Latest posts by Will Melton (see all)
- Don’t Throw Out the Baby With the Bathwater — Why SEO Still Matters in the Age of AI SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) - September 3, 2025
- 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

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an SEO Company in 2025? (Updated for Google AI Mode)
September 10, 2024
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Will Melton
Updated May 26, 2025 Listen to this article in podcast format with Cosmic Rankings: From $10k to $1m: What Businesses Spend on AI SEO The SEO landscape is undergoing its biggest shift in decades. Google’s introduction of AI Mode – a fully generative search experience – has dramatically altered how people find information. After 27 years of traditional search, many…

Avoid Website Disaster: The Essential Steps Most Companies Overlook (And Why It Costs Them)
September 9, 2024
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Will Melton
Quick Guide: The Critical Steps in Website Design Process You Can’t Afford to Skip Investing in a new website can be one of the most significant decisions—and investments—a business makes, yet many companies underestimate the complexity and strategic planning required to build or redesign a successful online presence. It’s easy to view a website as a simple digital brochure but…

From Sales to HR: 16 Surprising Website Features That Will Transform Your Business
September 9, 2024
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Will Melton
Leading Richmond Web Development Agency, Xponent21, Builds Valuable Custom Solutions for Businesses Across America Websites are more than just digital storefronts or information hubs—they are powerful tools that can automate business processes, enhance customer service, and generate new revenue streams. A well-designed website can save time, improve efficiency, and even drive new opportunities for businesses in innovative ways. At Xponent21,…

All About AI SEO & Other New Terms: Navigating the New Frontier of Search
August 31, 2024
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Will Melton
The rapid evolution of AI technology is transforming the world of search engine optimization (SEO). As AI becomes increasingly integrated into search engines and content creation, new terms like AI SEO, SGE, AI Overviews, and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) are emerging. Understanding these concepts is crucial for staying ahead in this evolving landscape, ensuring your brand and content remain visible…

Tips for Building an Effective Social Media Strategy in 2024
August 18, 2024
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Will Melton
By now, most businesses have realized the power of an effective social media strategy. However, not all businesses have the time or resources to spend building said strategy. While there are articles and books explicitly dedicated to the best social media marketing tips, it doesn’t have to be that complex. There are a few simple ways that you can build…

How Do You Measure Digital Marketing Agency Success?
August 16, 2024
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Will Melton
Pictured above: Some Xponent21 team members after volunteering for a ramp build for project:HOMES. Assessing Richmond Digital Marketing Agencies When it comes to choosing the right digital marketing agency in Richmond, understanding how to evaluate their effectiveness is crucial. Whether you’re working with an agency or considering a new partnership, the ability to measure success will determine whether your business…

6 Ways to Know You’re Being Held Back & What to Do About It
August 15, 2024
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Will Melton
Do you ever find yourself asking, “am I being held back at work?” Or do you think that a certain peer or superior is holding you back from getting a promotion or just receiving the recognition you deserve for your hard work? It’s been a tumultuous time in the world of work, with a pandemic, rapid inflation, shifting family priorities,…

Finding the Best Website Design Companies in Richmond: A Comprehensive Guide
August 15, 2024
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Will Melton
Richmond, VA, is home to a dynamic array of website design companies and full-service marketing firms, each offering a unique approach to building and optimizing websites. Whether you’re launching a new site, refreshing an existing one, or looking to enhance your digital presence, it’s crucial to choose a partner that aligns with your specific needs. This guide will help you…

SEO Best Practices for Achieving Top Rank in Search & AI Results
August 8, 2024
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Will Melton
We live in a world where we have access to just about every piece of information we need right at our fingertips. All it takes is a query—whether you’re searching for coffee shops near you, the best cleaning products for hardwood floors, or new dinner recipes. But have you ever wondered how a search engine, like Google, knows how to…

An Organic SEO Strategy to Take You to the Summit of Search Results
December 29, 2023
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Will Melton
This article is the second in our SEO Strategy series. If you haven’t read the first article, we recommend starting there to gain foundational insights into how organic SEO fits into your broader SEO Strategy. Organic SEO: The Lynchpin of a Winning SEO Strategy In our previous article, we emphasized that winning the game of search engine optimization (SEO) starts…
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Recent Posts
Don’t Throw Out the Baby With the Bathwater — Why SEO Still Matters in the Age of AI SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
September 3, 2025
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
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