How to Optimize Your Article with Surfer SEO

Writing a good article is not enough anymore. The existing web contains millions of pages which compete for user attention and search engines determine which pages should appear at the top of search results. Optimization holds crucial value because it determines which websites will achieve success in online competition. The goal of our work is to develop content which answers user search queries. Surfer SEO exists specifically to fulfill this requirement. The tool displays existing successful search results which you can use to create your article based on actual information instead of unverified assumptions.

Many writers struggle with SEO because it feels technical or confusing. The solution to this problem is Surfer. The tool simplifies complex ranking factors into practical writing rules which authors can easily apply throughout their work. The system provides specific guidance about article length and necessary keywords. The system improves efficiency while increasing user confidence and maintaining specific project goals.

This article guides you through the complete process of improving websites through optimization. You will learn how to choose the right keyword, use the Content Editor, improve structure, and refine your draft before publishing. You will successfully complete all steps in this process because you can apply each step to your own article regardless of your experience with SEO tools.

Why Surfer SEO is a Great Tool

Before beginning the steps, people need to learn about the functions of Surfer SEO.

Surfer SEO is a content optimisation platform that:

• Studies your selected keyword’s best-performing websites.
• Provides actual data-based recommendations for which words to use and how many words to include and which headings and structure to create.
• Enables you to produce content which meets the requirements of Google and other search engines.

Step 1 — Choose the Right Keyword

The process of optimisation begins after you define your desired ranking target. The audience search patterns determine which keyword you should select as your target.

Why this matters

Your article won’t rank if you optimise for the wrong phrase — one that has low search traffic or doesn’t match user intent.

How to choose your keyword

1. Visit the Surfer Keyword Research tool.
2. Enter a topic you want to write about.
3. The system provides you with three types of information which include search volume and keyword alternatives and difficulty level.
4. Select a main keyword which matches your content and user search purpose (what a reader wants to find at that time).

For example:
The topic of your research is “how to make sourdough bread” and your primary keyword should be “sourdough bread recipe” because it probably has high search volume and straightforward user search intent.

Step 2 — Create a New Content Editor Project

You create a Content Editor project in Surfer after selecting your main keyword.

The core function of Surfer SEO operates through this tool, which generates real-time optimization rules based on the elements used by top-ranking websites.

Proceed with these steps:

1. Select Content Editor from the Surfer dashboard menu.
2. Type your selected keyword into the input field.
3. Choose your location (for example, select Poland to get results that match Polish search behavior) and device type (desktop or mobile).
4. Press Create Content Editor to start the process.

Surfer will display the following elements after the program finishes loading:

• A Content Score section.
• Suggested word count.
• The system provides recommended words, phrases, and topics to include in your content.
• The system provides sections that contain recommendations for heading creation and structural development.

You will use this workspace to create your draft and improve its performance.

Step 3 — Understand Surfer’s Dashboard and Recommendations

The Content Editor workspace contains multiple sections which include:

1. Content Score

The score indicates how well your draft matches the top-ranking websites which currently exist.

• A low score → more work required.
• A high score → closer to ranking potential.

Good target: Aim to get the score into the green zone as you optimize.

2. Suggested Words and Phrases

These are terms that appear often in top ranking pages.

For example:
Surfer will suggest competitors should use “fermentation time” and “hydration percentage” and “baker’s percentage” as terms to include in their content.

3. Structure Guidelines

Surfer suggests the number of:

• Headings (H2, H3)
• Image recommendations
• Paragraph length
• Word count range based on top competitors

The structure of your content establishes a path which Google uses to evaluate both the flow of information and the completeness of your material.

Step 4 — Write or Paste Your Article

You can begin your writing work now that Surfer has provided you with a functioning guideline. The Content Editor provides two writing options:

• Write directly inside Content Editor – This tool lets you type and optimise in one place.
• Copy-paste from other editors – You can paste text from Google Docs, MS Word, or your notepad.

The system updates Content Score through real-time tracking of your typing and pasting activities.

• Surfer shows the areas where users need to include suggested terms.
• Surfer indicates whether your word count exceeds or falls short of the recommended limits.

Tip:
The scoring system starts at a low point but the system will help you to improve your current score.

Step 5 — Follow the Word Count and Keyword Use Suggestions

Surfer provides a word count range which derives from the word counts of top-ranking pages.

• You should target a 1,500-word minimum requirement because it represents the base requirement.
• The content requires essential details which should establish value throughout each part.

The process requires natural term placement through keyword suggestions which should be used in:

• Headings
• Paragraphs
• Subtopics

Avoid “keyword stuffing” (repeating the same keyword unnaturally). The goal is relevance, not force-feeding terms.

Step 6 — Use Auto-Optimize (Optional but Helpful)

If you want Surfer to help automatically insert missing terms from its recommendations, you can use the Auto-Optimize feature.

Here’s what it does:

• Adds terms that you are missing
• Helps boost your Content Score into the green range
• Saves manual effort

You can still review every change before you publish.

Step 7 — Refine Headings to Match Search Intent

The use of headings H1 through H2 and H3 headings enables both readers and search engines to navigate your content effectively.

The section requires clear headings that explain both its content and its importance to readers. Surfer provides heading suggestions which successful websites use as their primary headings. You should create custom headings which suit your particular content needs after using them as your starting point.

Example:
The tool recommends “Benefits of Sourdough Bread” as a main heading which you must use in your H2 sections because it cannot be omitted.

Step 8 — Add Supporting Visuals and Media

Search engines value content that is useful and complete, not just text.

Good media includes:

• Images with alt text
• Infographics
• Tables

Surfer may recommend including images (or counts), based on competitors that rank well.

Tip:
Use descriptive alt text for images. It reinforces relevance and accessibility.

Step 9 — Review Before You Publish

The final review should be completed after you achieve a strong Content Score and meet the required word count and keyword requirements.

• Does every section answer a user-centric question?
• Are there no obvious grammatical errors?
• Do paragraphs read naturally?

The user can either use Surfer’s suggested quality tools which include grammar checks or they can export their work to their preferred editing program.

Step 10 — Publish and Track Performance

Your article performance tracking becomes available after you publish your work through Surfer and other available tools. The system tracks your search positions together with your organic traffic and your click-through rate. Some plans from Surfer provide users with Content Audit and AI Tracker features which enable them to monitor their online visibility in both standard search engines and AI-powered search systems.

Note:
The process of SEO continues after a website goes live. The team should use performance data to improve their work.

Advanced Tips for Better Results

After you master the basic functions of Surfer SEO, your next performance improvement will result from more advanced usage of the software. At this stage, the tool should support your decisions, not control them. The following tips show how to achieve better results through intelligent optimization which enhances both website rankings and user experience.

Focus on Intent Before Score

The primary objective of content creation requires writers to achieve a high Content Score because search engines need articles which meet search intent requirements. The reader should discover what they anticipated to find when they clicked.

You should ask these questions before you change your keywords:

• The search query needs to be completely answered by this explanation.
• The explanation should be clear enough for someone who has no prior knowledge.
• The explanation should include all essential information.

Your article already achieves success when it explains solutions to the reader’s problems. A reduced score which maintains strong clarity proves more valuable than a perfect score which lacks practical value.

Expand Depth, Not Just Length

You demonstrate your best work because your writing requires extended word counts which help your content reach top search engine results. The text becomes harder to read because additional words lack meaningful content.

The text requires more content which should be used to develop its full potential:

• practical examples
• FAQs
• step-by-step instructions
• beginner mistakes
• comparisons or tips

Each addition should introduce new information. People spend more time on websites which provide educational content. The website needs both engagement and optimization to achieve its goals.

Group Keywords Into Themes

The keyword list for Surfer exists as an extensive collection of terms. The process of writing becomes difficult when every term needs to be inserted as a separate element. The best method combines similar terms into single thematic groups.

The first group of words includes:

• technical vocabulary
• beginner advice
• safety guidelines
• tools or equipment
• benefits

The next step requires section development based on established thematic elements. The article maintains its natural flow because you complete your keyword needs through various common words. The process of keyword research helps you to develop your topic through organized methods.

Use Internal Linking Strategically

The process of optimization requires more than just optimizing a single article. Internal links enable search engines to understand the relationships between your content.

After finishing a piece:

• link to related guides
• connect beginner and advanced topics
• create logical reading paths
• use clear anchor text

This builds topical authority. A connected content network ranks stronger than isolated pages.

Revisit and Improve Over Time

The publishing process serves as a starting point for work rather than an ending point. The complete search engine optimization process requires multiple evaluation phases. After a few weeks, revisit your article:

• check ranking movement
• review traffic
• update weak sections
• refresh outdated details

SEO processes require multiple iterations. Articles that undergo continuous development show better performance results throughout their lifespan.

Final Notes

The process of article optimization through Surfer SEO requires more than score evaluation and numerical data analysis. The process begins with structured insights which help in developing content that meets user requirements and provides complete information. The Surfer tool functions as a writing assistant when users approach it as their primary resource for writing tasks. The tool enables you to identify missing information, improve your writing weaknesses, and verify that your content fulfills all requirements for the subject matter.

Consistency provides the most valuable advantage. The value of one optimized article exists, yet continuous research-based processes which include structural elements and assessment procedures produce sustainable advantages. Over time, you begin to recognise patterns in high-ranking content. Your writing improves through enhanced clarity, better organization of information, and automatic use of the language that your audience commonly speaks. The learning process becomes faster with Surfer because it provides direct route access to knowledge acquisition.

Good writing remains essential for successful optimization efforts. The most critical components of the process include providing clear explanations and demonstrating concepts through practical examples and delivering truthful information. Surfer maintains quality standards through its operations but does not establish them by itself. The combination of purposeful writing together with analysis based on actual data will enhance your articles ability to rank and reach an audience while providing substantial value. The system transforms SEO into an efficient process which creates sustainable business growth through its effective capacity to optimize results.

About the Author

Anna Malik – digital nomad, enthusiast of everything online and in the cloud, productivity maniac. She travels around the world reviewing web applications and other resources for Web People for our blog.