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The market is flooded with AI SEO tools.
The problem is that most of them promise more than they deliver.
Is it a tool that uses AI to help your processes?
Or is it a tool that claims it creates ‘human’ content?
A marketing team might claim its tool can produce perfectly optimised, ready-to-publish content in minutes. In reality, you spend more time editing the content than you would’ve spent writing it.
So, I tested out a whole bunch of the most talked-about AI-powered SEO tools to figure out which ones are actually worth your time – and highlighting 15 that have some super cool use cases.
Whether you’re just looking to polish content or you want to build topical authority within your niche, you’ll find the tool you need within this guide.
1. Semrush
As I’m sure you know, Semrush has a huge suite of features that help you perform technical SEO audits, track search engine rankings, and research competitors. Unsurprisingly, Semrush is also leading the way when it comes to AI SEO tools.
In particular, its ContentShake AI feature makes the content creation process much simpler and faster.
The tool takes a seed keyword and turns it into a full blog article. This includes headings, sourced competitor links, and even social sharing suggestions. Essentially, it’s a one-stop content generation tool, and it sure delivers.
I tested it to see how much time it could save me while building out a mid-funnel content hub for a niche furniture brand. After entering keywords like “ergonomic office chairs”, it produced a draft in minutes. The content had a decent structure, relevant sources, and minimal fluff.
Of course, as with all AI SEO tools, I still needed to edit the content. But it saved me about 70% of the usual writing time.
I also loved the latest AI Toolkit, where you can simply input your domain and get incredible insights.
Pros
- New AI-related features are added frequently
- Generates full articles from a single keyword.
- Natively utilises Semrush data.
- Includes competitor sources pulled from the SERP.
Cons
- Limited control over article tone or structure beyond basic inputs for content creation
2. Keyword Insights
In the last couple of years, Keyword Insights has become one of my go-to tools when building content strategies at scale.
And one I wish had existed for many years before it came about.
[I actually have a review post on Keyword Insights that has been a draft for about 2 years – but anytime I get close to publishing, they release new features that I then want to go back and update the post with.]
What I love about this tool is that it goes way beyond traditional keyword research. How?
By automatically clustering keywords based on actual search engine results page (SERP) similarity, not just phrase matching.
This means I don’t have to manually work out whether “best running shoes for men” and “top men’s trainers” should be separate pages or one. Instead, Keyword Insights gives me a clear answer based on how Google (or other search engines) treats those queries.
Another big advantage is that you can quickly go from a raw keyword list to a structured content plan. For example, let’s say you upload a few thousand terms from a recent ecommerce audit. The tool will give you a clean set of clusters, each with an assigned search intent and relevant SERP context.
This is super helpful for ecommerce brands dealing with sprawling category structures where duplication and cannibalisation risks are high.
Plus, its brief builder pulls in headings from search engine results, PAAs, and competitor structure, which makes briefing writers much easier.
Aside from this, the main drawbacks are that it slows down with very large keyword sets and doesn’t yet integrate directly with CMS platforms.
Pros
- Accurate SERP-based clustering.
- Intent and structure are baked in.
- Ideal for content strategy at scale.
- New feature: Auto-citations with every claim (so no more made up stats in your posts)
Cons
No CMS integration.(Scrap this, they now integrate with WordPress – between me writing the first draft and then publishing the post)
3. Writesonic
Writesonic is one of the most accessible AI-powered SEO tools I tested. It’s easy to get started, loaded with templates, and geared towards content marketers who want to move fast.
From blog posts to ecommerce product descriptions, it’s a great way to get words on the page when you’re facing a blank screen.
The tool includes several SEO-friendly features to help you optimise content, like keyword inputs and on-page scoring. Yet, its real strength lies in speed rather than depth.
In testing, I used it to generate first drafts for a handful of collection page intros. I got highly readable, grammatically sound content within seconds, which gave me a solid starting point.
Still, the tone was a little generic. So, I often had to rework chunks of text to better align with brand voice and user intent.
Overall, Writesonic is a handy companion for content teams needing to draft at scale. Just don’t rely on it (or any other SEO AI tools, for that matter) to produce anything final without a strong editorial layer on top.
They have also started releasing a new suite of tools around SEO AI Agents, which plug into your Google Search Console and other SEO tools (like Semrush) to pull in real keyword data to help inform your SEO plans.
And in the last couple of weeks, now have a GEO tracking section
Pros
- Generates readable first drafts quickly.
- Good for multilingual ecommerce sites.
- Easy to onboard and navigate.
- Additional AI features beyond writing content
Cons
- TOV is often generic.
- Requires heavy editing for quality SEO content.
4. SEOwind
SEOwind is a focused AI SEO tool that creates briefs and drafts. Its content brief generator pulls data directly from SERPs, such as:
- Headings used by competitors
- PAAs
- Keyword frequency
- Estimated word counts
In testing, this meant I was able to go from a seed keyword to a fully structured brief in about 10 minutes.
Then, I switched to its AI writer feature, which drafted SEO content based on those briefs. The drafts had a solid structure, on-point keyword usage, and relevant subheadings.
As with Writesonic, the content usually has a fairly generic TOV. The big difference, though, is that SEOwind has an “AI Humanizer” feature, which improves readability and gets rid of some of that typical AI robot-voice.
One of my favourite things about this tool is the internal linking plugin. It uses Google Search Console (GSC) data to suggest anchor text for your site, which is great for boosting topical authority and reducing silo friction.
The only real issue with SEOwind is that some pages feel clunky, and generating complex briefs can take quite a while. Still, it’s an excellent option if you want to accelerate research, structuring, drafting, and internal linking in a single workflow.
Pros
- Creates solid briefs with SERP-aligned headings, PAA questions, and good keyword frequency.
- Drafts need slightly less rewriting because of the “AI Humanizer”.
- Uses live GSC data to make internal linking suggestions.
Cons
- The user interface is a little slow and clunky.
- Limited keyword and backlink data compared to full SEO suites like Semrush.
5. RivalFlow AI
RivalFlow AI does something that a surprising number of content teams fail to do. Namely, spotting what your competitors are saying that you’re not.
Instead of creating new content, it analyses your existing pages against top-ranking pages and flags:
- Missing subtopics
- Unanswered questions
- Structural gaps
I tested it on some older blog posts that had started to dip in traffic. Within seconds, RivalFlow identified missing H2s that were covered in every top-10 competitor but not in mine. And wrote some incredible content to fill those gaps.
One of my favourite features of this SEO software is the built-in result tracking, which plugs into your Google Search Console.
You simply set the date you updated the content. And it will keep you updated on how it has performed since that date.
For content refreshes and quick wins, it’s super effective.
Pros
- Helps refresh content to improve your search rankings.
- Easy to implement suggestions.
- Recommends internal links and semantic keywords.
Cons
- No keyword or backlink data.
6. ChatGPT
Of course, ChatGPT isn’t specifically an AI SEO tool, but it can be used for a wide range of SEO tasks. For ecommerce SEO, I’ve found ChatGPT to be really useful for everything from drafting product descriptions to refining cold outreach emails.
Its biggest strength is how quickly it adapts to diverse requests. For example, it can rapidly rework dry category page content into something clear and engaging, or simplify technical concepts into concise blog intros.
However, the learning curve for ChatGPT is actually steeper than you might think. If you don’t guide it with clear, context-heavy prompts, then the output tends to be poor.
Also, as it’s not a standalone AI SEO tool, it won’t give you keyword volumes or search engine insights like live SERP data. Still, if you know how to use it, ChatGPT can be a brilliant AI assistant for many SEO activities.
Pros
- Highly versatile for SEO content writing tasks.
- Great for editing, idea generation, and rewriting.
- You can use it for free.
Cons
- No live SERP or keyword data.
- Requires good prompting to get useful results.
7. Jasper
Jasper positions itself as an AI writing assistant built for marketers. In many ways, that’s exactly who it serves best.
It’s different to tools like Semrush as it doesn’t lean heavily on SEO data or SERP analysis. Instead, Jasper is more focused on tone, style, and speed.
I like the fact that it comes loaded with templates for things like product descriptions, landing pages, email copy, and long-form blog posts. Also, for non-technical teams, the onboarding process should be quick and easy.
When I tested Jasper, I used it to draft some landing page copy. Once I got the TOV settings right, it produced solid first drafts that felt closer to ready than outputs from many other AI SEO tools.
Yet, it has to be said that Jasper falls short on the SEO side. There’s no deep keyword integration, no clustering, and no SERP-based content scoring like you get with Keyword Insights.
So, it’s not a tool you’d use for planning content. It’s one you’d use once the plan is already in place.
Pros
- Good template database.
- Strong TOV control.
- Less editing is needed compared to other AI SEO tools.
Cons
- Lacks SEO data or SERP insight.
- Not built for structured content strategies.
8. Frase
Frase scrapes the top-ranking SERPs for your target keyword and gives you a summary of competitor headings, questions, and related topics. This allows you to generate a content brief in minutes.
I tested how well it could scope out a long-form guide for a brand in the fitness equipment space. Within about five minutes, I had a nice draft outline including PAA-style questions, average word counts, and common themes from top-performing articles.
The editor interface is clean and simple. Plus, you can write directly within the tool if you’re looking for a streamlined workflow.
That said, it doesn’t go as deep as AI SEO tools like SEOwind. There’s no clustering or SERP intent mapping, and its keyword recommendations are quite surface-level, with minimal search intent context. Additionally, it’s definitely more suited to blog-style content than ecommerce category or product pages.
Pros
- Super fast content brief generation.
- Clean, user-friendly interface.
- Good for volume-based content pipelines.
Cons
- Lacks keyword depth and clustering.
- Light on strategic SEO insights.
9. NEURONwriter
NEURONwriter is an NLP-driven content editor. It pulls SERP data, analyses competitor pages, and suggests semantically relevant terms to weave into your content.
I tested it by optimising a few mid-ranking blog posts for a brand in the homewares space. Within minutes, I had a list of top SERP competitors, suggested keywords by frequency, and a content score that updated as I edited.
NEURONwriter helped me identify semantic gaps (phrases like “hypoallergenic bedding”) that weren’t included in the articles. In my opinion, that alone made it worth using.
Its interface is pretty basic, and you won’t find extras like backlink data or keyword clustering. However, for straightforward on-page optimisation, it’s fast and fairly accurate.
Pros
- Good NLP suggestions and real-time content scoring.
- Excellent for optimising existing content.
- Includes competitor SERP analysis with visual comparison tools.
Cons
- No keyword research or clustering.
- UI is functional but basic.
10. Grammarly
Grammarly has long been an essential tool for polishing final content. Now, with its AI Writer tool, it’s moved into the content generation space too.
There’s no chance it’ll replace LLMs like ChatGPT. Still, its AI Writer is great for quick phrasing suggestions, tone rewrites, and unblocking paragraphs that aren’t flowing.
I used it to expand on bullet points for a returns and shipping policy page and to rephrase some robotic copy generated by another AI-powered tool. It worked well for light-touch edits and made the text sound much more natural without veering off-brand.
The best thing about Grammarly is that the AI rewrites are immediately assessed for clarity, tone, and engagement. So, you don’t just get AI suggestions. You also get smart, context-aware improvements layered on top.
In terms of negatives, it’s not built for long-form content or SEO structure. This means it’s best used for polishing, not planning.
Pros
- AI Writer helps refine tone and phrasing quickly.
- Real-time grammar, clarity, and engagement scoring.
- Helps you push past tricky paragraphs.
Cons
- No SERP or keyword data for optimisation guidance.
- Not suited to long-form or structured SEO content.
11. Claude
Claude isn’t as widely used as the most dominant AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT. Yet, I’d say it’s a better alternative for longer, more nuanced content.
It’s able to work with significantly larger prompts and documents. As a result, it’s ideal for things like:
- Summarising audit reports
- Digesting competitor research
- Generating long-form content with a consistent tone
I asked Claude to distil the key takeaways from a 3,000-word ecommerce strategy into a summary for a client presentation. I have to say, it handled this better than ChatGPT. Claude produced clearer, more human-sounding language and picked up on subtleties that ChatGPT often glosses over.
The main issue with Claude is speed. It’s noticeably slower than ChatGPT, and it doesn’t have the same ecosystem of integrations or plugins.
There’s also no built-in SEO capability, so like other LLMs, it’s best used alongside dedicated SEO tools.
Pros
- Brilliant at long-form content and summarisation.
- Handles complex and nuanced briefs well.
- More consistent tone and structure than ChatGPT in many cases.
Cons
- Slower than ChatGPT, especially with large inputs.
- No SERP, keyword, or SEO data integration.
12. MarketMuse
MarketMuse is definitely one of the more advanced AI SEO tools I tested, and the entire system is built around helping you build topical authority.
Where most AI tools focus on individual pages or briefs, MarketMuse takes a broader view. It assesses how well your content ecosystem covers a topic and then recommends specific subtopics, articles, or improvements to fill the gaps.
I tested it when auditing a site in the sleep accessories niche, and I was pretty impressed.
MarketMuse highlighted an entire network of related articles that competitors had published but were missing from the site. That’s incredibly helpful if you’re trying to rank for competitive head terms or build authority in a niche over time.
Its content scoring system and brief generation features are also solid, though not unique. Its real selling point is the high-level strategy layer.
Pros
- Helps you identify topical gaps and clusters.
- Good for long-term content strategy and authority building.
- Scales well across large content libraries.
Cons
- Relatively steep learning curve.
- Could be an overkill for small teams and low-volume content sites.
13. Scalenut
Scalenut clearly aims to be an all-in-one AI SEO platform. It combines keyword planning, content briefs, AI writing, and optimisation in one place. Overall, it does a decent job, especially when you need to generate content at speed.
For example, let’s say you’re building out a small content hub for a DTC health brand. The keyword planner helps you identify topic clusters based on seed keywords. Then, you can automatically generate briefs with SERP headings, PAA questions, and NLP term suggestions.
Once you’ve got that, you can use the AI writer to produce somewhat decent first drafts (that need refinement).
My main issue with Scalenut is that the interface feels cluttered, and there are occasional lags when switching between features. Plus, I think the platform’s ambition slightly works against it. Instead of doing one thing really well, it does several things kind of well.
That said, it’s still a solid option for building content at scale without having to juggle multiple other AI-powered tools.
Pros
- Allows you to plan, brief, and write.
- Useful for fast-turnaround content teams.
- Built-in content grader for real-time optimisation.
Cons
- Cluttered UI and occasional performance issues.
- Writing output needs quite a lot of editing.
14. Outranking
Outranking is a comprehensive AI SEO tool that assists you with every step of content creation. You can use it to research, create first drafts, and add metadata like titles and meta descriptions.
I tested Outranking on building a long-form guide for a SaaS brand. The tool walked me through selecting a keyword, crafting a title, generating a meta description, and pulling structural outlines from competitor pages.
Once I’d chosen a brief, I hit the AI Draft button and got a full draft within the content editor.
There’s also a built-in SEO score that benchmarks your content against SERPs, highlighting missing keywords or weak headings. It also suggests internal link opportunities based on your GSC data.
The biggest tradeoff is that it has a steep learning curve, and the UI can be a bit overwhelming. So, if you’re looking for an easy-to-use platform, I’d stick with other AI tools like Jasper.
Pros
- Simple, step-by-step workflow.
- Built-in content scoring for competitor benchmarking.
- Internal link suggestions.
Cons
- Steep learning curve and busy interface.
- Lacks backlink and advanced keyword volume data.
15. SurferSEO
When it comes to SurferSEO, the AI-powered Content Editor is by far its standout feature. It scans SERPs to deliver real-time advice about things like:
- Ideal word counts
- NLP-driven keyword suggestions
- Internal linking prompts
- Structured headings
This makes it easy to upgrade existing content or draft new pages efficiently.
In testing, I ran it on an “organic bedding” collection page. The tool highlighted missing terms like “GOTS certified” and recommended shorter intro lengths that paralleled top competitors.
The Surfer AI writing feature also holds its own with other AI tools like SEOwind, which is unsurprising as it’s powered by GPT-4o. When writing SEO-optimised drafts, it parses vast SERP data and tone guidance to produce fairly impressive content.
I also like the SERP Analyzer and Grow Flow task suggestions. However, they can overwhelm you if you follow every prompt rigidly.
In fact, if you follow its recommendations too closely, it can lead to over-optimised, robotic content that reads like an SEO checklist.
Another downside is that its keyword research functionality is fairly limited compared to other tools like Semrush, and it doesn’t touch on technical SEO. In short, SurferSEO is best used as a guide.
Pros
- Real-time optimisation via SERP-driven Content Editor tool.
- Very good AI writer powered by GPT-4o.
- Useful integrations like WordPress and Google Docs.
Cons
- Suggestions can lead to over-optimisation.
- Keyword research tool is basic compared to Semrush.
FAQs
Do I still need traditional SEO software if I’m using AI tools?
It depends on which tool you’re using and what you’re trying to achieve. For example, if you use Jasper, you’ll be able to generate SEO content. Yet, you’ll still need to use a tool like Semrush to perform technical SEO tasks like site audits and backlink analysis.
Can AI tools help me optimise for AI search results?
Yes, optimising for AI search results (or AI search engines) involves many of the same principles as optimising for traditional organic traffic. So, you can use tools like Keyword Insights and MarketMuse to target broader topics and create semantically rich content. This aligns with how AI tools summarise and surface information.
Are any of these tools useful for local SEO?
Yes, some of the tools on my list can be used for local SEO. For instance, Semrush has a dedicated suite that includes:
- Local SEO Listing Management
- Local Rank Tracking
- Review Management
- Local Keyword Research
Can I rely on AI SEO tools to follow SEO best practices automatically?
Not entirely. AI tools can help you follow some best practices, but they don’t always get things like internal linking, tone, or keyword intent right. So, a human review is essential to ensure your content aligns with SEO best practices.
Are AI tools useful for building long-term SEO strategies?
AI tools can certainly support long-term SEO strategies, especially when it comes to content planning and topic clustering. Tools like MarketMuse and Keyword Insights help you identify content gaps and build topical authority over time. The key is to use them as part of a broader strategy, not in isolation.
Final Thoughts
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the best AI SEO tool, but some are more suited to specific SEO tasks than others. If you’re planning content at scale, Keyword Insights is the best for strategy and clustering.
For fast, structured blog drafting Semrush‘s ContentShake is a great option.
Need to refresh stale content? RivalFlow AI helps you deliver quick wins.
Just remember, when it comes to AI-powered SEO tools, the best results always come from combining the right tools with smart editorial judgment.