I would guess social linking, size of the site, and newest content is what they are after these days. My old static websites have lost much rank to these new dynamic sites.
If you haven't already read this. Check out this post by Glen Allsopp. http://www.viperchill.com/no-hat-seo/ (pretty well respected SEO) Interesting outlook on the pattern of Google over the years. And also an important thing to take away: Google's claim to fame and their reason behind their success was their ranking algorithm based on backlinks. At the executive level, I really doubt they'd scrap the idea that got them to world domination. At least not for a damn long time until every possible fail scenario has been weighed.
For the most part, people tend to rank for the home page... I guess you could say you lost to the other guy...my guess would be that he did more link building to his inner pages so they would move up.... There are 3 ways to help your inner page movement: 1: Quality content (but quality will not help you (much) if you are not link building) 2: Do it yourself link building by building backlinks to those inner pages. (and I mean quality link building, not those cheap $5 packages to ruin) 3: Efforts of others giving you a backlink to an inner page: (ie: I liked one of Whore's Island inner pages, so I give him a back-link to his page) This will help his page move up the serps...) You most likely gave up, sat on the couch, then blame the other guy..... (a bit harsh, but true for millions of sites that go no where or fall in the serps, or do website owners think they will be in the serps forever sitting at #1?) and if you think I am dead wrong...then send me $5, and I will sugar cost this for you. For $5 - I will do a complete report on your site, telling you how great it is, and your future is bright. This report of all lies is only $5 (limited time offer) I want your business, so I will lie like a dog in order to make you feel good about your failed site. #1 Fiveer gig on this planet, and 3 other worlds. (Damn good sales pitch if you ask me...)
yes, and apparently easy enough for them to take action and control ie: downfall of blog networks (if google sure enough does not like something, then they have zero problem de-ranking you down to nothing.....) Even if you are doing all the right things in life, if you get caught up in google's temper.... (lets just say they do not care if they destroy you, and they surely do not care if you eat or not)
LOL, That is honestly what all fiverr gigs do. Ordered a couple reports and they said my site was perfect and added a bunch of technical BS. Then I got a friend that was pretty experienced in SEO to look at it and he listed 5 problems in like a minute.
Google algorithms becoming more and more complex, I guess nowadays Google is paying more attention only to on-page optimization.