#356 | Dave sits down with Brett Domeny, product lead at Webflow focused on AEO, to talk about what it actually takes to show up in AI search. Brett breaks down Webflow's AEO maturity model — four core areas that actually matter: content, technical structure, authority, and measurement — and why most of AEO is just good SEO done right. They get into how LLM crawlers work and what your site needs to do to be discoverable, why Reddit and community platforms have outsized influence on AI citations, and how to measure whether any of it is working.

Check out Webflow's free AEO assessment here.

Timestamps

(00:00) - - Intro and Brett's background
(02:00) - - The state of search and why CMOs are worried
(04:00) - - Webflow's AEO maturity model
(05:30) - - Why AEO is an evolution of SEO, not a replacement
(06:30) - - Technical: how LLM crawlers work
(16:00) - - Content: optimize for questions, not keywords
(19:00) - - Does authentic content still win in an AI world?
(26:00) - - Measurement: the three-bucket framework
(30:00) - - How accurate are the prompt visibility tools?
(37:00) - - How to show your boss AEO is working
(40:00) - - Authority: why Reddit has outsized influence on AI citations
(43:00) - - Why Brett has stayed at Webflow for six years

How to Think About AEO with Brett Domeny (Director of Product Management at Webflow)

The Dave Gerhardt Show (from Exit Five)

How to Think About AEO with Brett Domeny (Director of Product Management at Webflow)