Who is Zach Hipes?

Zach Hipes is a digital strategist based in Roswell, Georgia (Atlanta metropolitan area). His legal name is Zachary J. Hipes. He is the creator of the Found First methodology — a framework for making businesses the answer customers find first across search engines and AI-powered answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews. Zach currently serves as SEO, AEO, and GEO Strategist at Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE: ABG), where he architects organic search and AI visibility strategy across more than 175 franchise dealerships nationwide.

Where is Zach Hipes based?

Zach Hipes lives in Roswell, Georgia, in the Atlanta metropolitan area. He works with multi-location enterprise brands across the United States. His Asbury Automotive Group role is based in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

What is Zach Hipes's background?

Zach Hipes holds a Bachelor of Science from Clemson University (2014), earned at the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business. He holds professional certifications including Google Ads Certified, Salesforce Certified, and the Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) designation from the American Marketing Association. He has more than eight years of experience directing enterprise SEO, paid media, and full-funnel growth across automotive retail, home services, healthcare, and multi-location service businesses.

What companies has Zach Hipes worked with?

Zach Hipes currently leads enterprise search and AI visibility at Asbury Automotive Group across more than 175 franchise dealerships. Previous engagements include Director of Marketing at Appliance EMT (cut CPA from $70 to $40 while tripling technician headcount), Director of Marketing at The Roof Depot (cut CPL from $190 to $28 in 60 days), and consulting work across home services, medical aesthetics, automotive, and DTC apparel through the Found First methodology.

What does Zach Hipes specialize in?

Zach Hipes specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), Google Ads and paid search strategy, schema markup and structured data, multi-location and local SEO, Core Web Vitals and performance optimization, conversion rate optimization, revenue attribution, and AI agent development for marketing automation.

How can I contact Zach Hipes?

Zach Hipes can be reached through the contact form at zachhipes.com, via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/zacharyhipes, or by email. The Found First Audit is the standard entry point for new engagements — a two-week diagnostic that surfaces wasted spend and AI visibility gaps before any larger commitment.

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Creator, Found First Methodology

Zach Hipes

Enterprise digital strategist · Creator of the Found First methodology

I spent years watching agencies burn client money and call it “brand awareness.” Now I do things differently — I look at the data, tell you what's happening, and fix the things that move revenue. No retainer games, no fluff.

The Background

I'm Zachary Hipes. I've spent my career inside ad accounts, analytics dashboards, and CRM systems — learning what moves the needle for businesses and what's just noise dressed up as strategy.

That experience built a pretty simple filter: if it doesn't drive revenue, reduce costs, or create a measurable competitive advantage, it's not worth doing. I don't care about impressions. I care about whether your phone is ringing with people ready to buy.

Every engagement starts the same way — I look at what's happening in your data, find the gaps, and build a plan to close them. If you want someone who treats your budget like it's their own money, let's talk.

Experience

Feb 2026 — Present

SEO / AEO / GEO Strategist — Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE: ABG)

175+ dealerships

Architecting enterprise organic search, AEO, and GEO strategy across 175+ Asbury dealerships — unifying SEO, AI visibility, and structured data into a single measurable performance framework.

2024 — Present

Creator, Found First Methodology

Audit · Install · Operate

Three productized tiers — Audit, Install, Operate — that give founders and mid-market businesses the attribution-focused digital strategy that usually stays out of reach.

2022 — Jan 2026

Director of Marketing — Appliance EMT

$70 → $40 CPA

Built the marketing function from scratch across 40+ Atlanta-area service markets. Owned paid search, SEO, CRO, and landing page development as the sole marketing decision-maker.

2018 — 2022

Director of Marketing — The Roof Depot

$190 → $28 CPL

Led full-funnel digital marketing for a multi-location roofing contractor across the Southeast — Google Ads, SEO, paid social, and localized landing pages in a lean, ownership-driven environment.

The Audit Finds What Everyone Else Missed.

I keep my client list tight. First conversation is a straight assessment — no pitch, no pressure. You'll know within 24 hours whether there's a fit.

Start with an audit