Surfer SEO
Connect Surfer SEO to build Content Editors, read guidelines and scores, write and optimize articles, and track how AI answers mention your brand.
Nothing has to be typed into PopMCP. You click Sign in with Surfer, sign in, choose your organization and select Authorize. There is no developer app or callback URL to set up. Under More options you can use a Surfer API key instead of signing in, which adds Audit, SERP Analyzer, AI Detector and Humanizer. Surfer support issues that key to your organization's owner.
Paid plan required before this connector works
Signing in needs a Surfer plan that includes MCP: Surfer lists Pro, Peace of Mind, Enterprise and AI Search Analytics. The optional API key needs Peace of Mind, Enterprise or the API add-on.
- Typical wait
- Instant for signing in once the plan includes MCP, with no application and no review. An API key waits on Surfer support, who issue it by hand.
- Cost
- Prices are on Surfer's pricing page. Creating a Content Editor, an AI article on Enterprise and some older plans, Auto-Optimize, Audit, SERP Analyzer and Humanizer draw on the plan's own credits and allowances.
- Blocked until approved
- Without MCP on the plan, the organization is disabled on Surfer's consent page and nothing connects. Without API access, a key answers 401 or 403. Audit, SERP Analyzer and AI Tracker must also be on the plan, or those tools alone are refused.
- Works meanwhile
- Check the MCP tab in Surfer to see whether your plan includes MCP, and MCP & API, then API, for the API key.
Where to apply: Nothing to apply for to sign in. For a key, sign in as the organization's owner, open MCP & API, then API, and select Contact Support on the Get your API key card.
- Only the organization's owner can get an API key, and there is one per organization. Asking support to reset it replaces it at once everywhere it is used.
- No tool reports credits remaining. The Usage page in Surfer shows them.
- Surfer has no sandbox: every request runs against your live account.
- Setup time
- 1 min
- Auth
- OAuth authorization
- API base URL
- https://mcp.surferseo.com/mcp
Before you begin
- A Surfer account in an organization whose plan includes MCP. Surfer lists Pro, Peace of Mind, Enterprise and AI Search Analytics; the MCP tab in Surfer shows whether yours does
- Pop-up blockers must allow the Surfer sign-in window to open
- Only if the AI should change anything: an owner or admin in PopMCP to allow write actions
- Only for an API key: Peace of Mind, Enterprise or the API add-on, and the organization owner's login
Get your credentials
Start the connection from PopMCP
Open the Surfer SEO connector in PopMCP and click Sign in with Surfer. There are no fields to fill in: no API key, no developer app and nothing to register.
Choose your organization and authorize
If you are not signed in to Surfer in this browser, Surfer shows its normal login page first. Then its consent page says PopMCP is requesting access to your Surfer account. Check the account under Signed in as, choose the Organization this connection works in, and select Authorize. An organization whose plan does not include MCP is shown disabled. One connection works in one organization.
PopMCP is requesting access to your Surfer account
Back in PopMCP
You return to PopMCP, connected. New connections are read-only: your AI can read Content Editors, guidelines and scores, and nothing spends a credit. An owner or admin in PopMCP can allow write actions when you want it to create and rewrite.
Or connect with an API key
Optional, instead of signing in, for Audit, SERP Analyzer, AI Detector and Humanizer. Sign in to Surfer as the organization's owner, open MCP & API, then API, and select Contact Support on the Get your API key card. Send the form that opens. When support sends the key, open More options in PopMCP and paste it. To have both ways, add a second connection.
API
Connect in PopMCP
Open your workspace, choose Surfer SEO in the marketplace, and fill in the connect dialog:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| How you connectpreset | Click Sign in, sign in to Surfer, choose your organization and select Authorize. There is nothing to copy or paste. |
| API key (instead of signing in)secret | Adds Audit, SERP Analyzer, AI Detector and Humanizer. Surfer support issues the key to your organization's owner: in Surfer open MCP & API, then API, and select Contact Support. Stored encrypted and used only on our servers.Encrypted with AES-256-GCM on save and never shown again. |
PopMCP verifies the credential against Surfer SEO immediately. On success the connection flips to Verified and its MCP tools are provisioned.
Permissions PopMCP requests
These are the scopes sent to Surfer SEO at authorization time.
| Scope | Why PopMCP asks for it |
|---|---|
| openid | Signs you in. Surfer's sign-in has no permission choices: a connection can do what your own role in Surfer allows, in the organization you chose. |
| offline_access | Keeps the connection working in the background. Surfer still asks you to sign in again from time to time. |
Verify it worked
The Surfer SEO card in PopMCP shows Connected with the number of tools available. Asking the AI for the connection profile (surfer_connection_profile) lists them and says which change data.
Troubleshooting
The sign-in window never opens
Why: A pop-up blocker is stopping the Surfer sign-in window.
Fix: Allow pop-ups for PopMCP in your browser and click Sign in with Surfer again.
Surfer says MCP is not available for your organizations, or your organization is disabled on the consent page
Why: The organization's plan does not include MCP.
Fix: Check the MCP tab in Surfer. Someone with billing access can change the plan under Your subscription.
The consent page says the authorization request expired
Why: A pending sign-in stays valid only for a short time.
Fix: Go back to PopMCP and click Sign in with Surfer again.
A workspace is missing, or the AI gets not found
Why: A signed-in connection reaches only the workspaces you are a member of.
Fix: Ask an organization owner or admin to add you to the workspace in Surfer.
Your API key is not accepted
Why: The key was mistyped, or support has reset it, which replaces it at once everywhere.
Fix: Paste the current key again. Support can resend it from the Contact Support button.
PopMCP says API access is not on for this organization
Why: The key is real, but the plan does not include the API.
Fix: API access comes with Peace of Mind, Enterprise or the API add-on. Connecting by signing in needs no key.
The AI says a credit or allowance is used up
Why: The plan's Content Editor credits or Auto-Optimize allowance have run out.
Fix: Check the Usage page in Surfer. It resets with the plan, or someone with billing access can change it.