Best AI SEO tools: what to use and what to skip
By Sophia Samuels. Published 2026-11-07.
We use AI tools to help research and draft articles. A person edits each piece before it is published.
A practical guide to AI SEO tools by job: research, content, technical audits and AI search monitoring, and how to avoid paying for overlap.
There are now hundreds of AI SEO tools. Most businesses need a small, well-chosen set. Here is a way to choose by the job you need done.
Free essentials
- Google Search Console: shows what you rank for and how your pages perform. Essential.
- Google Analytics: shows what visitors do on your site.
- Bing Webmaster Tools: useful for Bing and for indexing checks.
Research and keywords
Established platforms such as Ahrefs and Semrush combine keyword research, competitor analysis and backlink data. Pick one, not both, unless you have a specific reason.
Content optimisation
Tools like Surfer and Clearscope analyse top-ranking pages and suggest topics to cover. Use them as a guide, not a script.
Technical audits
Crawlers such as Screaming Frog find broken links, redirect problems and missing tags. They are the fastest way to catch site-wide issues.
AI assistants
General AI assistants help with outlines, clustering, summarising and drafting. They need a person to check facts and edit.
AI search monitoring
This is a newer category. You can start with a spreadsheet of test prompts and check ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews monthly, then move to a dedicated tool if the volume justifies it.
| Job | Example tools |
|---|---|
| Search performance | Google Search Console, Google Analytics |
| Research and keywords | Ahrefs or Semrush (pick one) |
| Content optimisation | Surfer, Clearscope |
| Technical audits | Screaming Frog |
| AI search monitoring | A spreadsheet of test prompts to start |
How to choose
- Define the job first.
- Start with free tools.
- Add one paid tool at a time.
- Cancel anything you did not use last month.
Tools do not do the strategy for you. If you would rather have this handled, our SEO service includes the tooling and the interpretation.
Further reading
- Google Search Console
- Bing Webmaster Tools
- Ahrefs: SEO tools and resources
- Semrush: online marketing toolkit
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider
- Surfer: content optimisation
Quick answers
Which AI SEO tool should I start with?
Start with the free tools: Google Search Console and Google Analytics. Add one paid research tool when you have a clear job for it.