Use the best Tools for SEO, GEO and AEO
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The 9 Best Tools for SEO, GEO and AEO

ByCherrlyn Reading Time: 5 minutes

“Use tools to amplify your expertise not replace it.” —Dave Chesson, Kindlepreneur

In our series on SEO, GEO, and AI Search for Indie Authors Series, we’ve covered the strategies behind SEO, GEO, and AEO. Now, it’s time to gather the tools that bring everything to life. The best tools help indie authors:

  • research keywords
  • understand reader intent
  • monitor site performance
  • analyze competitors
  • optimize book descriptions
  • format GEO-friendly blog posts
  • improve discoverability
  • write and update content faster
  • appear in AI-generated answers

You don’t need dozens of tools.
You need a smart, focused toolkit that supports clarity, visibility, and consistent author growth.

Below is your curated list of the best tools indie authors can use today. It’s organized by purpose, with beginner-friendly + advanced recommendations.

1. Tools for Traditional SEO (Visibility in Google)

These help you understand keywords, ranking, search intent, competitors, and performance.

Google Search Console (Free)

Best for: monitoring search visibility, indexing issues, traffic trends
Why authors need it:
GSC shows what keywords people use to find your website and where you’re ranking.

Google Analytics (Free)

Best for: understanding reader behavior on your site
Why authors need it:
See which pages perform best, how long readers stay, and what content converts visitors to subscribers.

Ubersuggest

Best for: easy keyword research + site audits
Why authors need it:
Affordable, user-friendly, and perfect for beginners.

Ahrefs / SEMrush (Advanced)

Best for: competitive analysis, deep keyword research, backlink tracking
Why authors need it:
If you want to treat your site like a growing business, these tools offer pro-grade insights.

2. Tools for GEO (AI-Optimized Search)

These help your content get recognized, summarized, and recommended by AI models.

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Best for:

  • keyword brainstorming
  • topic clusters
  • content outlines
  • step-by-step structures
  • FAQ creation
  • GEO-friendly formatting

ChatGPT is essentially a GEO assistant.

Perplexity

Best for: real-time research + understanding what AI tools are pulling from the web
Why authors need it:
Perplexity constantly crawls the web, making it a powerful way to see how AI engines interpret topics in your niche.

Claude (Anthropic)

Best for: clarity, rewriting, summarizing, and improving readability
Why authors need it:
Claude excels at reorganizing content for maximum clarity,  a critical GEO signal.

Gemini (Google)

Best for: blending traditional SEO signals with AI search interpretation
Why authors need it:
Gemini favors clearly structured content, which aligns perfectly with your writing style.

3. Tools for AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

These help your content appear as the “preferred answer” in AI search tools.

AnswerThePublic

Best for: AEO-friendly questions
Why authors need it:
This tool reveals exactly how people phrase questions, making it ideal for FAQ sections.

AlsoAsked

Best for: mapping question hierarchies
Why authors need it:
Great for understanding search intent and building answer-style content.

Schema Generators

Examples:

  • TechnicalSEO Schema Creator
  • RankMath Schema Tools
  • Yoast Schema Blocks

Why authors need them:
Schema helps AI understand your articles, increasing your AEO visibility.

RankMath (SEO Plugin)

Best for: structured data, schema markup, on-page optimization
Why authors need it:
RankMath integrates cleanly with Kadence and makes schema painless.

4. Tools for Book Description Optimization (SEO + AI Search on Amazon)

These tools help optimize keywords for your Amazon book listing.

Publisher Rocket

Best for: Amazon keywords, categories, competition
Why authors need it:
Find keywords readers actually search for on Amazon.

Kindlepreneur Category Finder (Free)

Best for: uncovering hidden categories with low competition
Why authors need it:
Essential for improving book visibility.

Book Brush / Canva

Best for: creating clean visuals, A+ content, and ads
Why authors need it:
Images don’t directly affect SEO, but they significantly affect conversions.

5. Tools for Faster Writing, Editing, and GEO Formatting

These improve clarity, readability, and structure. All essential for AEO.

Grammarly / ProWritingAid

Best for: grammar, readability, concision
Why authors need it:
These tools catch unclear sentences that hurt GEO/AEO comprehension.

Hemingway App

Best for: simplifying complex writing
Why authors need it:
AI search engines prefer 9th–10th grade reading clarity.

Notion or Obsidian

Best for: organizing content clusters
Why authors need them:
Topic clusters are the backbone of SEO + GEO.

6. Tools for Checking Website Speed + Technical SEO

These help you ensure your site performs well on mobile and desktop.

PageSpeed Insights (Google)

Best for: measuring page performance and mobile friendliness
Why authors need it:
Website speed affects SEO and AI crawlability.

GTMetrix

Best for: deep site performance testing
Why authors need it:
Helps diagnose image, plugin, and caching issues.

Cloudflare (Free plan available)

Best for: CDN + speed + security
Why authors need it:
Improves global load times and site trust signals.

7. Tools for Content Planning (SEO + GEO + AEO)

These make it easy to maintain a 12-month content strategy.

Trello / Asana / ClickUp

Best for: planning your content workflow
Why authors need it:
Consistency is one of the most significant success factors in SEO.

Keyword Spreadsheet (Custom Template)

AI can create one for you anytime that it includes:

  • keyword
  • search intent
  • competition
  • AEO value
  • category
  • article link
  • publication status

AI Agents (future step for your author business)

Once you’re ready, your 17-module AI Agent system can:

  • gather weekly topics
  • analyze competitors
  • create outlines
  • generate GEO/AEO drafts
  • repurpose content
  • find keyword gaps

This will transform how you manage your author platform.

8. Starter Toolkit (For Beginners)

If you only want five tools, start with:

  • Google Search Console
  • ChatGPT
  • AnswerThePublic
  • RankMath (or Yoast)
  • Publisher Rocket

This covers SEO + GEO + AEO + Amazon optimization.

9. Advanced Toolkit (For Pros)

For new indie authors ready to scale:

  • Ahrefs or SEMrush
  • Claude for clarity optimization
  • Perplexity Pro for AI-driven topic research
  • Cloudflare Pro
  • Make.com or Zapier for automation
  • Your AI Agents in development

The Best Tools Checklist (Printable)

✔ Keyword research

✔ Topic discovery

✔ GEO formatting

✔ AEO Q&A generation

✔ Schema tools

✔ Website speed testing

✔ Book keyword research

✔ Amazon category optimization

✔ Content planning tools

✔ Editing + clarity tools

✔ AI search + summarization tools

FAQs:

Q: Do tools matter more than strategy?

A: No. Tools support strategy, but they don’t replace it. Clear goals, reader-focused content, and consistency matter more than any specific tool.

Q: Can new indie authors compete with big websites?

A: Yes. New indie authors often have an advantage because AI systems value firsthand experience, clarity, and relevance. Well-structured content written from real experience can outperform larger sites that publish generic information. The right SEO, GEO, and AEO tools help new indie authors build discoverability, trust, and a sustainable author business.

We hope you found these writer’s guide strategies helpful and inspiring. They’re intended to provide you with the necessary tools and insights to succeed as an indie author.

For more guidance, see other writer’s guides in this series. I suggest starting with the first one: Is SEO Dead? What to Know About GEO and AI Search.

If you have a draft and want to explore how AI can help you self-publish it, read, Is Your Book Ready to Self-Publish? Lastly, for help writing a non-fiction book, read Write Your First Non-Fiction eBook: a 30-Day Workbook for Getting It Done.

Writing is an ongoing adventure that involves continuous learning and improvement. You don’t have to go through this alone. We are excited to accompany you every step of the way, providing you with support and motivation. Our goal is to give you the necessary knowledge and practical advice to navigate the world of writing with confidence.

Don’t wait. Start today! How can we help? To let us know, please fill out our Contact form.

Happy writing!

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