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The 9–5 Exit Plan
The 9–5 Exit Plan

Why Ranking #1 on Google Isn’t Enough Anymore with Shanzila Ahmed

31 August 2026 36:44 Abraham Donatus

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About this episode

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Shanzila Ahmed, co-founder of ReachLLM, an AI-native Generative Engine Optimization agency.

We explore one of the biggest changes happening in digital marketing: people are increasingly asking AI systems for recommendations instead of relying solely on traditional search.

Shanzila explains why ranking highly on Google doesn’t automatically mean your brand will be recommended by ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, or Google AI Overviews.

We discuss how AI systems understand brands, the importance of credible sources and citations, why content volume isn’t enough, what businesses should measure, and practical steps entrepreneurs can take to improve their AI visibility.

If you’re a founder, marketer, SaaS company, e-commerce business, or entrepreneur trying to understand what AI means for the future of customer discovery, this conversation will give you a practical starting point.



Connect with Shanzila on : https://www.reachllm.com/

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