Free resources

Guides for business owners who want to be found

Two short, practical guides from Found. No fluff, written the way we would explain it to a client over coffee.

Two guides on getting found, online and in AI search

Search now happens in two places at once. Customers still type into Google, but a growing number ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Google's AI Overview instead, and never see a list of blue links. Our first guide, GEO & AEO: Getting Found by AI, Not Just Google, explains what Generative Engine Optimization and Answer Engine Optimization actually mean, why AI tools recommend some businesses and ignore others, and the concrete steps that get your business named as the answer.

Our second guide, The Business Owner's Guide to Marketing That Actually Works, is for founders who want a straight answer to the questions agencies rarely address plainly: how much of your revenue should go to marketing, when an internal hire beats an agency, and which channels are worth your time this year. Both guides are free, written in plain language, and built on the same system we use with our own clients.

GUIDE 01 · 5 MIN READ

GEO & AEO: Getting Found by AI, Not Just Google

A plain English breakdown of GEO and AEO: what they are, why they matter this year, and a starter checklist you can run this week.

Why This Matters
The Basics
In Practice
The Opportunity
The Payoff
Do It Yourself
Hiring Help
Our Approach

GUIDE 02 · 12 MIN READ

The Business Owner's Guide to Marketing That Actually Works

A founder's handbook on what marketing actually does for a business, how much to invest, when to hire an agency, and how to prioritize with limited time and budget.

01 What Marketing Actually Is
02 What Marketing Brings You
03 The Cost of Neglecting It
04 Marketing and Business Growth
05 How Much to Invest

Frequently asked questions

What is GEO?

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization: making sure AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity actually mention and recommend your business by name when someone asks a question your business can answer. Traditional SEO earns you a spot in the results list. GEO earns you the recommendation when someone asks an AI "who should I call?"

What is AEO?

AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization: shaping your website's content so it directly and clearly answers the exact questions your customers are asking, so both Google and AI assistants pick your answer to surface first. It's the difference between ranking for a keyword and being the answer someone actually reads.

How much should a business invest in marketing?

There's no universal number, but a defensible benchmark is 5 to 10% of revenue for established businesses focused on maintaining their position, and 10 to 20% for businesses actively pursuing growth or entering new markets. Startups often need to invest at the higher end since they're building visibility and trust from zero. Both free guides on this page cover this in more detail.