President & CEO at Xponent21
Will Melton, CEO of Xponent21 and consultant to global companies, brings nearly 20 years of leadership in technology and marketing. He is the founder of AI Ready RVA and Richmond Water, podcast host for Channel RVA, and serves on several charitable boards in Richmond, VA. Recognized as one of the world’s top experts on AI SEO, Will has pioneered strategies that have achieved top citations across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, making him a global authority on the future of search.
Latest posts by Will Melton (see all)
- The Alphabet Soup of SEO: What AEO, AIO, GEO, and AISEO Mean for Your Strategy - August 23, 2025
- What It’s Like When Your Business Ranks at the Top of AI Search Results - August 17, 2025
- Xponent21’s AI SEO Case Study — Engineering the Top Spot in AI Search - August 9, 2025
Finding the Best SEO Agencies in Richmond, VA: A Collaborative Guide for 2025
April 1, 2025
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Will Melton
The Richmond SEO Agency Landscape is Diverse Richmond, VA, boasts a diverse and thriving marketing community, with agencies and creatives ranging from one-man shops to agencies that produce significant national campaigns. As businesses in Richmond increasingly recognize the importance of a strong digital presence, the demand for effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services has surged. However, finding the best Richmond…
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The Ultimate Guide to the Best Digital Marketing Agencies in Richmond, VA, for 2025
April 1, 2025
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Will Melton
Digital marketing is critical for businesses aiming to propel themselves in today’s competitive landscape. With many online platforms to deploy ads on, and a rapidly evolving search landscape, finding the right agency for your business can mean the difference between stagnance and exponential growth. With the right digital marketing agency and strategy plan, your business will increase online visibility, drive…
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Will AI-Written Content Hurt Your SEO? Here’s What No One’s Telling You
March 18, 2025
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Will Melton
If you’ve heard that “AI-generated content is bad for SEO,” you’re not alone. We’ve had clients come to us worried that using AI to assist with content creation will get their website penalized by Google or cause their search rankings to take a hit. They heard it from “a guy.” Let’s set the record straight: AI-generated content isn’t the problem.…
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The AI SEO Content Accelerator | Part 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success
March 15, 2025
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Will Melton
For years, we’ve been refining content cluster strategies informed by psychology and human behavior—testing them with clients across industries, proving that when you build content ecosystems designed for how people actually think and search, results follow. But in August 2024, we put our own methods to the ultimate test. We turned the full weight of our AI SEO framework inward,…
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The AI SEO Content Accelerator | Part 2: Define Your Business Case
March 14, 2025
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Will Melton
New to this series? Start with Part 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success Before you dive into AI-driven SEO, you need a clear reason for doing it. Without a solid business case, you risk chasing rankings without a strategy that delivers tangible business value. AI search is a powerful tool—but how will you use it to grow your brand? This…
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The AI SEO Content Accelerator | Part 3: Conduct In-Depth AI Search Research
March 13, 2025
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Will Melton
New to this series? Start with Part 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success AI-powered search isn’t just changing how people find information—it’s changing what they find. Unlike traditional search, which relies heavily on keywords and backlinks, AI-driven results prioritize context, conversational language, and authoritative sources. If you want your content to show up in AI-generated responses, you need to understand exactly how…
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The AI SEO Content Accelerator | Part 4: Set a Clear, Measurable Goal
March 12, 2025
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Will Melton
New to this series? Start with Part 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success AI search success isn’t about producing more content—it’s about creating the right content and tracking its impact. Without a clear goal, you risk publishing articles that might rank but don’t drive meaningful business results. By setting specific, measurable objectives, you ensure that every piece of content you create serves…
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The AI SEO Content Accelerator | Part 5: Build a High-Impact AI SEO Strategy
March 11, 2025
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Will Melton
New to this series? Start with Part 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success Now that you have the foundation, research, and goals in place, it’s time to develop a content strategy designed for AI-driven search. AI doesn’t just evaluate individual pieces of content—it assesses how your entire content ecosystem is structured. To be recognized as an authority, your strategy must ensure that…
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The AI SEO Content Accelerator | Part 6: Create and Publish AI-Optimized Content
March 10, 2025
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Will Melton
New to this series? Start with Part 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success With a clear strategy in place, it’s time to execute. AI search engines prioritize structured, authoritative, and conversational content that delivers value. To rank in AI-generated results, your content must be optimized for credibility, clarity, and AI comprehension. Write for E-E-A-T: Establish Authority AI prioritizes content that demonstrates Experience,…
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The AI SEO Content Accelerator | Part 7: Develop Content Aides & Enhance
March 9, 2025
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Will Melton
New to this series? Start with Part 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success Once your core content has been drafted and published, the next priority is to enrich it with elements that appeal to both human readers and AI-driven search engines. Properly enhanced content increases engagement, encourages sharing, and positions you as a go-to authority in your niche. Visual and Interactive Elements…
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Recent Posts
The Alphabet Soup of SEO: What AEO, AIO, GEO, and AISEO Mean for Your Strategy
August 23, 2025
Timing Is Everything: How Human Energy Cycles Drive Digital Behavior (and AI SEO Results)
August 19, 2025
What It’s Like When Your Business Ranks at the Top of AI Search Results
August 17, 2025
Xponent21’s AI SEO Case Study — Engineering the Top Spot in AI Search
August 9, 2025
Own Your Website, Own Your Future in AI Search
August 5, 2025
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