Part of Foundations: Understanding SEO and AI (Articles 1–5) in Launch and scale an SEO business using AI tools
Okay, real talk?
Starting an SEO business in 2025 without using AI tools is kinda like trying to make pizza without dough. You can throw on all the toppings you want, but without the foundation… it’s just a mess.
Whether you’re a total newbie or you’ve been lurking in SEO Facebook groups pretending to know what “schema markup” means (we’ve all been there), this article is your guide to the AI tools that will make your life so much easier. And, bonus — they’ll also make you look way more impressive to clients. Cue dramatic slow clap.
Let’s dive in — no fluff, just real tools and honest advice.
👀 But First… Why Even Bother With AI?
Good question.
Can you do SEO without AI? Technically, yes.
But why would you want to?
Using AI is like hiring a super-smart, slightly caffeinated intern who works 24/7 and never complains — and who won’t eat your snacks or ask for a raise.
AI doesn’t replace your strategy or experience. It just automates the boring bits (like staring at 173 keyword variations at midnight), speeds up your workflow, and gives you data-backed confidence instead of wild guesses.
Alright. Let’s roll into the good stuff.
🧰 Tool #1: ChatGPT (a.k.a. Your Writing Sidekick)
Let’s start with the obvious MVP. You’re here, so clearly, you already know the magic.
But here’s how real SEO pros use ChatGPT (spoiler: it’s not just writing blog posts):
- Creating content outlines based on target keywords
- Rewriting boring product descriptions with some flair
- Drafting SEO titles and meta descriptions faster than you can say “SERP”
- Generating FAQs from a target keyword + intent
- Explaining SEO jargon to confused clients in simple language (you’ll need this more than you think)
Pro tip: Always edit what it gives you. Think of ChatGPT as your eager junior copywriter, not your ghostwriter from the future. Don’t just copy/paste — polish with your own voice.
📈 Tool #2: Surfer SEO (For When You Need Content That Ranks AND Reads Well)
Imagine if Google and Hemingway had a baby. That’s kinda what Surfer SEO is like.
You drop in your keyword, and it tells you what your content should include — like word count, related phrases, headings, and even how many times to mention “best budget espresso machine” without sounding like a robot.
What it’s great for:
- Writing long-form blog posts with structure and intent
- Optimizing old blog posts that need CPR
- Showing clients that “yes, we’re optimizing, and no, it’s not magic — it’s strategy”
Also, their audit tool is 🔥 for quick wins. Seriously — it saved my butt during a client meeting where I had zero time to prep.
🔍 Tool #3: Ubersuggest or Keywords Everywhere (Easy, Affordable Keyword Research)
If Ahrefs and SEMrush feel like climbing Everest when you’ve only got flip-flops… these are your hiking boots.
Ubersuggest gives you keyword volume, competition, and content ideas. Great for beginner budgets.
Keywords Everywhere lives right in your browser and shows keyword data as you Google things. It’s like having secret goggles on while you snoop around.
Real talk: Don’t overthink keyword research in the beginning. Look for:
- Keywords under 1,000 searches/month
- Low competition
- Search intent you can actually match with content
That’s it. Don’t get lost in the numbers — get moving.
🕵️ Tool #4: Screaming Frog (Yes, the Name’s Weird. But It’s Amazing.)
This one’s for when you’re ready to look smart — like “wearing glasses during Zoom calls even though you don’t need them” smart.
Screaming Frog crawls websites and tells you everything that’s wrong with them:
- Broken links
- Missing meta descriptions
- Weird redirect chains
- Page speed issues
- Title tags that are 400 miles long
You run a crawl, slap some insights into a nice little Google Slides deck, and boom — client thinks you’re a genius.
Note: You don’t need to understand everything in the crawl at first. Just learn as you go. SEO is one long Google search anyway.
📊 Tool #5: Google Looker Studio (Formerly Data Studio – For Reports That Don’t Suck)
Clients love dashboards. Like, love dashboards.
Even if they never actually check them.
Google Looker Studio connects to Google Analytics and Search Console and lets you build dashboards that make your work look real, measurable, and fancy.
Need to show traffic growth? Keyword rankings? Conversions from organic? This is your jam.
Pro tip: Create a template once and reuse it for all your clients. Save time. Look professional. Win the day.
🪄 Tool #6: Jasper (If You Want More AI Firepower for Content Creation)
Jasper is like ChatGPT’s more polished cousin who wears a blazer and calls you “champ.”
While it’s more expensive, it’s built for marketers — especially content creators. If you’re doing a lot of SEO writing, Jasper can help speed things up.
It’s especially handy for:
- Website copy
- Product descriptions
- Long-form blog intros
- Persuasive CTA blocks
It also has templates and workflows for specific use cases, which can be helpful when your brain just isn’t braining.
🧪 Bonus Tool: AlsoAsked or AnswerThePublic (For Killer Topic Clusters)
Ever sat down to write a blog post and thought, “Okay… but what do people actually want to know?”
These tools answer that question — literally.
They show you what questions people are Googling around a keyword, so you can build content that solves actual problems.
Example: Type in “vitamin D supplements” and you’ll get questions like:
- When should I take them?
- Are they safe for kids?
- Can they cause acne?
Boom — instant subheadings for your article. That’s SEO gold.
💡 Real Moment: Don’t Fall Into the “Tool Hoarder” Trap
Here’s the thing nobody tells you until you’ve already done it:
You don’t need ALL the tools.
Pick two or three. Learn them inside-out. Start getting results. Upgrade as you grow.
Too many people binge on tools, think they’re being productive, but actually avoid doing the real work — helping people find what they’re searching for.
Keep it simple. Keep it human. The AI is just here to help.
Final Thoughts (Let’s Get Mushy for a Second)
You don’t need to be a tech wizard to use AI tools. You just need a brain, a heart, and a curiosity for figuring things out as you go.
Don’t worry if your first few reports look janky. Don’t freak out if you forget what a “canonical tag” is mid-client call. We’ve all been there.
The important thing is: you’re starting. You’re showing up. And now you’ve got tools that can help you run lean, smart, and fast.
AI doesn’t replace your gut — your intuition, your creativity, your care for clients. That stuff? Still priceless.
So go on. Tinker. Experiment. Break a few things. Learn fast.
You’re not just building an SEO business. You’re building your way of doing business.
And that’s the kind that lasts.