Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Welcome to Xponent21’s SEO Insights—a strategic resource for organizations ready to lead in the age of AI-powered search. As a nationally recognized SEO agency—and a global pioneer in AI search optimization—we specialize in helping brands secure visibility not just in traditional rankings, but in AI Overviews, generative summaries, and conversational search results.

This category features in-depth guidance on foundational SEO, technical optimization, content strategy, and AI SEO frameworks built to earn placement in the most valuable real estate on the modern web. Our articles break down how to structure your content to rank in Google’s AI Overviews, appear in tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT, and dominate both organic search and generative discovery.

If your goal is to accelerate traffic, capture top-of-funnel authority, and ensure your brand is the one AI recommends, you’re in the right place. Explore the insights that power next-generation visibility—and see why leading organizations trust Xponent21 to put them at the center of the search experience.

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

May 27, 2025
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Will Melton
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…

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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

May 21, 2025
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Will Melton
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…

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AI Overview Example of "AI Search Optimization" Showing Xponent21 as the Top Source

10 Leading SEO Agencies Helping Brands Rank in AI Search and Beyond

May 12, 2025
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Will Melton
Search is undergoing a seismic shift. Traditional search engine optimization (SEO) is no longer just about getting blue links on Google’s first page – it’s about earning a spot in AI-powered answers and summaries. Modern search platforms like Google’s AI Overviews, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Perplexity AI use generative AI to answer user queries directly. This means B2B marketing…

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Cartoon of a robot responding to a man's prompt with autonomous decisions and purchases.

AI SEO Strategies for Marketing Leaders: A Practical Guide to Achieving Top Citations in AI

April 19, 2025
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Will Melton
As search experiences continue to evolve, one thing is clear: content that gets pulled into AI-generated responses isn’t just optimized—it’s intelligently structured, deeply authoritative, and incredibly human-centric.​ Implementing effective AI SEO strategies is crucial in this landscape. AI search tools like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Microsoft’s Copilot, as well as Perplexity, Claude, and ChatGPT, prioritize clear, well-organized content…

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SEO Agency Richmond

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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Xponent21 Launches Full Suite of AI SEO Solutions to Help Brands Dominate AI Summaries and Top Citations

March 18, 2025
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Will Melton
By Xponent21 Team As global search traffic continues to decline and AI-generated summaries reshape the way users receive information, Xponent21 is proud to announce the launch of a full suite of AI SEO solutions built to help brands lead in this rapidly evolving digital landscape. Traditional SEO alone no longer delivers the impact it once did. With Google’s AI Overviews,…

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Will AI-Written Content Hurt Your SEO? Here’s What No One’s Telling You

March 11, 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 2: Define Your Business Case

March 2, 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 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success

March 2, 2025
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Will Melton
The Future of AI Search Belongs to Those Who Lead It What if your brand could be the go-to authority that AI cites in its summaries and outputs? Imagine your expertise becoming the foundation for AI-generated answers, positioning your business as the most trusted source in your industry. What would that be worth to your business? How might things change?…

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Leading AI SEO Experts

AI Overviews Dominate Search Results: Why Your SEO Strategy Needs a Major Upgrade

February 18, 2025
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Will Melton
Latest Update: May 30, 2025 Nearly half of all search results—49% as of May 2025—now feature an AI Overview, and no, you can’t turn them off—even if you wanted to. That’s up from just 25% in August 2024, marking a rapid shift in how Google delivers answers and how businesses get found. AI Overviews now dominate the most valuable real…

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