How to Use Surfer SEO’s Scoring Software to Rank Higher in Google (+ a Few Tips and Tricks to Raise Your Scores)

Surfer SEO offers several powerful features, but we’re going to be looking at the two you’ll be using the most when writing a new article or blog post for the purposes of bringing in traffic through organic content like articles and blog posts:

This is where the magic happens. After inputting your target keyword, Surfer SEO will make the Content Editor. This is what will analyze your content as you write, offering real-time feedback on keyword usage, word count, headings, and more. It helps you structure your content in a way that aligns with what’s currently ranking on Google.

The Surfer SEO Score is calculated based on several key on-page SEO factors, each contributing to the overall score out of 100. Here’s what goes into your score:

1. Keyword Usage:
   • Primary Keywords: The frequency and placement of your main keyword are crucial. Surfer SEO tracks how often your primary keyword appears in your content, headings, and meta tags. It also checks if you’re using variations of the keyword naturally throughout the text.
   • LSI Keywords: These are related terms that provide context. They help search engines understand the broader topic of your content.
2. Content Length:
   • Surfer SEO suggests an optimal word count range based on what’s currently ranking.
3. Headings Structure:
   • Surfer SEO evaluates how well your content is organized using headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.). Proper heading usage makes it easier to search engines to understand what your article is about, making it easier to climb in search rankings.
4. Content Structure and Readability:
   • Surfer SEO looks at how well your content is broken down into paragraphs, lists, and other elements that enhance readability.
5. Use of Media:
   • Surfer SEO tracks whether you’re using videos and images effectively.
6. Internal and External Links:
   • Integrating internal and external links can boost your score by enhancing the credibility and connectedness of your content.

To boost your Surfer SEO Score, start by addressing any areas where your content falls short compared to the top-ranking pages.

You’re trying to get each of the suggested keywords and phrases into the “green.” If Surfer SEO suggests using a keyword 10 times, and you’ve only used it once, the keyword will appear “yellow” until you get closer to the goal of using it 10 times.

If your word count is below the recommended range, consider adding more valuable content that aligns with user intent.

Adjust your headings to better reflect the structure and keywords of top-ranking pages.

Add relevant images, videos, or infographics to enrich your content.

Alt image text is tracked by Surfer SEO. If you come across a keyword that isn’t easily integrated into your content naturally, consider if you can find a matching image to use in your content. Simply put that keyword as the alt image text.

If you’re struggling to get your score up, make sure you’re using the recommended amount of images. This is the one single factor that can make the most change to the score (outside of using your primary keyword in the title of your article).

Getting a “100” is very difficult to do. Even if you follow every recommendation to a T, you might not get a 100 score. You want to get as close to a perfect score as possible, but if it’s going to take several hours of tweaking to get a perfect score, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. Instead, focus on beating the “Top” score. This is the score of the top-ranking article. If you can beat that, then you’ll have a good chance of ranking as your site gains more and more authority in the eyes of Google.

This isn’t “one and done.” As people and search terms change, so do the metrics for a “perfectly optimized” article. If you revisit an article six months to a year later, it’s best to make a new Content Editor, as it will have the updated recommendations.

Surfer SEO is a fantastic tool, but it’s easy to fall into a few traps. For starters, over-optimizing by cramming in too many keywords can make your content sound awkward and might even hurt your rankings.

It’s important to keep your audience in mind—your content should answer their questions, not just tick off SEO boxes. If human readers pop off the page right away, then it doesn’t matter how high your Surfer Score is.

Additionally, don’t forget about internal links—they help both your readers and search engines navigate your site.