SEO Is Not Enough Anymore: Webflow's CEO on the Rise of AEO | Linda Tong

The future of websites isn't a builder problem anymore. It's an agent problem.In this episode of GTMnow, Sophie Buonassisi sits down with Linda Tong, CEO of Webflow, to unpack how the entire web is being rewritten for a world where humans AND AI agents are your audience.Linda breaks down why Webflow is no longer "just a website builder" (it's an agentic web marketing platform), what the Vidoso acquisition unlocks for AI-generated brand assets, and how the rise of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is forcing marketers to rethink content from the ground up. She also shares the practical playbooks her team uses to "vibe" sites into production with the Webflow MCP server, why human creativity is the only real moat left, and how she built her own personal CRM using Claude Code.If you run a GTM team, lead marketing, or are trying to figure out what your website should even look like in 2026, this one is essential.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN-Why your website is now the #1 source of truth for humans, bots, and agents-The shift from static sites to continuously optimizing, dynamic experiences-How "vibe coding" with MCP is changing the way teams build on the web-Inside the Vidoso acquisition and what "brand-governed AI" actually means-AppGen: going from prompt to production without losing brand consistency-Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): the non-obvious mistakes marketers are making-How to structure a marketing team made of humans plus agent swarms-The "5 words" exercise every CEO should run inside their company-Linda's personal CRM built with Claude Code (and how Webflow scales internal AI)-Why "unlimited credits" and Builder Days unlock real AI productivityABOUT THE GUESTLinda Tong is the CEO of Webflow, the agentic web marketing platform powering some of the most respected brands on the internet. Before stepping into the CEO role, Linda served as President and COO at Webflow, and previously led product at Cisco's AppDynamics and held senior roles at Google.CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:41 From static to dynamic 03:12 Inside the Vidoso acquisition 05:38 The human moat 07:17 Beyond the website builder 08:55 Structuring human + agent teams 09:58 AppGen, explained 10:45 Prompt to production 12:11 AEO misconceptions 14:40 Holistic AEO strategy 16:38 The 5 words exercise 18:10 Linda's personal CRM 19:31 Central vs. individual AI 20:44 Inside Webflow's Builder DaysGuest: Linda Tong, CEO Webflowhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lktong/https://x.com/YayLTHost: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/https://x.com/sophiebuonaABOUT GTMnow GTMnow is the media arm of GTMfund, sharing the strategies, tactics, and stories from the operators and investors building the next generation of go-to-market.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/Sponsors: .Tech - Domains, where the next generation of builders is planting their flag.Secure your .tech domain today from any registrar of your choice. Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.comFor inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected] is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/#GTMnow #Webflow #AI #LindaTong #AnswerEngineOptimization #AEO #GoToMarket #B2BMarketing #AgenticAI #VibeCoding #AIAgents #FutureOfWeb #MarketingPlatform #SaaS #aimarketingThe GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.