Transform your underperforming content into ranking powerhouses using AI-powered optimization tools. This workflow takes existing articles that aren't meeting their potential and systematically improves them using data-driven insights from SurferSEO and Clearscope. You'll end up with content that better matches search intent and outranks competitors for your target keywords.
Perfect for content managers dealing with pages that have dropped in rankings, new SEO specialists learning optimization techniques, or agencies looking to improve client content performance. By the end, you'll have fully optimized content with improved semantic coverage, better keyword targeting, and enhanced topical authority signals.
What You'll Need
Access to SurferSEO (paid plan), Clearscope account, Google Search Console with verified property access, and existing content that needs optimization. You'll also need basic content editing capabilities and at least 30 days of performance data in Search Console to identify optimization opportunities.
Step 1: Identify Content for Optimization
Time: 20 minutes | Tool: Google Search Console Open Google Search Console and navigate to the Performance report. Set your date range to the last 28 days and filter by "Pages" to see individual URL performance. Look for pages that receive 50+ impressions but have click-through rates below 3% or average positions between 11-30. These are prime optimization candidates because they're getting visibility but not converting. Export the data and create a prioritization list focusing on pages that target commercial or informational keywords with good search volume. Pay special attention to pages that dropped in rankings recently - these often need fresh optimization to regain their positions.
Step 2: Analyze Current Content Performance
Time: 30 minutes | Tool: SurferSEO Launch SurferSEO's Content Editor and enter your target keyword for the underperforming page. Upload or paste your existing content into the editor to get your current content score. SurferSEO will analyze your content against the top 10 ranking pages and highlight gaps in keyword usage, content length, and semantic coverage. Focus on the "Missing Keywords" section which shows related terms your competitors use but you don't. Note the recommended word count - if you're significantly under the average of top performers, you'll need to expand your content. Check the "Content Structure" recommendations for heading optimization and the "Common Words" section to understand semantic relationships you're missing.
Step 3: Generate Optimization Insights
Time: 45 minutes | Tool: Clearscope Input your target keyword into Clearscope's Content Optimization tool and paste your existing content. Clearscope will generate a comprehensive optimization report showing your current content grade and specific improvement recommendations. Pay attention to the "Related Terms" section which uses AI to identify semantically relevant keywords you should include. Review the "Questions" tab to find People Also Ask queries and related questions your content should answer. These often become excellent subheadings or content sections. Use the "Competing Content" analysis to see what angles top-ranking pages cover that yours doesn't. Create a list of content gaps and semantic keywords to incorporate during rewriting.
Step 4: Implement Content Optimizations
Time: 60-90 minutes | Tool: SurferSEO Content Editor Return to SurferSEO's Content Editor and begin systematically implementing optimizations. Start with title tag improvements - incorporate your primary keyword naturally while staying under 60 characters. Update your meta description to include semantic keywords and improve click-through potential. Restructure your content using the recommended headings from both tools. Add missing semantic keywords naturally throughout the text, aiming for the keyword density ranges suggested by SurferSEO. Expand thin sections and add new content sections to address gaps identified in Clearscope. Use the real-time content score in SurferSEO to track improvements as you edit, aiming for a score above 75.
Step 5: Final Review and Quality Check
Time: 15 minutes | Tool: Both SurferSEO and Clearscope Run your optimized content through both SurferSEO and Clearscope one final time to verify improvements. Your SurferSEO content score should be significantly higher (aim for 80+) and your Clearscope grade should improve by at least one letter grade. Check that your keyword usage feels natural and doesn't trigger over-optimization warnings. Ensure all semantic keywords are integrated contextually and that your content still reads naturally for human visitors. Verify that new sections answer user intent effectively and that your content structure follows logical hierarchy. Save your optimization reports from both tools to track performance improvements over the next 30 days.
Common Pitfalls
- Over-optimizing content with keyword stuffing instead of natural integration of semantic terms
- Focusing only on keyword density without considering user intent and content quality
- Ignoring content structure recommendations and failing to implement proper heading hierarchy
- Not expanding content length when significantly below competitor averages, missing topical coverage opportunities
Expected Results
Within 2-4 weeks, expect to see improved click-through rates from search results and gradual ranking improvements for target keywords. Your content score should increase from the baseline measurement, and you should see better coverage of related semantic terms. Track improvements in Google Search Console performance reports and monitor whether optimized pages begin ranking for additional long-tail keywords they weren't previously capturing.