Podcast Summary: Bloomberg Businessweek

Episode: Web Surfing in the Artificial Intelligence Era
Date: November 17, 2025
Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec
Guest: Linda Tong, CEO of Webflow

Episode Overview

This episode delves into how artificial intelligence—particularly large language models (LLMs)—is fundamentally changing the way websites are designed, discovered, and engaged with. The conversation with Linda Tong, CEO of Webflow, centers on "Answer Engine Optimization" (AEO), a shift in focus from traditional search engine optimization (SEO) as web traffic increasingly comes from AI-driven agents rather than classic search engines. Tong provides deep insights into how companies should adapt to remain relevant and effective in the AI era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Two Audiences for Websites in the AI Era

[02:22] Linda Tong:

• Websites must now serve two distinct audiences: humans and AI systems.
• "You now have to serve two audiences. You now have to build the traditional website that a human experiences. And you have to build a website now that is AI readable and can be indexable for these new LLMs that are really driving the future of service."

2. From SEO to AEO: A Paradigm Shift

[02:45] Host 2 & Linda Tong:

• Is this the new SEO?
  Linda Tong: "It is. And a lot of folks are now calling it AEO. So, Answer Engine Optimization."
  [02:47]
• Classic SEO often involved keyword stuffing and superficial tactics to rank higher, which led to lower content quality.
• AEO, by contrast, is about authoritative, richly structured content that LLMs can ingest and reference as answers.

[03:32] Linda Tong:

• "What's different now with AEO is actually it's founded on authority and the richness of your content...instead it's saying the content on your site, the structure of your site has to be designed to be authoritative and you have to have detailed information that ultimately will get indexed and researched and surfaced back into an answer."

3. Real-Time Trends and Shifts in Web Traffic

[04:45] Linda Tong:

• Webflow has seen the proportion of "top of funnel" traffic from LLMs jump from 15–25% to as high as 50%.
• This represents over 125% growth in just the first six months.
• The nature of lead generation is changing—users arrive with greater context and intent thanks to detailed AI-processed answers.

Notable Quote [05:15]:

• "With AEO, it's about building context. When a user comes in through this answer engine, they're coming in with higher intent and higher willingness to ultimately engage and interact and convert on your site."

4. Motivation and User Behavior in the Age of AEO

[06:11] Linda Tong:

• Motivation remains: companies still want website visits, but now the visits are more transactional and high-context.
• "They might go straight to your buy button or straight to your subscribe button. So it's a much more transactional, high-context interaction."

5. Lost Discovery and Control—A Double-Edged Sword

[06:47] Host 1 & Linda Tong:

• User control and the element of "discovery" are diminished as AI serves up curated answers directly.
• Both brands and users lose some agency in how content is found and presented.
• [07:24] Linda Tong: "It's actually limiting for both the user and for the brand that is trying to interact with the user. ... The quality of your prompt directly impacts the quality of the response you get. And so there is a bit of a learning process."

6. The Future of Ads and Monetization in AEO

[07:58] Host 1 & [08:03] Linda Tong:

• Anticipation that ads will emerge in answer engine interfaces, mirroring the lucrative nature of SEO.
• Linda Tong: "I suspect we will start to see ads pop up. This is, you know, a massive...think of SEO as a trillion dollar industry. I can't imagine a world where AEO does not take a percentage of that."

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Linda Tong [02:22]:
  "You now have to serve two audiences. You now have to build the traditional website that a human experiences. And you have to build a website now that is AI readable and can be indexable for these new LLMs."

• Linda Tong [03:32]:
  "It's sort of rejecting the slop, all the sort of marketing, like very like fluffy keywords. And instead it's saying the content on your site, the structure of your site has to be designed to be authoritative..."

• Linda Tong [05:15]:
  "With AEO, it's about building context. When a user comes in through this answer engine, they're coming in with higher intent and higher willingness to ultimately engage and interact and convert on your site."

• Linda Tong [07:24]:
  "It's actually limiting for both the user and for the brand... The quality of your prompt directly impacts the quality of the response that you get."

• Linda Tong [08:03]:
  "I suspect we will start to see ads pop up... I can't imagine a world where AEO does not take a percentage of [the SEO industry]."

Timeline and Timestamps of Key Segments

• [01:36] – Question: How should websites adapt in the AI era?
• [02:22] – Linda Tong: The need to serve both humans and AI
• [02:45] – Emergence of "Answer Engine Optimization" (AEO)
• [03:32] – How AEO differs from (and improves upon) SEO
• [04:45] – Real-world trend: traffic from LLMs is rapidly rising
• [06:11] – Why companies still want website visits in AEO—but with new types of user journeys
• [06:47] – The downside: Loss of discovery, both users and companies have less control
• [07:58] – Will AEO be monetized via ads?
• [08:03] – Linda Tong: AEO’s future role in online advertising

Tone & Language

The episode maintains a conversational yet insightful tone, with technical depth but clear language for business leaders and digital professionals. Linda Tong is articulate, enthusiastic, and direct, making technical shifts understandable.

Conclusion

This episode provides a comprehensive look at the ongoing transformation of the web in the age of artificial intelligence. The actionable insight: to thrive, websites and brands must move beyond old SEO tactics, prioritize authoritative and structured content, and prepare for new discovery and monetization norms driven by AI and answer engines. The landscape is evolving fast—and both the promise and the challenges are significant for businesses aiming to stay ahead.