As an SEO specialist or someone in charge of optimizing content to rank well on search engines, you are probably already using a content optimizer in your daily routine.
And for those who have been doing this for a while already, you know that the market is always introduced to new SEO tools.
One new SEO tool I’ve encountered is ZIZTA.
And since I’m an avid user of Surfer SEO at the moment, particularly its content optimizer, I thought of trying out ZIZTA’s version of content optimizer to see how it performs in comparison to what I’ve grown used to.
ZIZTA promises that their content optimizer is somehow designed differently.
I tried it out, and today, I’m sharing my experience in this ZIZTA vs. SURFER SEO review.
1. ZIZTA
ZIZTA’s content optimizer is very straightforward. Regardless if you’re a beginner or someone who’s experienced a content optimizer before, like me, using ZIZTA won’t give you so much of a learning curve.
The content optimizer’s controls are very standard in design, making it easier to navigate when users edit or optimize their content.
Creating new queries from scratch is also a very user-friendly process. This is the feature you need to begin using ZIZTA with your chosen keywords. New queries usually only take 5 minutes or less.
Unlike other content optimizers, however, ZIZTA doesn’t update your content’s scores in real-time as you optimize it. You have to refresh it to update the scoring manually.
This is no big deal, though, as checking the score only takes a minute at the most. Knowing what keywords to prioritize and how much to include are also easy to spot on the right side of your content optimizer’s panel.
According to the developers, ZIZTA’s system behind choosing what keywords and LSI terms to recommend is influenced by their own experiences in “what works” when ranking on Google SERPs.
Yet, how exactly this system operates remains unclear to some users, which can create doubts.
There were also moments where the content score would drop even after adding a keyword that the content optimizer had recommended.
Benefits of Using ZIZTA
If you plan on trying ZIZTA, here are a few of the benefits that you can expect from this SEO tool:
- User-friendly: ZIZTA’s easy to navigate and simple UI makes it easy to use for beginners, leaving very little learning curve for those learning the tool.
- Cost-wise: The content optimizer is completely free. By creating an account, you can use ZIZTA to optimize your content immediately.
- Access to Entities: ZIZTA’s content optimizer prioritizes keywords that have real webpages on Wikipedia and Google’s database, boosting the chances of crawlers understanding the intent behind your page.
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Features
ZIZTA’s content optimizer is a user-friendly tool, perfect for newcomers who want to jump right in without a steep learning curve.
As you explore its editing features, you’ll discover why it’s an effective choice for enhancing SEO.
One standout feature is the ‘New Query’ page, your starting point for optimizing live content like blogs.
With ZIZTA, you can choose to optimize content manually or, if you have a paid account, let the AI handle it automatically.
Use (1) the ‘For a New Web Page’ feature to craft new content. It’s like using Microsoft Word or Notepad—only better because you have keyword recommendations for SEO-ready content.
If you want to enhance an existing page, (2) simply click on ‘Optimize Existing Page’ to get started.
Here’s an example of how I optimized one of my existing pages using ZIZTA. It started with a really low score.
After adjusting the headings and the body of the content with ZIZTA’s recommended LSI terms, I improved the content score.
I focused on terms marked with an ‘E’ to boost SEO impact (as seen in the image above, where the arrow points), as these keywords are very relevant.
Prioritizing these keywords or terms makes more impact on the content being optimized for SEO.
The other thing I really appreciate about ZIZTA is that it does not deprive its users of basic features that can make their content more dynamic when editing.
Even as a FREE content optimizer, it has features like the ability to change text colors, view code, adjust line heights, and add videos.
You can also add tables for blog sections that are better presented in more organized and less text-y formats.
As a content optimizer, it’s very important that users are allowed to add as many elements to their content as possible to help make their final output more engaging and easy to digest.
Other content optimizers, even paid ones, don’t even have simple editing features such as these two.
What I like
What I dislike
Who Should Use ZIZTA?
Surfer SEO is a powerful SEO tool, so it’s definitely a must for anyone involved in SEO to try. But, to pinpoint some examples of users who can best benefit from this tool, here are three:
- Freelance SEO Specialist
- If you’re a freelance SEO specialist, you’ll enjoy ZIZTA as a content optimizer for its free access to a tool that’s easy to use and open to you anytime, with no worries of needing to pay for a content-optimizing feature.
- Beginners in SEO
- ZIZTA is a good tool to start with if you’re in the early stages of learning SEO and blogging. At this point, you wouldn’t want to spend on a pricey or advanced tool that comes with a suite of other features. Keep it simple and straightforward with a content optimizer like ZIZTA.
ZIZTA AI & SEO
Zizta is an innovative content optimization tool that simplifies the process of creating content that ranks higher in SERPs. It streamlines on-page optimization by allowing you to customize meta tags for each page perfectly, ensuring maximum visibility to your target audience. Additionally, Zizta’s powerful content editor enables you to quickly create or edit written content on the go with ease.
2. Surfer SEO
SURFER SEO’s content optimizer is well-organized, making it user-friendly for both new and seasoned users. The tool groups keywords by root words using hashtags, simplifying the process of selecting relevant terms for your content.
Real-time updates to the content score provide immediate feedback as you add or remove keywords. This feature helps you quickly understand the impact of adjustments, ensuring your content aligns with competitive benchmarks.
You’ll also receive insights into the average score and top score to aim for, based on competitor performance for your target keywords.
Another notable feature is the smart internal linking tool. By leveraging your domain’s internal structure and Google Search Console data, it suggests the most suitable internal links for your content. This enhances the connectivity and effectiveness of your SEO strategy.
While SURFER excels in keyword organization and linking, its content editing features are minimal, offering just the basics without advanced options like colored texts or tables.
For those interested in automated content creation, the ‘Write with AI’ feature is available, but only for paid users.
Benefits of Using Surfer SEO
If you’re on the hunt for a tool that can elevate your SEO game, Surfer SEO can be your best ally.
Here are five benefits it offers:
- Organized Keyword Recommendations: SURFER SEO groups keywords by root words using hashtags, making it easy for users to quickly identify the most relevant terms for their content. This helps streamline the content creation process and ensures that users target the right keywords efficiently.
- Competitive Scoring Insights: SURFER SEO provides users with both the average score and top score to target, based on competitor performance for the target keyword. This feature empowers users to strategically align their content with industry standards and outpace their competition.
- Smart Internal Linking: The tool leverages a domain’s internal structure and Google Search Console data to suggest optimal internal links. This enhances the site’s connectivity, improving overall SEO effectiveness and ensuring users make the most of their existing content assets.
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Features
It’s only right for SURFER’s content optimizer to feel more advanced since between SURFER and ZIZTA, the former has been around for years already.
One feature that contributes to the experience of content optimizing is SURFER’s content score that updates in real-time as you add or remove keywords.
I also really appreciate how they make it so easy to track which keywords I should use from their recommended terms first by clicking the tags that show the entire list of words based on the keyword’s root term.
For example, if you want to use terms other than “SaaS webinars” because you’re writing a content about B2B SaaS webinar, you click the “Webinar” tag.
This will then show you all the other keywords related to “Webinar” that you can use.
If you’re writing for SEO, its also important to keep the crawlers in mind.
To help crawlers understand the relations between all your pages in your website, they need to be able to understand the topic structure through the internal link work that you do.
SURFER helps users in this area with their ‘Insert internal links’ feature.
This makes it easier to not only insert internal links but also find the best areas in my content to link to my other blogs that are in the same topic.
It’s fast, automatic, and a win for both my readers and Google’s crawlers.
What I wish SURFER improves on however is the editing tools of their content optimizer.
They’re very basic and are more limited than that of Microsoft Word.
In many of my blogs I like to add tables from time to time to organize data and other infromation better.
But when I’m in my early stage of drafting, without a feature that enables me to insert tables into my draft it becomes hard to organize information.
What I like
What I dislike
Who Should Use Surfer SEO?
Surfer SEO is a powerful SEO tool, so it’s definitely a must for anyone involved in SEO to try. But, to pinpoint some examples of users who can best benefit from this tool, here are three:
- SEO Specialists Who Aren’t On a Budget
- If you’re into SEO and you’re prepared to spend on your content optimization and SEO tool then this tool is for you. Many SEO specialists today are using SURFER SEO and other paid SEO tools for their SEO content. SURFER charges its entry-level users $89 as it offers no FREE plan.
- Large SEO Agency or Enterprise
- You’re part of a big team or enterprise with high content demands and require a comprehensive package without limitations. The “Max” plan at $249/month (billed annually) or the custom “Enterprise” plan would be ideal. These plans offer the highest number of content editor credits, organization seats, and all available add-ons, ensuring you have all the tools at your disposal.
Surfer SEO
Surfer SEO is a high-level content optimization tool that’s proven by many. It simplifies the process of creating content that ranks higher in SERPs. With Surfer SEO’s on-page optimization features, you can customize the meta tags for each page perfectly to ensure maximum reach from your traffic. Additionally, its powerful content editor allows you to create or edit documents on the go quickly.
How Do ZIZTA and SURFER Differ from Each Other?
Overall, ZIZTA appeals to users seeking a cost-effective, straightforward approach to content optimization, with an emphasis on keyword relevance through experience-based recommendations.
In contrast, SURFER caters to users who prefer a more structured and dynamic optimization process, with real-time updates and smart linking tools, albeit with basic editing functions.
Each tool’s unique features and limitations shape the user experience, influencing how effectively they can enhance their content for SEO purposes.
How Do You Choose Between ZIZTA vs. SURFER SEO?
If you’re ready to choose between ZIZTA or SURFER SEO, its important to look at each of these content optimizers from the angle of three important components.
Before you choose, consider their features, cost, and scalability.
1. Features
Why is it important? Features are the heart and soul of any tool. They determine what you can achieve and how efficiently you can do it.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Which tool offers the specific features I’ll use daily?
- Am I more into detailed page audits or AI-powered content creation?
- Do I want a tool that’s more like a Swiss Army knife or a magic wand?
- ZIZTA’s keyword recommendations are notable for their use of ‘Entities’ that are not present in SURFER. But its also important noting that ZIZTA is still a very young tool.
- SURFER’s keyword recommendations offer more organization and better tracking to prioritize terms that are most semantically relevant to your target keyword.
2. Cost
Budget matters! It’s essential to get the best bang for your buck and ensure you’re not overpaying for features you won’t use.
Ask yourself these questions:
- How much am I willing to invest in an SEO tool?
- Am I looking for a premium experience or something more budget-friendly?
- Is the tool offering value for its price, or am I just paying for the brand?
- ZIZTA is the budget-friendly option in this comparison, with a FREE plan, a bronze plan starting at $47, and their highest plan priced at $279 per month.
- SURFER doesn’t have a FREE plan, and its starting plan, called ‘Essential,’ begins at $89. Its highest paid plan is priced at $218 per month only, but it also offers custom plans to cater to more content optimization needs.
3. Scalability
You will eventually scale, and it’s imperative that your tools scale with you. As you grow and evolve, you want a tool to keep up with your expanding needs.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Will this tool still be relevant to me in a year or two?
- Does the platform offer plans that can accommodate my growth?
- Is the tool continuously updated with new features to stay ahead of the SEO curve?
- If you’re on the road to scaling, ZIZTA offers users 30K, 90K, and, for the highest plan, 200k in credits as they subscribe to plans beyond the FREE account.
- SURFER focuses more on the articles you can create. The ‘Essential’ plan allows you 30 articles, the ‘Scale’ plan is 100 articles, and the ‘Scale AI’ plan is the same but comes with 10 AI articles. Since SURFER offers custom plans, this shows their commitment to businesses ready to scale.
Conclusion
In this review, we’ve explored the key differences between ZIZTA and SURFER SEO, highlighting how each tool caters to different user needs.
ZIZTA offers a cost-effective, user-friendly experience ideal for beginners, with a focus on keyword relevance through its entity-first recommendations.
On the other hand, SURFER SEO provides a more structured and dynamic approach with features like real-time updates and smart internal linking, though it requires a budget for access to its full potential.
For those seeking the right content optimizer, understanding these distinctions is crucial.
If you’re looking to manage costs while getting started in SEO, ZIZTA might be the right choice.
However, if you prioritize advanced features and are willing to invest, SURFER SEO could better suit your needs.
Ultimately, the decision hinges on what you value most in a content optimizer.
Are you ready to invest in advanced features, or do you prefer to start with a budget-friendly tool that covers the basics?
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