Custom Instructions — What they are and why they matter

Because AI stops just writing text and starts making decisions.

Without Custom Instructions:

• every article has to “rediscover” your context,

• content is correct, but generic,

• your brand fades into the background,

• internal linking is random or missing.

With Custom Instructions:

• every article:

  • sounds like it comes from the same company,

  • follows a consistent point of view,

  • promotes your offer naturally,

  • adds internal links where they actually make sense,

• AI:

  • decides what to emphasize,

  • knows when to mention your product,

  • maintains narrative consistency automatically.

This is the difference between “writing with AI” and “scaling your brand with AI.”

Because Custom Instructions are:

• always on,

• visible and easy to edit (above the fold),

• designed to work together with:

  • templates (structure),

  • voice (style),

  • the AI model itself (execution).

The result:

One well-defined context → dozens of consistent, on-brand pieces of content.

Don’t treat them as:

“a prompt for an article.”

Treat them as:

a brand & content playbook for AI

If AI were a new team member,

Custom Instructions would be its onboarding.

Surfer is a comprehensive on-page SEO and content optimization platform used by SEO professionals, marketers, content creators, and agencies to research, write, audit, and optimize SEO-focused content based on real data. It helps teams rank higher in search engines and increase organic visibility by aligning content with what top-ranking pages actually do. surferseo.com+1

Surfer aims to democratize organic traffic by offering user-friendly, data-backed workflows for SEO, accessible to teams of all sizes around the world. surferseo.com

Target audience:

• SEO professionals

• Content marketers

• Agencies and content teams

• Digital marketing teams

Not primarily for: general blog readers or non-business audiences unless context is SEO/business-driven.

Surfer is a SaaS SEO platform with an ecosystem of tools and workflows that help users plan, create, and improve content that ranks.

Core Capabilities

• Content Editor: Real-time, data-driven content creation and optimization guidance.

• SERP Analyzer: Deep competitive analysis of top-ranking pages for a target keyword.

• Content Audit: Analyze and improve existing content for better rankings.

• Keyword & Topic Research: Discover related keywords and topic clusters for comprehensive SEO strategies.

• Content Planning: Build multi-month content plans based on SEO data.

• AI-Assisted Features: AI-generated outlines, writing assistance, and optimization recommendations.

Free or Supplemental Tools

• Chrome extension for keyword insights

• AI writing helpers like AI Detector and AI Humanizer

• Educational resources (Academy, courses, blog)

Primary CTAs

• “Start your free trial” / “Try Surfer SEO”

• “Request a demo”

• “See pricing”

• “Explore features”

Embed CTAs contextually (mid-article and end).

Surfer operates in a competitive SEO ecosystem alongside platforms like Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz, Clearscope, and others. Surfer’s core strength is data-driven on-page optimization with an intuitive workflow that connects existing SEO research, content creation, and performance improvement all in one place, enabling teams to operate faster and with measurable data.

Highlight how Surfer differs from competitors by:

• Prioritizing real-time, SERP-based recommendations instead of generic SEO tips

• Providing structured content workflows that align with current ranking factors

• Supporting the entire content lifecycle: planning, writing, auditing, and improving

Every article must convey:

• Data-driven decision-making

• Actionable SEO guidance

• Trust and transparency

• Accessibility for different team sizes and skill levels

• Practical SEO workflows, not vague claims

Tone: authoritative but approachable, educational, clear, solution-oriented.

A) Data-Driven SEO That Goes Beyond Guesswork

Surfer analyzes top-ranking pages and real signals to determine what works in search today, replacing guesswork with evidence-based decisions.

B) Integrated Workflow From Research to Publishing

Surfer brings research, content creation, and post-publication optimization into one platform, saving time for marketers and SEO teams.

C) Competitive Analysis That Shows Opportunities

Use the SERP Analyzer and content audit tools to identify gaps and optimization opportunities based on actual competitor data.

D) AI-Assisted Tools to Accelerate Content Production

AI assists with outlines, topic exploration, and optimization suggestions that align with search intent.

E) Agency-Friendly Features to Scale SEO for Clients

Surfer includes features designed to help agencies deliver SEO results faster and rationalize deliverables across clients.

Structure articles to naturally include high-intent SEO themes such as:

• SEO content optimization software

• On-page SEO tools

• Content strategy software

• Keyword research and SERP analysis tools

• SEO audit tools

• How to improve organic search rankings

• AI for SEO content optimization

Use these themes in headings, meta descriptions, and body content where relevant.

For Surfer-driven content, link contextually to these core pages when relevant:

• Homepage / Product Overview:

• Agency Solutions:

• Enterprise Plan & Support:

• Help / Knowledge Base: relevant docs pages

• Blog and Academy resources

Every article must:

• Address marketers, SEO professionals, and content creators

• Identify a clear SEO problem or goal up front

• Use examples, workflows, and step-by-step guidance

• Avoid generic or surface-level SEO advice

• Reinforce Surfer’s data-driven advantage

• Place CTAs naturally in helpful contexts

Use a content structure that leads readers from problem → data-driven insight → Surfer solution → next step/CTA.

Finish with a CTA like:

“To streamline your SEO content workflow and optimize with actionable, real-time data, start your Surfer SEO trial or request a demo today.”

Custom Instructions helps you tailor your article to a specific audience and enrich its content with your expertise. Answer it: "What do I want the readers to know from reading it?"

This can happen because of two main reasons:

1. Surfer ignores the Custom Instructions input if its AI is sure that it'd affect the SERPs in a bad way.

2. We're constantly working to improve our AI, but sometimes it can miss the Custom Instructions, even if they're relevant.

There’s a 5,000-character limit for inputting your Custom Instructions. You can include the most important and relevant information, and Surfer AI will ensure to include your key insights and knowledge in the generated article.