Beyond Google: Shanzila Ahmed on AI Search, GEO, and How Businesses Get Recommended by ChatGPT

What happens when your customers stop searching Google and start asking AI for recommendations? In this episode of Telling My Story, I sit down with Shanzila Ahmed, AI Search Visibility and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) expert and co-founder of ReachLLM, to explore how artificial intelligence is changing the way people discover businesses and brands. Shanzila explains why ranking well on Google doesn't necessarily mean ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, or other AI search platforms will recommend your business—and what companies can do to become more visible, credible, and citable in AI-generated answers. We discuss the difference between SEO and GEO, how AI systems form opinions about brands, the importance of online authority and trusted sources, and what businesses should be doing now to prepare for the future of customer discovery. Shanzila also shares practical insights from her work measuring AI visibility, competitive share of voice, recommendation position, sentiment, and the sources AI systems rely on when answering customer questions. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, SaaS founder, e-commerce entrepreneur, SEO professional, or simply curious about the future of search, this conversation offers practical lessons you can start applying today. Connect with Shanzila Ahmed:🌐 ReachLLM.com If you enjoyed this episode, follow Telling My Story, leave a rating and review, and share this conversation with someone who needs to understand how AI is changing the way businesses get discovered.