Hey folks, I'm new to the SEO game, still learning the ropes. The number of different products/platforms/tools out there is almost overwhelming. I'm curious what you all think are the critical tools any (solo) beginner SEO would need? So far, for keyword research, I've been using Keywords Everywhere and Ahrefs. Both have been very valuable, but Ahrefs is pretty pricey if you're just starting out, and if you go berserk with it the credits get eaten up fast. I'll also use Google Trends or Google Keyword Planner as other data points since they're both free. For non-KW research I'm less certain. Thus far I've found Google Search console to be very valuable, and then things like Rank Math or similar. Any suggestions for other "must haves" in the toolkit? I'm mostly focused on Local SEO.

SEO is tough everyone’s fighting for the top spots, and traditional keyword research doesn’t cut it anymore. Enter Surfer SEO. People say it’s a “game changer” for rankings, but let’s be real: tools like this are everywhere. So, I took Surfer for a spin to see if it actually delivers or if it’s just another SEO tool with a clever marketing angle. Here’s what I learned - What Surfer SEO Promises - Surfer SEO claims it has everything you need to rise in the rankings, all in one place. We’re talking keyword analysis, content optimisation, SERP analysis the full package. They say it’s built to drive traffic. I wanted to find out if these claims are legit typical SEO buzzwords. Breaking Down the Key Features - 1. Keyword Research That Cuts Through the Noise Surfer’s keyword tool isn’t just numbers on a page. It’s practical data: search volume, difficulty, and more importantly related keywords you probably missed. This isn’t a “nice-to-have” feature; it’s foundational when doing any proper KW research. If you want content that actually gets seen, this kind of insight is non-negotiable or spend your time searching manually (who’s got time for that) 2. Content Editor: SEO on Autopilot Here’s the deal: SEO content can be complex to start, but Surfer’s Content Editor simplifies it. It tells you exactly what phrases to include and shows you how long your content should be to compete. Real-time scoring guides you so you can actually rank, not just churn out content hoping for the best. 3. SERP Analyser: Know What Your Competitors are Doing (and Beat Them) If you’re not analysing your competition, you’re missing out. The SERP Analyser tells you what’s helping your competitors rank, backlink profiles, site speed, content structure, and shows you how to improve on it. It's like having a roadmap to rank above the rest. 4. Automatically Produced AI-Written Content Surfer SEO also offers an AI content generation feature, allowing you to produce optimised content in seconds. Built with NLP (Natural Language Processing) insights, Surfer’s AI-generated content aligns with specific keywords, ideal length, and SERP-focused structure. Unlike standalone AI tools that produce generic text, Surfer’s AI content is SEO-ready, crafted to rank well from day one. It’s a huge timesaver if you’re scaling content and want drafts that require minimal SEO tweaks, setting Surfer apart from other AI content tools. Note: this does cost tokens that can be purchased on the website 

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