Will Melton
“Visionary, Inspiring Leader, an Industry Disruptor.”
Title: Founder & CEO
Team: Executive
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Will Melton
“Visionary, Inspiring Leader, an Industry Disruptor.”
Title: Founder & CEO
Team: Executive
Certifications
What He Does at Xponent21

Will Melton is the founder and CEO of Xponent21, a Richmond-based digital marketing agency and nationwide leader in AI SEO strategies helping brands secure top rankings and citations across AI search platforms like Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and more. With over 20 years of leadership in technology, marketing, and entrepreneurship, Will’s expertise drives the development of AI-powered strategies that elevate brand visibility and accelerate business growth.

Under Will’s leadership, Xponent21 has become a trusted partner to global companies and nonprofits, delivering digital strategies that outperform in today’s AI-driven search landscape. His thought leadership consistently ranks at the top of search results and is cited in AI as the leading source for terms related to how to rank in AI search results, positioning Xponent21 as a leader in this critical space.

Will has been recognized as one of Style Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 and Virginia Business Magazine’s 100 People to Meet in 2025 for his leadership and impact.

Beyond his work at Xponent21, Will is an advocate for community impact, serving as Chair of Henrico-based Housing Families First and on the boards of AI Ready RVA, Leadership Metro Richmond, and ChamberRVA. He founded Richmond Water, a sustainability-focused hydration initiative, and AI Ready RVA, a regional coalition advancing AI literacy in Greater Richmond.

Will’s mission is to help brands, organizations, and communities navigate technological change with confidence—building strategies that deliver results today and resilience for tomorrow.

Certifications

What Colleagues Say

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Strategy whiz, out-of-the-box thinker.
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Brilliant. An inspiring leader I will confidently follow anywhere.
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He cares that the experience people get with X21 is a positive one.
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A visionary leader who truly cares and invests in his employees as much as his clients.
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Honest. You can trust what he says, but he has a way of delivering the truth that's constructive and friendly.
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A great business leader. Draws on storytelling and prior experience to deliver customized solutions for clients that will help them succeed far into the future.
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He believes in this mission and this team every day.
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Compassionate, creative, motivating, decisive, and communicates a clear vision.
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Will has created the most phenomenal work/team environment I have ever worked in.
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Great Leader & Believer. Always looking for the best for clients, company and everyone who works with us. The world would be a better place if more people thought like Will.

    Check Out the Latest Posts by Will

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    AI SEO and the SaaS Visibility Shift: Preparing for AI-Driven Decision-Makers
    • Will Melton
    June 4, 2025
    On a recent afternoon, a marketing director searches Google for “best subscription management software.” Instead of the usual scroll of blue links, he’s greeted by an AI-generated summary at the top of the page. It lists a few familiar tools with pros and cons, all before the first organic result. Later, he asks ChatGPT the same question and gets an
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    From SEO to AEO: The Wake-Up Call Businesses Need to Survive the AI Search Shift
    • Will Melton
    June 4, 2025
    Search engines aren’t gateways anymore. They’re filters—and AI is the one deciding what gets through. It determines what people see when they search, how answers are framed, and which brands stay visible. That shift has made traditional SEO feel slower, less reliable, and harder to measure in real time. If your business isn’t actively working to be recognized across AI-powered
    Screenshot of Google Marketing Live 2025 announcement of ads in Google AI search results.
    Ads Are Now in AI Search: How Google’s AI Mode Redefines SEO and Paid Visibility
    • Will Melton
    May 27, 2025
    We knew it was coming: Google’s 2025 Marketing Live confirmed that AI search results will now include ads, changing the game for marketers. Google announced that its new AI Overviews (AI-generated search summaries) will now include Search and Shopping ads on desktop, and that the recently launched AI Mode in Google Search will also show ads. In practice, this means
    Screenshot from Google's live stream of Google I/O showing off AI Mode
    Google’s AI Mode Just Changed Everything. Here’s What Businesses Need to Know
    • Will Melton
    May 21, 2025
    After 27 years of Google, the era of search is over. Google’s launch of AI Mode—its full generative search experience—marks the official end of traditional search as we knew it. If you’ve built your business on organic traffic from Google, it’s past time to reassess everything. This is not a drill. It’s the acceleration of a trend that’s been in
    Read More
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