I tried 7 of the best SEO tools for AI mode in 2026: Here's what actually works

SEO is evolving. It’s no longer just about climbing the ranks on Google; it's about getting featured in AI-generated answers from platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's own AI Overviews. This new space is often called "AI mode," and it requires a different set of tools. To succeed, businesses need tools that can track visibility in these new answer engines and help create content that AI models can use as a source. This guide explores several leading tools designed for this new era of AI-driven search, including options for content generation like the eesel AI blog writer, which focuses on creating publish-ready articles.

What are SEO tools for AI mode?

SEO tools for "AI mode", sometimes called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) tools, are built to help your content get found and cited by Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI search engines. Unlike traditional SEO tools that focus on keyword rankings on a results page, these platforms track different metrics. They analyze how often a brand gets mentioned in AI answers, if articles are used as sources, and how visibility compares to competitors within conversational responses. The following graphic illustrates the key differences between these two approaches.

The main goal is to shift from just ranking for keywords to building topical authority. The objective is for AI models to view your content as a trustworthy and valuable source of information. These tools are key for monitoring performance in places like Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. They help refine content strategy to be more direct, factual, and structured in a way that AI can easily understand and reference.

I started publishing articles every day, and at first, they really did increase the number of views in AIO and Copilot. But after two - three weeks, visibility began to drop sharply. But this is obvious - similar sentence structures and low engagement. I watched through se ranking ai tracker as the rankings rose rapidly and then fell when Google began to recognize the repetition. After that, I switched to publishing 2-3 well-edited, GEO-optimized posts per week (on the same topics, but with human-edited data), and they held stable positions in AI results for much longer.

Reddit

How I chose the tools for this list

The tools on this list were selected based on several key criteria. First was AI visibility tracking. A capable tool had to monitor brand mentions and citations across major AI engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Second, I looked for content optimization and creation features aimed at AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), focusing on helping users create content structured for AI consumption. Finally, usability and results were considered. The tools needed to be intuitive for a team to adopt and use, with a demonstrated ability to deliver improvements in AI search visibility. The platforms included are ones that have been personally tested and found to be effective.

A comparison of top SEO tools for AI mode

Here's a quick rundown of the top tools and what they offer.

The 7 best SEO tools for AI mode

Here is a detailed breakdown of the tools that made the cut.

1. eesel AI blog writer

The eesel AI blog writer is a content generation tool designed for creating SEO-optimized articles from a single keyword. It aims to produce complete, media-rich blog posts that are structured for readability and search engine performance. The platform's approach is to generate content that incorporates a user's brand context, which is provided via a website URL. This helps in creating posts that can include natural product mentions and align with a specific brand voice. A notable feature is the automatic inclusion of assets like AI-generated images, infographics, tables, and embeds from sources like YouTube and Reddit.

Key points:

• Completeness: It generates a full post with structure, research, and assets, not just a draft.

• AEO optimization: The content is structured to be cited by AI answer engines like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT.

• Context-aware: By using your URL, it can learn a brand's voice and include product mentions that feel natural.

• Cost-effective: You can try it for free to generate your first blog. Paid plans start at $99 for 50 blog posts.

While it's focused on content generation rather than a full suite of analytics, it's a powerful tool for teams that need to scale high-quality, SEO-optimized content.

2. Semrush One

Semrush is an established platform in the SEO industry, and its Semrush One plan combines its classic tools with AI search features. It functions as an all-in-one platform for teams managing both traditional SEO and new AI strategies from one place. Its AI Visibility Toolkit allows users to track brand presence across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot.

A few that have been game changers for us: Semrush AI → clustering keywords + analyzing SERPs at scale.

Reddit

Features like the AI Visibility Overview provide a score of a domain's presence in AI results, and the Site Audit now includes an AI Search Health report to identify technical issues that could be blocking AI bots. Its Prompt Research tool is also useful for discovering what questions an audience is asking AI, similar to keyword research for AI.

Key points:

• All-in-one platform: It covers a wide range of SEO and AI visibility functions, from keyword research and backlink analysis to brand sentiment tracking in LLMs.

• Extensive AI coverage: It tracks visibility across a wide range of important AI platforms, including Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT.

• AI-ready site audits: It helps ensure a website is technically sound for AI crawlers.

• Pricing: The cost is a factor to consider. Semrush One plans start at $165.17/month when billed annually. The extensive number of features (over 55) can also be overwhelming for newcomers.

3. Surfer SEO

Surfer SEO is a tool for on-page optimization that has adapted to include AI-focused features. It began as a tool for fine-tuning human-written content, but new additions like Surfer AI and the AI Tracker make it a strong option for those focused on GEO. Surfer AI can generate a full-length, optimized article, and its Content Editor provides real-time suggestions to improve a draft.

The AI Tracker is its key feature for AI mode. It monitors a brand's mentions in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, with data updated daily. It shows visibility for specific prompts, which is useful for measuring the impact of optimization efforts. Another feature is the Content Audit, which connects to Google Search Console and automatically identifies pages with high potential for optimization.

Key points:

• Actionable content optimization: It simplifies on-page and AEO optimization with its real-time Content Score.

• Dedicated AI tracking: The AI Tracker provides daily updates on a brand's presence in key AI environments.

• Cost structure: The AI Tracker is a paid add-on starting at $95/month for 25 prompts, or it's partially included in the Scale plan ($175/month, billed annually), which can increase the total cost.

4. SE Ranking

SE Ranking is another comprehensive SEO platform that has added AI-focused features. It is well-suited for agencies and in-house teams managing multiple projects. Its AI Visibility toolkit lets users track their presence across Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.

The AI Overviews Tracker is a notable feature, showing which keywords trigger AI-generated answers in Google and whether a site gets cited. The tool provides a clear view of the overlap between organic rankings and presence in AI Overviews. Beyond tracking, its Content Marketing toolkit has a Content Editor and an AI writer to help create and optimize articles based on data from top-performing content.

Key points:

• Balanced offering: It offers a mix of traditional SEO tools and modern AI tracking at a competitive price point.

• Agency-focused: Features like white-label reporting and client seats are designed for agencies managing several client accounts.

• Specific pricing: Access to the AI Search Toolkit requires the Pro plan, which starts at $119/month ($95.20/month if billed annually). The lower-priced Essential plan does not include these AI features.

5. Rankscale.ai

Rankscale.ai is a specialized Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) tool built for detailed, analytical tracking of a brand’s visibility across AI search engines. Rankscale focuses on monitoring performance with a high level of detail. It tracks numerous engines, including OpenAI models (ChatGPT, GPT-4o), Perplexity, Google (AI Mode, AI Overviews, Gemini), Anthropic Claude, and xAI Grok.

Its dashboard provides an overall "AI search readiness score" and detailed reports on which search terms a brand appears for, which AI engines feature it, and how brand sentiment compares to competitors. It also shows the exact articles that AI engines are citing, offering a direct view of which content is performing well.

Key points:

• Specialized tracking: Its focused approach and analytical depth are suitable for data-driven SEO strategies that require granular details.

• Extensive AI coverage: It tracks more AI engines than many all-in-one competitors.

• Flexible pricing: The credit-based pricing, starting at $20/month for the Essentials plan, is adaptable for different needs.

• No content tools: This is purely a tracking tool; it does not offer content creation or on-page optimization. It is designed to report on performance, not to guide content creation.

6. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a well-established tool in the SEO space, known for its backlink index and competitor analysis capabilities. It has recently entered the AI search space with its Brand Radar tool, which tracks brand visibility across a database of over 272 million monthly prompts from Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity.

Ahrefs - the best for backlinks and deep competitive research. Super helpful when you want to scale your SEO efforts and understand what drives your competitors’ visibility.

Reddit

While Ahrefs' core strength remains foundational SEO tasks like keyword research and backlink analysis, which are still important for building authority, its new AI features are expanding its capabilities. The AI Content Helper, part of its content optimization tools, helps ensure articles cover a topic thoroughly based on what's already ranking.

Key points:

• Unparalleled data: Ahrefs’ backlink and competitor data remains a cornerstone of many SEO and AEO strategies.

• Massive prompt database: Brand Radar uses a large number of real search-backed prompts for its analysis.

• Add-on costs: Ahrefs' AI-specific features are newer and come at an additional cost. Brand Radar starts at $199/month for a single AI index, which can make it a pricy choice for users focused solely on AI visibility tracking.

7. Indexly

Indexly is a technical SEO tool that addresses the need for rapid page indexing. This is a critical factor for AI visibility. If search engines like Google and Bing do not index content, AI crawlers cannot find it to use as a source. Indexly automates the submission of new or updated URLs, often getting pages indexed in hours instead of days or weeks.

Fast, reliable indexing is a foundational component of any SEO strategy. Indexly helps ensure content is discoverable and ready to be found by both traditional search crawlers and the bots that power AI answer engines.

Key points:

• Crucial utility: It solves a core technical problem effectively and serves as a useful tool for those managing technical SEO.

• Affordability: At just $14/month, it's a budget-friendly tool that handles a fundamental need.

• Focused scope: It is not an analytics or content platform. It ensures content is discoverable but does not provide tools to analyze its performance or improve its quality.

Tips for using SEO tools for AI mode in your strategy

Having the right tools is a good start, but their effectiveness depends on how they are used. First, always focus on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust). AI models, like Google's algorithm, are learning to recognize and reward content from trustworthy sources. Use AI to help draft definitions or summarize data, but always add unique insights, personal stories, and expert opinions that only a human can offer.

Second, understand the search intent. Before writing, analyze the top results for your target keyword to see what users are looking for. Determine if they want a quick answer, a detailed comparison, or a step-by-step tutorial. Matching content to that intent is crucial for both traditional and AI search.

Finally, think of AI as an assistant, not a replacement. Use it to speed up research, generate outlines, and produce a first draft. However, the final piece should always be reviewed, edited, and improved by a human expert to ensure it's accurate, original, and genuinely helpful.

To supplement these strategies, watching experts discuss the latest trends in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) can provide valuable insights. The video below offers a deep dive into the new SEO playbook for ranking in AI search.

This video explains the new SEO playbook for AI search and how to use the best SEO tools for AI mode effectively.

Next steps

The rise of AI search represents an evolution in SEO, requiring strategies that build authority and create content valuable for both human readers and AI models. The tools discussed, from comprehensive platforms like Semrush to specialized trackers like Rankscale.ai, offer capabilities to navigate this new landscape. For teams focused on scaling content creation, tools like the eesel AI blog writer are designed to automate the process from research to final draft.

To explore how AI can assist in content generation, you can try the eesel AI blog writer for free and generate your first publish-ready blog post.