Tools I Use — My Actual AI & Marketing Stack
These are the exact tools I use every day to run The AI Edge, create content, and grow my audience. I only recommend tools I've personally tested and paid for. No fluff — just honest assessments from real daily use.
Transparency note: Some links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I genuinely use and believe in.
Semrush
The SEO tool I use every single day
Semrush is my go-to for everything SEO — keyword research, competitor analysis, site audits, and rank tracking. Before I write any article, I spend 20 minutes in Semrush finding the right keywords and analyzing what's already ranking. It's genuinely the most valuable tool in my stack.
How I actually use it:
I use Semrush to research every article I publish. I find long-tail keywords with low difficulty, analyze competitor content gaps, and track my rankings weekly. The Keyword Magic Tool alone has helped me find hundreds of article ideas.
Jasper AI
My AI writing co-pilot for long-form content
Jasper AI dramatically speeds up my content creation workflow. I use it to draft article outlines, write first drafts, and overcome writer's block. It's not a replacement for my voice — I always edit and add my own insights — but it cuts my writing time in half.
How I actually use it:
I use Jasper's Blog Post workflow to generate first drafts, then spend 30-45 minutes editing, adding personal insights, and optimizing for SEO. The Brand Voice feature ensures the output sounds like me, not a robot.
Surfer SEO
How I optimize every article to rank on page 1
Surfer SEO is the secret weapon behind my on-page optimization. After writing an article, I run it through Surfer's Content Editor to ensure I'm hitting the right keyword density, using the right terms, and matching the content structure of top-ranking pages.
How I actually use it:
Every article goes through Surfer's Content Editor before publishing. I aim for a content score of 70+. The SERP Analyzer shows me exactly what the top 10 results have in common, so I can reverse-engineer their success.
WriteSonic
Fast, affordable AI writing for social and short-form
WriteSonic is my go-to for social media content, email subject lines, and quick short-form copy. It's more affordable than Jasper for high-volume use cases, and the AI Article Writer produces solid first drafts. I use it alongside Jasper depending on the task.
How I actually use it:
I use WriteSonic for Twitter/X threads, LinkedIn posts, email newsletters, and meta descriptions. The Chatsonic feature (powered by GPT-4) is excellent for quick research and brainstorming.
HubSpot
Free CRM I use to manage newsletter subscribers and leads
HubSpot's free CRM is genuinely excellent for managing contacts, tracking email opens, and organizing my newsletter subscriber data. I use the free tier, which is surprisingly powerful. If you're building an audience, HubSpot's free tools are a no-brainer starting point.
How I actually use it:
I use HubSpot's free CRM to track newsletter subscribers, segment my audience by interest, and manage outreach to potential collaborators. The email marketing tool in the free tier handles up to 2,000 sends per month.
Elementor
The page builder powering my WordPress landing pages
Elementor is the WordPress page builder I trust for creating high-converting landing pages and custom layouts. The drag-and-drop editor is intuitive, the template library is massive, and the Pro version unlocks powerful features like dynamic content, custom popups, and WooCommerce integration.
How I actually use it:
I use Elementor Pro to build all my landing pages, opt-in forms, and custom blog layouts. The Theme Builder lets me create consistent headers, footers, and archive pages without touching code.
Currently Testing
These tools are on my radar. I'm actively evaluating them and will add full reviews once I've spent enough time with each.
Evaluating for newsletter automation
Testing Premium for editing workflow
Using for content calendar and research
Tools I've Tried But Don't Recommend
I've tested dozens of AI tools that didn't make the cut — either because they were overpriced for what they offer, had poor output quality, or were simply outclassed by the tools above. I won't name them here to avoid negativity, but if you're wondering about a specific tool, feel free to reach out and I'll give you my honest take.
Why I Created This Page
There are too many "best AI tools" listicles written by people who've never actually used the tools. I built this page to be different — every tool listed here is something I pay for and use regularly.
My stack evolves as I discover better tools or as existing tools improve. I update this page regularly to reflect what I'm actually using right now, not what I used six months ago.
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