30 honest answers
FAQ.
Real questions from prospects + customers, answered in plain English. If your question isn't here, email hello@itzseo.com — we update this page based on what people actually ask.
Product
What does ItzSEO actually do?
ItzSEO is one tool that bundles SEO research (keywords, ranks, audits), Claude-powered content (briefs, drafts, voice-preserved import), AI Search Visibility tracking (citations across ChatGPT/Perplexity/AI Overviews/Gemini/Claude), and agency operations (HRMS, client portal, engagement billing, performance leaderboard) for SEO teams + content marketers + agencies.
Is it just an AI wrapper?
No. AI is one capability among many. Keyword data comes from DataForSEO (same backbone Ahrefs uses for some signals). Rank tracking pulls Google SERP daily. Audits are bounded crawlers + Lighthouse. Where we use AI — content generation, intent classification, the help search — we use Claude specifically, and we explain why on the relevant feature pages.
Why Claude, not GPT?
For 1,500+ word long-form content, Claude's structural coherence beats GPT in our internal benchmarks — better argument flow across sections, more accurate citations, more natural voice. Short-form is roughly tied. We bet the product on this and benchmark quarterly; we're not switching.
What's voice-preserved import?
Paste your already-written draft. The body stays untouched character-for-character. Claude adds only an SEO footer block at the bottom (FAQ + key takeaways + schema markup). The article ranks; your voice stays. For ghostwriters, journalists, founder-bloggers — anyone whose voice IS the product.
What's AI Search Visibility?
Tracks how often your domain is cited as a source by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and Claude across a list of target queries. This is the surface where readers increasingly land — AI engines summarize and cite. We're the only tool tracking it as a first-class ranking surface.
Do you have a free plan?
Yes. Free plan: 1 project, 50 tracked keywords, 5 article briefs/month, no audit, no AI Search Visibility. Most solopreneurs break the free limits within ~2 months and upgrade to Starter ($29/mo). The 28 free SEO tools (sitemap generator, schema markup, robots.txt checker, etc.) require no signup.
Can I use my own OpenAI / Anthropic key?
No. ItzSEO is Claude-only by design. All AI calls go through our Claude integration, which we benchmark + tune regularly. Bringing your own key would break the consistency we promise on content quality.
Pricing & plans
What are the tiers?
Free → Starter ($29/mo, 3 projects + 500 keywords) → Growth ($99/mo, 15 projects + 2,000 keywords + client portal) → Agency ($249/mo, unlimited + HRMS + leaderboard + records + reminders). Workspace-flat pricing; not per-seat. Annual saves 2 months. Multi-currency: USD/INR/CAD/EUR/GBP/AED.
How does the 14-day trial work?
Sign up at /sign-up. No credit card. Full access to Starter features for 14 days (Growth/Agency features available on request during trial). Day 15: card auto-charges if you've added one, OR account auto-downgrades to Free if no card was added. Cancel anytime from /settings/billing.
Per-seat or per-workspace pricing?
Per-workspace. Add as many teammates as you want at no extra cost. Most SaaS punishes you for hiring; we don't. The only exception is the Agency tier subcontractor HRMS, which is included in $249/mo regardless of headcount.
Is the price per workspace or per project?
Per workspace. A workspace is what most people call a 'company account.' Within that workspace, the tier defines how many projects (client sites) you can have. Starter = 3 projects in one workspace; Growth = 15; Agency = unlimited.
Can I switch tiers mid-month?
Yes. Upgrade is immediate with prorated charge. Downgrade applies at the next renewal date so you keep the higher tier for what you already paid for. Switch from monthly to annual anytime — you get 2 months free.
What if my MRR drops and I need to cancel?
Cancel from /settings/billing in one click. We don't have a 'contact sales to cancel' flow. We're sad to see you go but we won't trap you. Data export is one click. Reactivate later from the same email — your data sticks around for 30 days.
Do you offer non-profit or student pricing?
Yes — 50% off any tier for verified non-profits, students, and bootstrapped solo founders earning under $5k/mo. Email hello@itzseo.com with your situation; we approve case-by-case.
Security & data
Do you train AI models on my data?
No. Your content, keywords, audit data, CRM records — none of it goes into model training. Claude calls go through Anthropic's API which has a no-training-by-default contract. We don't run our own ML on customer data. See /trust for the full disclosure.
Are you SOC2 certified?
Not yet. We don't have SOC2 Type II, ISO 27001, or HIPAA — and we won't claim them. We're documenting controls now with target SOC2 by 2027. If certifications are required for your vendor onboarding, ItzSEO isn't the right tool yet. We'd rather lose a sale than lie on a security questionnaire.
Where is my data hosted?
Application servers on Hostinger (EU + US regions). Postgres database on Neon (US East). Cloudflare at the global edge for DNS/CDN/WAF/DDoS. GDPR DPA available for EU customers — email hello@itzseo.com.
How do I export my data?
Every list (keywords, articles, CRM contacts, engagements, HRMS records) has a CSV export button. /settings/export gives a full workspace zip with everything. WordPress + Shopify published articles stay on your CMS — we never hold publishing history hostage.
What if you go out of business?
We hold a cash runway specifically for an orderly wind-down. If ItzSEO ever shuts down, we commit to 60 days of read-only access for you to export everything, plus open-source export tools published on shutdown. Your data and customer relationships are yours.
Do you store passwords?
No. We use OAuth (Google / GitHub) or email magic links. There's no password database to leak.
Migration & switching
How do I migrate from Ahrefs / Semrush?
Export your tracked keyword list as CSV → import via /keywords → bulk add. DataForSEO enriches each keyword (volume, difficulty, CPC, intent, SERP features) within ~30 seconds. Connect Google Search Console for rank tracking. Most teams switch in under an hour. If you rely on Ahrefs' specific backlink crawler depth, keep them alongside — we're lighter on backlinks.
How do I migrate from Surfer / Frase / Clearscope?
Export your content briefs + articles as CSV/Markdown. Import via /content → Import wizard. We map title + target keyword + outline + body. Re-add keyword research via /keywords. Voice-preserved import mode is available so existing articles keep their voice (no AI rewrite).
How do I migrate from ClickUp / Monday / Asana?
Export tasks as CSV. Import via /tasks → bulk import (maps title, assignee email, due date, status, project). For ongoing sync, use our Linear/Jira integration (we don't have native ClickUp sync yet — coming soon).
Can I run ItzSEO alongside my current tools?
Yes — many teams do, especially during the first month. Keep Ahrefs for backlink research, use ItzSEO for everything else. Once you trust the data, you can sunset the duplicate tools at your own pace.
What about my WordPress site?
Connect via WordPress app password (no plugin install needed). One-click publish from /content to any WP site. Schema + meta + internal links travel with the article. Existing posts can be pulled via REST API for re-optimization.
Agency tier
What's in the Agency tier that's not in Growth?
HRMS (attendance, leave, shifts, OT, reports), performance leaderboard (anti-Tesla-stack-ranking design), workspace records (Notion-style typed tables), reminders with two-way client portal negotiation, advanced API write endpoints. The Agency tier is for 5–50 person agencies that need ops tooling alongside SEO.
Does the HRMS work outside India?
Yes. Per-workspace HrPolicyConfig means every shift / leave type / holiday calendar / OT policy is configurable. We ship 5 starter packs (Indian agency, US salaried, EU 35-hour week, etc.) — pick one or build your own in 10 minutes.
Can clients log into the portal?
Yes. Each client gets their own portal account (free, doesn't count against tier limits). They see ONLY their data — keyword ranks, articles, audits, monthly reports. Two-way reminder threading lets them submit requests; you accept/counter-propose dates. Whitelabel branding on Growth+ tiers.
Does the leaderboard punish my team?
It's specifically designed NOT to do that. Top 50% is public (band names like 'Top performer' / 'Strong' / 'Above average' — not exact ranks). Bottom 50% is private. Locked formula governance (2-approver + 14-day notice for any scoring change). Anti-Tesla-stack-ranking by design.
Do I need engineering to set up the Agency tier?
No. Config wizard at /settings/hr walks you through policies in ~15 minutes. Pricing engine + portal connect to Stripe via OAuth (no API keys to generate). The hardest setup step is uploading your logo for white-label.
Still have a question?
Email hello@itzseo.com — the founder reads every message and responds within 24 hours. Or book a 30-min demo if you'd rather talk it through.