How Marketing Leaders are Thinking About AEO
The Dave Gerhardt Show (from Exit Five)
Why AI + SEO Is the Hottest Topic
Dave Gerhardt frames AI+AEO's rise and the session's goal: move beyond hype to practical marketing action.
#324 | Dave is joined by three marketing leaders from different industries to talk on a live session about AI and SEO and what they've learned over the last year. Dave Steer (CMO at Webflow), Marcy Comer (CMO at EagleView) and Clare Schmitt (VP, Marketing & Communications at Piedmont Global) break down how buyers are learning about products through ChatGPT and why traditional SEO fundamentals still matter. The group shares real examples of how they’re approaching content, prompt tracking, PR, and brand authority, plus advice for marketers on where to focus, what to ignore, and how to guide their teams through this search shift.
Timestamps
- (01:06) - Why AI + SEO is the hottest (and most confusing) topic in B2B marketing right now
- (05:11) - Meet the panel: marketing leaders from Webflow, EagleView, and Piedmont Global
- (08:49) - How AI search is changing buyer behavior vs traditional Google search
- (12:32) - EagleView’s real approach to AI search, greenfield opportunities, and prompt tracking
- (15:39) - What “black hat” vs “white hat” tactics look like in AI-driven search
- (19:46) - Webflow’s take: integrated marketing, generosity, and building useful tools
- (30:09) - Getting past high-level advice and into real execution
- (35:09) - “Circle the buyer”: how content builds demand before buyers are in-market
- (38:52) - Why PR is back: long-form press, citations, and brand credibility in AI search
- (45:52) - What to do if you’re a startup with no budget: focus on positioning first
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