AI Search, ChatGPT Visibility & the New Discovery Land Grab (with Apoorv Sharma)
Getting fired on Day 1 doesn’t mean you failed — sometimes it means you’re just getting started.
In this episode of Inside Marketing with MarketSurge, host Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, sits down with Apoorv Sharman — a marketer, founder, and AI discovery strategist who’s helping brands get found inside ChatGPT, AI search, and LLM-powered recommendations instead of getting buried on page 10 of Google.
Apoorv’s journey is anything but conventional:
Fired as an Amazon delivery driver on Day 1
Freelancing nights while grinding a 9–5
Building and selling a startup pre-COVID
Climbing from intern to marketing manager
Now running Derivate X, helping brands win the next discovery land grab
Freelancing nights while grinding a 9–5
Building and selling a startup pre-COVID
Climbing from intern to marketing manager
Now running Derivate X, helping brands win the next discovery land grab
While most marketers are still arguing about SEO tweaks, Apoorv is focused on a much bigger shift: how people actually discover products when they stop “searching” and start asking AI.
In this conversation, we cover:
Why search behavior is fundamentally changing and where it’s going
How ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and LLMs are reshaping discovery
Why top-of-funnel SEO is dying and what’s replacing it
The “librarian” metaphor that explains AI search perfectly
What still matters from traditional SEO and what doesn’t
Why small businesses now have a real shot at outranking giants
How brands can influence AI recommendations without massive backlink budgets
What an AI discovery engagement actually looks like in practice
How ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and LLMs are reshaping discovery
Why top-of-funnel SEO is dying and what’s replacing it
The “librarian” metaphor that explains AI search perfectly
What still matters from traditional SEO and what doesn’t
Why small businesses now have a real shot at outranking giants
How brands can influence AI recommendations without massive backlink budgets
What an AI discovery engagement actually looks like in practice
If you’re a founder, marketer, agency owner, or business leader asking:
How do I show up when someone asks ChatGPT for the best solution?
This episode is for you.
CONNECT WITH APOORV SHARMAN
Website: https://apoorvshrm.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apoorvshrm/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@apoorvshrm
X / Twitter: https://x.com/apoorvshrm
Agency: https://derivatex.agency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apoorvshrm/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@apoorvshrm
X / Twitter: https://x.com/apoorvshrm
Agency: https://derivatex.agency
MARKETSURGE LINKS
Website: https://marketsurge.io
Podcast: https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio
X / Twitter: https://x.com/marketsurging
Book a Strategy or Demo Call:
https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/marketsurge/demozvwcxw
Podcast: https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio
X / Twitter: https://x.com/marketsurging
Book a Strategy or Demo Call:
https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/marketsurge/demozvwcxw
Want to stay ahead of what’s actually working in marketing right now?
Head to MarketSurge.io and see how we help businesses grow smarter, faster, and louder.
Head to MarketSurge.io and see how we help businesses grow smarter, faster, and louder.
Because your next breakthrough shouldn’t be a guess.
Creators and Guests
Host
Reed Hansen
Reed Hansen is a seasoned digital marketing executive with a proven track record of driving business growth through innovative strategies. As the Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, he focuses on leveraging AI-powered marketing tools to help businesses scale efficiently. Reed's expertise spans from leading startups to Fortune 500 companies, making him a recognized authority in the digital marketing space. His unique ability to combine data-driven insights with creative solutions has been instrumental in achieving remarkable sales growth for his clients.
