Surfer Review

Written by Adam Morris

Updated August 8, 2023

Our rating for Surfer

★★★★☆

We give Surfer 4 out of 5 stars.

Surfer SEO is an on-page optimization tool with powerful integrations and features to help improve your overall website traffic and rankings.

Get Surfer for $69/month

Is it challenging to create engaging and SEO-friendly content for your website or blog that can attract your readers? Would you like a simpler method to enhance your content without investing a lot of time on keyword research?

For those who are not well-versed in SEO, content creation can be a time-consuming task. Fortunately, there are AI tools available that can simplify and expedite the process. Enter Surfer AI. This innovative platform uses artificial intelligence to analyze your content and provide recommendations on how to improve it for both search engines and readers.

SurferSEO homepage

This review will examine Surfer AI to determine if it fulfills its promise of simplifying and enhancing content optimization. Whether you’re an experienced content creator or a newcomer, this review will assist you in determining if Surfer AI is the appropriate tool for your content development objectives.

What is Surfer SEO?

If you’re a webmaster, SEO specialist, or site owner looking to gain insights into what works and what doesn’t on search engine result pages (SERPs), Surfer SEO is an invaluable tool. The cloud-based on-page optimization tool is designed to analyze and compare any given page to the top ranking pages in SERPs.

By providing comprehensive data such as keyword usage, media integration, content format and more, Surfer enables users to make well informed decisions that are tailored specifically for their own website.

Using Surfer also eliminates any guesswork from the entire process of optimizing a website or online store for better search rankings. With its powerful data analysis capabilities, it can quickly identify gaps between current webpages and those of competitors.

In addition, it can evaluate factors such as page titles, meta descriptions, image alt tags and contribute towards improving the overall user experience by recommending design tweaks that may potentially increase click through rates. As a result, website owners gain more insights into key performance indicators (KPIs) and have better control over their digital marketing strategies.

Surfer SEO Features

Surfer SEO Content Editor

The Surfer content editor is a handy tool for optimizing the copy on your website for Google search results. It looks at each piece of published content and helps guide you through crafting more keyword-rich and engaging pieces that could potentially rank higher in SERPs.

The content score feature is especially helpful as it tells users how their article will perform with optimization relative to other similar ones already published. This way, users have a clear idea of what they need to do to make their piece stand out amongst others of the same niche.

Surfer SEO content editor

The editor also provides tips often based on AI-driven analysis and data which can be great if you are stuck or short on ideas. Some insights include ideal word count, suggested topics, headings, paragraphs, or what words to use frequently throughout the article that might help increase the chances of ranking higher in Google.

These helpful suggestions are accompanied by visuals such as colored highlights and recommendations according to frequency; allowing one to understand better where they can implement said changes without hassle.

SERP Analyzer

Surfer SEO’s SERP Analyzer is an invaluable analysis tool for anyone looking to rank their website higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). With it, users can easily assess a range of factors that are likely to influence their ranking. The tool provides an easy-to-understand chart of keyword ranking factors which can be studied and tracked over time.

It also gives clarity into how different keywords are being used by competing sites. By entering a query, such as “croquet sets reviews”, the SERP Analyzer will generate both a list of websites currently ranking with that search term and alternative queries that competitors may be targeting.

Surfer SEO serp analyzer feature

The Surfers SERP Analyzer makes it easier than ever for webmasters to keep track of their keyword rankings as well as find out more about the competition. It is useful for seeing which types of content rank best for targeted phrases and also allows users to analyse things like page load speed or meta tags – which may make all the difference when it comes to achieving better rankings.

Surfer’s unique tool helps users find new opportunities not only in organic SEO but also within other areas such PPC campaigns or link building strategies.

Surfer SEO Content Audit

Surfer’s SEO Audit tool is an incredibly helpful and intuitive tool that helps you optimize the existing pages of your website. It allows you to see where your website stands among competitors and how effectively it is serving its desired purpose as well as finding weaknesses in visibility.

The process of optimizing a page for a specific keyword starts with entering the URL of the page that you want to optimize and then the target keyword. After this, it will require you to choose a country; most of us usually leave this option for the US since these are our ideal target audience.

Once this step is completed, click on “Create Audit” button and Surfer’s SEO audit begins! It looks into various aspects of your page including meta tags, content length and Duplicate Content Detector, which indicates how highly competitive it is amongst other websites that have similar keywords. Another useful feature included in SEO Audit is SERP Analyzer, which helps compare your rankings versus those of your competitors.

Surfer SEO content auditor

This can help identify areas where improvements could be made such as increasing content length or changing meta-tags. All in all, Surfer’s SEO Audit tool provides valuable insights into what works best when optimizing website pages ensuring increased search engine visibility.

Content Planner

Content planning can be a daunting task for those new to website creation. Surfer SEO provides an excellent platform that helps you plan content with ease and accuracy, leaving no stone unturned. All you have to do is enter a broad keyword you want to focus on and then Surfer SEO will create clusters of related content for you.

Surfer SEO content planning feature

For every cluster, there is preliminary data included, such as monthly search volume and keyword difficulty estimation, which gives you all the information needed to build comprehensive articles that rank well in search engine result pages (SERPs).

Additionally, each cluster has its own individual content editor that considers all the keywords included in it while creating original material with high readability scores. Thanks to Surfer SEO’s friendly user-interface, advanced analytics and auto-generated clusters, you have a powerful tool ready to help you plan content like a pro.

Backlinks Optimization

Backlinks are a fundamental building block of any successful SEO campaign, yet they can easily be overlooked in the search engine optimization process. Backlink optimization involves optimizing your backlink profile to ensure that your website has the quality and quantity of backlinks needed to secure a higher ranking in SERPs.

It is essential to create high-quality backlinks from relevant sites and establish yourself as an authoritative source within your industry. Surfer SEO is a great tool for uncovering how effective your backlink strategy is, and if there are any targets missing common backlinks which may help to improve your website’s performance.

Surfer does this by analyzing the web pages of all competitors for the highest-ranking websites, establishing what types of tactics each competitor has used to build their profile, along with identifying where you’re lacking compared to them.

This enables businesses to identify tactics that have been proven effective by their competition and replicate them accordingly. In addition to looking at link building techniques, Surfer also looks at content quality when it comes to optimizing your backlink profile; this is because it focuses on securing high-value links which are valuable both for SEO purposes and for user experience.

Keyword Research

Surfer SEO’s keyword research tool, although not outright bad, does not offer the same level of functionality as other popular tools in the market. This lack of capability holds them back in finding low volume keywords, which are essential for small sites that are just starting up.

Many small businesses or websites who choose to go with Surfer for their keyword research could find themselves missing out on valuable search queries which have decent search volumes and would provide great opportunities to increase organic reach.

Surfer SEO keyword research feature

If you’re looking at optimizing your site and doing research on relevant keywords, it’s best to steer away from Surfer SEO and opt for an alternative provider who can offer more comprehensive insights into what your customers are searching for.

By digging into these more specific terms, you can focus on creating content that answers those questions directly and builds better engagement with your audience. Keyword research is an important step when trying to improve your website’s visibility and should not be neglected if you want to get the most out of this important strategy.

Chrome Extension

The Surfer SEO Google Chrome Extension is a great tool for those looking to do keyword research on the fly. It gives users access to data and metrics to take the guesswork out of optimizing their content for search engines.

With its free download, it offers valuable insights about keyword popularity that can help drive more traffic to your website. After installation, the extension can be easily accessed from any Google search, allowing you to quickly assess potential keywords without ever leaving your current tab.

Surfer SEO chrome extension

This intuitive keyword-researching tool goes beyond just search volume. Not only will it provide users with an indication of how frequently a certain keyword is being used, but also other helpful insights such as related keywords as well as competitor analysis for paid searches for top positions in Google SERP’s.

Additionally, real user experiences relative to each keyword are included aiding you in crafting content that resonates with customers leading them down the buying funnel much faster than before.

Pricing Plans

Surfer’s pricing is very competitive in the SEO industry, with their monthly billing plans ranging from just $69/month for “Hobby” users all the way up to $249/month for “Business Plus”. All of these packages come with access to the same basic set of features and functions, with the exception of page speed analysis not being available with Hobby.

In addition to more features and possibilities, you get increased scalability as you move up in tier — starting off at 5 queries/day in Hobby, 20 in Basic, 50 in Pro, 100 in Business ups to 200+ queries/day with Business Plus.

Surfer SEO pricing plans

Moreover, opting for an annual plan can save you around 10% compared to monthly plans so it’s definitely worth considering if you need Surfer’s services over a longer period. Ultimately, whichever package you choose ultimately depends on your requirements — how much data and how many features you need as well as how much you’re willing to pay.

Nevertheless, taking into consideration their very affordable prices and range of services offered, Surfer is hardly likely to disappoint many users’ expectations for their website optimization needs.

How Well Does Surfer Work?

Surfer SEO is a powerful tool in the world of search engine optimization (SEO). It employs something called “Correlational on-page SEO” to make suggestions based off of the success of pages currently ranking in the SERPs. Correlational on-page SEO works by utilizing various on-page data points, such as content length, keyword density, and other page attributes.

These data points are then compared to those of the top pages for a given keyword, allowing Surfer to suggest necessary changes for improving a page’s ranking potential.

Surfer SEO optimize, write, and create articles

Using this strategy can be incredibly helpful for someone looking to rank their page higher in search results. While correlational on-page SEO certainly has its strengths, there have been some critiques about it being too focused on specific details without context, or not always incorporating the latest developments in algorithms and AI technology.

Regardless, Surfer proves itself again and again as an effective tool when used properly and with caution by providing otherwise unavailable insights into how websites might be improved for better rankings.

Interface And User Experience

Surfer SEO takes user interface and experience to the next level. With a few clicks, you can create a new, powerful content editor that puts the user in control of their search engine optimization.

The options available are intuitive and easy to understand, even if you’re not experienced with SEO web apps. In addition, the decisions on important settings like device and language before each search have conveniently been placed in an easy-to-use dashboard layout.

Ultimately, Surfer SEO’s interface is simple and straightforward. It eschews ultra-complex menus and arduous pathways for a more efficient navigation method that allows users to quickly access commands they need while maintaining a balance between usability and power. Working with Surfer SEO feels natural yet has enough deep features to make it enjoyable for people who want something beyond basic search engine optimization tools.

Surfer SEO Integrations

Surfer SEO integrations are more than just simple on-page edits. The partnership with SEMRush is a great example of how Surfer takes advantage of other services to unlock new features and capabilities.

Surfer SEO semrush integration feature

Connecting your SEMRush account to Surfer will instantly enhance your reports by providing detailed backlink data, particularly for the Grow Flow feature. After integrating with Search Console well, you’ll be able to get even deeper analysis levels of site performance.

It’s worth noting that the integration goes beyond hyped-up tools – Surfer is really good at partnering with organizations and integrating their system with various platforms.

By doing this, it provides customers with access to powerful tools that are usually not available to them in normal circumstances. As such, users can expect more value from their investments when using Surfer than when using traditional methods alone

Google Docs and WordPress Integration

Getting content written and optimized for various channels is becoming increasingly complex. Fortunately, those wishing to leverage Google Docs and Surfer’s optimization suggestions and Content Score can do so with remarkable ease.

By simply installing the Google Docs Chrome extension, content writers can connect directly from the Content Editor to their Google Docs document. Upon successful integration, users will then gain access to all of Surfer’s usual optimization guidelines and Content Score widget for even more efficient writing.

Surfer SEO wordpress integration

In addition to its usefulness with Google Docs documents, the same Chrome extension can power an even further streamlined workflow with its WordPress integration.

Content writers seeking to maximize efficiency while maintaining quality should definitely consider making use of this helpful Chrome extension in order to simplify their workflow while preserving their current writing preferences. With a few clicks of the mouse, WordPress users can now optimize their content using Surfer SEO while still employing their trusty old Google Docs documents – what could be easier?

Surfer SEO Support

Surfer SEO provides a comprehensive range of support options, making it easy to get assistance quickly. By simply clicking on the Intercom chat button found on each page of the website, users can quickly and easily open up a direct channel of communication with the Surfer SEO team.

Surfer SEO academy and tutorials

On top of that, they offer extensive help articles, including detailed step-by-step guides and simple troubleshooting instructions.

Pros

Surfer SEO has become a beloved platform among content creators and Website owners alike. Its much-touted ease of use makes it approachable for first-time users, while its in-depth insights and ability to optimize for factors like LSI keywords make it powerful enough to keep up with the demands of more experienced professionals.

One of the defining strengths of Surfer SEO is its data-driven approach to on-page optimization. Rather than relying exclusively on the opinion of SEO experts, Surfer uses over 500 factors to determine the best course of action in order to ensure a webpage’s ranking potential.

From missing backlinks to ideal content structure, Surfer handles all relevant needs in one smooth package. Furthermore, Surfer does so without ignoring smaller nuances that could make or break an otherwise perfectly crafted page. The platform also provides access to LSI keywords that can help place a page right where it belongs in search engine results pages (SERPs).

All in all, Surfer SEO provides impressive results with minimal effort and lots of useful features making it perfect for both amateurs and professionals alike – whether they’re just getting started or are fully immersed in the world of SEO.

Cons

When it comes to Surfer SEO, one of the things people might not like is its pricing. Prices range from $49 for the basic plan up to $99 for the Pro Plan. This can be a con for some as a lot of other SEO software costs much less than this. However, paying more for better quality should not be a deterrent as sometimes spending more can actually result in greater value and results.

With Surfer SEO, users get features that are more comprehensive and easier to use than other tools on the market – making it worth every penny. It has proven to be an invaluable asset when it comes to helping optimize websites quickly with its Artificial Intelligence-powered crawling, indexation and analysis capabilities.

Other benefits include SERP analysis, daily rank tracking analysis, content optimization recommendations and reporting capabilities — all of which show that Surfer SEO really delivers valuable service that justifies its cost.

Surfer SEO Alternatives

Surfer SEO used to be the go-to on-page tool for most digital marketing professionals. It was used to help improve overall website optimization and rankings. However, competition has grown in recent years, and there are now several alternatives to Surfer SEO that can offer equally significant benefits. Below, we’ll talk about the different alternatives. 

Cora

Surfer SEO and Cora are both popular tools for analyzing on-page optimization and tracking keyword performance. The two tools have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, making it difficult to determine which is best without evaluating them side by side.

Cora has made considerable improvements in recent years, providing advanced features such as comprehensive skimming, visualization of backlinks, and increased crawling speed – all at a lower price than Surfer SEO. Despite the attractive pricing, some experts believe that overall Cora isn’t yet advanced enough to be an ideal alternative to Surfer SEO.

Cora SEO software tool

While users have praised the automation of Cora’s platform, others have found its lack of flexibility to be an obstacle in optimizing campaigns efficiently. Similarly, Surfer also offers impressive features such as automated keyword research & competitor analysis that can simplify your workflows considerably – but these features come with a higher price tag.

In the end, the choice between Surfer SEO and Cora comes down to looking at personal preference and budget; each tool provides unique advantages depending on the individual’s needs.

Frase IO

Surfer SEO and Frase IO are both excellent content optimization tools that help businesses maximize the effectiveness of their webpages. Surfer SEO specializes in helping optimize on-page SEO, while Frase IO has expanded into AI writing since its inception. This enables an all-in-one solution for users, who can now write high-quality content with optimized keywords to help drive more traffic to a website.

Frase.io homepage

With Surfer SEO, the user is able to access keyword suggestions that are based on the first twenty results on the SERP when they enter a search query. This can be very helpful when targeting specific terms as it provides an easier way to do so. It also has some other features such as ensuring pages are easy to read by checking font size, colors and line height.

On the other hand, Frase IO stands out from other AI writing tools by not relying on GPT-3 or any other models for its keyword suggestions. Users simply select their goal such as increasing organic traffic before entering a query and then receive helpful advice from Frase’s AI which is designed to improve content visibility in searches and maximizing website exposure.

Website Auditor

Website Auditor is a useful tool for those looking to analyze and improve their on-page performance. It is not cloud-based, but can be purchased as part of the SEOPowersuite suite. Although the price tag may be a bit steep for some at $299/year, it’s much cheaper than most active SEO tools such as SurferSEO. If you were to purchase SurferSEO for three months you would end up spending more money than with Website Auditor for an entire year.

Website auditor SEO homepage

On the other hand, whilst Website Auditor produces accurate feedback, concisely presented in user friendly format, some users may find it insufficient if they’re looking to get more detailed analysis and are expecting industry leading features like competitor benchmarking available on Surfer SEO. Ultimately, users must assess which offering, Website Auditor or PRemium Surfer SEO will provide them with better value and better results.

Surfer SEO Review Conclusion

Surfer SEO is a promising software for anyone looking to improve their organic rankings. It has some features that are helpful in driving visibility, making it a valuable tool for small-to-medium businesses trying to make their mark online. However, there are some drawbacks with the software. Its keyword research capabilities are particularly weak and it can be costly for more involved campaigns. The newest releases of the app have been met with mixed reception.

Still despite these shortcomings, Surfer SEO’s data editor and content optimizer functionality is so good that it might just be worth your money. Its streamlined dashboards make managing campaigns easy and quick to access vital insights. Many users also appreciate how simple tweaking calls to action or titles can be done right within the software. Ultimately Surfer SEO may require a bit of an investment but if you’re hoping to rank organically then you should strongly consider its potential benefits.

Couldn’t find what you were seeking? No worries! Explore various alternative AI writing tools on our Tool Reviews page, including Growthbar AI, Outranking AI, Peppertype AI, ClosersCopy, and even Topaz Video Enhance AI.

Adam is a crypto expert & AI enthusiast who has been researching and writing on the topics since 2017.

He’s spoken on numerous podcasts and has been featured in many prominent media publications such as Forbes, CNN & CNBC.