Content Alignment

• Conducted in-depth keyword research targeting high-value locations such as “web design company in Rockville,” “web development agency Bethesda,” and “web design services Columbia MD”

• Created a topical content map to align blogs with search intent and service keywords.

• Wrote and published new, optimized blogs such as:

  • “Build Customer Loyalty Online – Rockville”

  • “Baltimore Instagram Hashtag Guide”

  • “Branding for Maryland Startups”

  • “Marketing Solutions for Nonprofits in Annapolis”

2. On-Page SEO and Local Optimization

• Performed comprehensive on-page optimization.

• Completed a full Google Business Profile (GBP) optimization and updated Google Business Profile (GBP) services to target specific locations like Edgewater, MD, to improve local visibility.

• Published GBP posts to boost engagement.

• Re-optimized the main service pages and location-specific landing pages, specifically targeting Annapolis, MD, as part of an A/B testing strategy.

• Optimized the social media account.

3. Technical SEO Enhancements

• Fixed multiple technical errors – such as 3xx, 4xx, and canonicals – found through a comprehensive manual audit and a SEMrush audit.

• Improved crawlability, meta tags, and site performance.

4. Off-Page SEO (Backlink Building)

We built a strong backlink foundation to boost Palm+Pine’s authority and search visibility.

• Developed a clear backlink plan focused on quality over quantity.

• Built a balanced mix of free and paid backlinks from relevant websites.

• Secured a guest post worth $80, which helped deliver a visible boost in rankings.

• Published six digital PR placements to earn high-quality mentions and referral traffic.

• Encouraged collaborations with local Maryland businesses to strengthen community-based link authority.

 

Results

Our multi-layered SEO strategy delivered measurable results across several fronts:

1. AI and Answer Engine Visibility

Palm+Pine is now cited on ChatGPT and Grok, bringing in direct leads from AI search results – a clear sign of strong Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

 

 

So, we did better on LLM (Large Language Model ) Optimization as well as Search Engine Optimization.

2. Google Business Profile Growth

We’ve been hard at work optimizing their Google Business Profile (GBP), and the results are starting to show! We focused on refining their profile and strategically adding service areas, and it’s paying off.

• GBP clicks rose to 22 website visits directly from Google.

• The profile now ranks in the local pack for multiple local keywords – even without a physical storefront.

3. Improved Keyword Rankings

Palm + Pine’s website now ranks for numerous high-value keywords, demonstrating increased search visibility:

• The website’s local landing pages are now ranking on Google for many money keywords.
• Ranked #8 for “premium web design company in Baltimore”
• Ranked #3 for “website redesign in bethesda md.”.

 

 

• Ranked #6 for “bowie web design”.

 

• Ranked #7 for “google friendly custom websites bethesda”.

 

• Ranked #8 for “website expert bethesda”.

 

• Ranked #9 for “columbia md web design”.

 

• Ranked #10 for “website design company columbia maryland”.

 

• Ranked #12 for “web design columbia md”.

 

• Ranked #13 for “web design services columbia md”.

 

They’re also ranking for queries like “web design and SEO company in Rockville MD,” “web design agency Rockville,” and “web design company Bethesda.”

 

4. Organic Growth Metrics

• Organic clicks 3x, from 15 → 56 within 3 months.

• Impressions grew 25x, from 1.57K → 30.8K within 3 months.

 

 

• In the latest reporting period (last 30 days), clicks increased by 20% compared to the previous month, reaching 25 clicks.
• Impressions grew by 10% compared to the previous month, reaching 25.2K impressions.

 

5. Content Performance Highlights

• The “Marketing & Social Media Management in Annapolis, MD | Palm + Pine” page saw a 25% increase in clicks, gaining 10 clicks.
• The “How to Boost Engagement With the 5x5x5 Social Media Method” page saw a 50% increase in clicks, gaining 3 clicks.
• The “Our Story | Palm + Pine Marketing and Design” and “Best Times to Post on Social Media in Maryland (2025)” pages each received 3 and 2 clicks respectively, showing new engagement.
• The “How to Recover a Deleted Instagram Account: Step-by-Step Guide” page also received 2 clicks.

Key Takeaways

• Strategic local SEO + content mapping can rapidly boost organic performance.

• AI and GEO visibility (ChatGPT, Gemini, Cluade, Grok) is emerging as a new traffic source.

• Even service-based agencies without storefronts can dominate local search through GBP optimization.

• Small investments in guest posting and backlinks can produce lasting organic lift.

 

Conclusion

This project proved that smart SEO doesn’t just drive clicks – it drives connections. Palm+Pine’s growth shows how consistent optimization across web, local, and AI platforms can turn visibility into real business results.

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