So, your team’s spread out — maybe across cities, maybe across time zones — and you’re all trying to get SEO projects done without losing your minds. If you’re using (or considering) Surfer SEO, you probably want more than just a fancy tool with a bunch of dashboards. You want a setup that actually helps you work with real people, who have real deadlines, and sometimes real distractions (kids, dogs, you name it).
This guide is for folks who want fewer headaches and better results from their remote content or SEO teams. I’ll break down what Surfer SEO actually helps with, where it falls short, and how to make it work for you. No fluff, just a solid workflow you can start using today.
Step 1: Set Up Your Workspace Like You Mean It
Before you even invite your team, get your house in order. Surfer SEO’s “organization” and “project” structure is simple, but it’s easy to let things get messy.
- Create a separate project for each website or campaign. Don’t lump all clients or brands into one space — you’ll regret it later.
- Name things clearly. “Blog2024” won’t mean much in two months. Go with “Acme Corp – Blog Refresh Q2” or whatever makes sense at a glance.
- Set up shared guidelines. If you’re collaborating, make a Google Doc or Notion page with your preferred content and SEO guidelines. Surfer SEO doesn’t replace this — it just sits next to it.
Pro tip: If you’re managing a big team, keep a spreadsheet with everyone’s roles and access levels. Surfer SEO’s user permissions are fine, but not super granular.
Step 2: Add Your Team (But Don’t Give Everyone the Keys)
Now, invite your teammates — writers, editors, strategists, whoever. Surfer SEO lets you add users to projects, but don’t just give everyone admin rights.
- Assign roles thoughtfully. Limit editing to folks who need it. View-only works fine for stakeholders or “just browsing” types.
- Keep your billing info private. Seriously, only admins need access to billing or subscription settings.
What to ignore: Don’t bother assigning roles for the sake of it. If a freelancer only needs to see content briefs, don’t make them an editor.
Step 3: Build Content Briefs That Don’t Suck
Surfer SEO’s Content Editor is the main event for most teams. This is how you actually get everyone on the same page for writing.
- Use Content Editor to generate briefs, but customize them. The AI suggestions are a decent starting point, but don’t just copy-paste them to your writers.
- Add real context. Include your brand voice, target reader, or any must-have sources. Surfer SEO won’t know your audience as well as you do.
- Share the live link, not a static doc. The real value is in the live guidelines and scoring. Don’t export to Word unless you absolutely have to.
What works: The keyword suggestions and structure tips are solid — they keep writers from veering off track.
What doesn’t: Don’t expect Surfer SEO to magically make content “good.” It’s still on you to edit, fact-check, and make sure your content is actually useful.
Step 4: Assign and Track Work Without Micromanaging
Here’s where a lot of teams get tripped up. Surfer SEO isn’t a full project management suite — it’s for SEO and content, not task lists or Gantt charts.
- Assign briefs by sharing the Content Editor link directly with the writer or editor.
- Track progress in your main project management tool. Use Trello, Asana, ClickUp, or even a shared spreadsheet. Surfer SEO won’t remind people about deadlines.
- Use Surfer’s comments for quick feedback, but keep bigger discussions elsewhere. Comments work for “fix this” notes; not for long debates.
Pro tip: Batch your Surfer SEO briefs for the week in one go. It saves time and makes it easier to spot gaps or overlaps.
Step 5: Collaborate in Real Time, But Don’t Fight the Tool
Writers and editors can work at the same time in the Content Editor. The live scoring updates as you go, which is nice for quick iterations.
- Use Surfer’s real-time features for short-form or fast-turnaround content.
- For more complex pieces, draft in Google Docs first, then polish in Surfer SEO. The Surfer editor can get laggy for long articles.
- Don’t force everyone to use Surfer if it slows them down. Some writers produce better drafts elsewhere and then optimize in Surfer at the end.
Honest take: Surfer SEO’s collaboration tools are “good enough,” not mind-blowing. They work for quick edits and feedback, but you’ll want Slack or Zoom for anything complicated.
Step 6: Review, Optimize, and Approve Content
Once drafts are done, the editor or SEO lead should give them a final pass.
- Check the Surfer SEO Content Score, but don’t chase a perfect 100. Anything 70+ is usually fine. Over-optimizing can make your content robotic.
- Spot-check for keyword stuffing or awkward phrasing. Surfer can’t tell if your sentences sound weird.
- Approve content in Surfer SEO, then move it to your CMS. Don’t forget to assign the publishing task in your main PM tool.
What works: Surfer’s optimization suggestions help catch missing subtopics and structure issues.
What to ignore: Don’t blindly follow every keyword prompt. If it doesn’t fit, skip it.
Step 7: Keep Your Team in the Loop (Without Spamming Them)
Communication is where most remote teams fall apart. Surfer SEO isn’t going to solve that by itself.
- Send a weekly roundup of what’s in Surfer, what’s in progress, and what’s published.
- Use your main chat tool (Slack, Teams, email) for announcements. Surfer isn’t great for mass updates.
- Ask for feedback on the process, not just the content. If something’s clunky, fix it.
Pro tip: Set up a recurring calendar reminder to check Surfer SEO for “orphaned” drafts or briefs that never got finished.
Step 8: Repeat, Refine, and Don’t Get Precious
The first month with a new workflow is always a little chaotic. That’s normal.
- Adjust your process as you go. If your team hates the Surfer editor, adapt. If your briefs are too dense, simplify.
- Don’t be afraid to skip features you don’t need. No one gets a trophy for using every button.
- Make your own checklist for onboarding new team members. Surfer SEO’s tutorials are okay, but your real-world process is what matters.
What Surfer SEO Does Well (and Where It Falls Short)
Let’s be honest: Surfer SEO is great for keeping SEO top-of-mind during content creation. Its live scoring and keyword suggestions save time and arguments. For remote teams, it’s far better than emailing Word docs back and forth.
But it’s not a silver bullet. You’ll still need a separate tool for project management, a chat app for real conversations, and editors who can spot nonsense that no algorithm will catch. If you expect Surfer SEO to run your whole remote content operation, you’ll end up disappointed.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Ignore the Hype
You don’t need a 20-step workflow or a stack of pricey tools. Start simple: good briefs, clear roles, and honest feedback. Use Surfer SEO for what it’s good at, and don’t force it where it doesn’t fit. Stay flexible, keep talking to your team, and don’t waste time chasing “perfect” processes. Better to get the work done — together — than to get stuck in tool overload.