Windsurf integration · Updated October 16, 2026

Run link outreach from Windsurf

Add one entry to Windsurf's MCP config and Cascade can read your pitches and replies, import posts you've found, and report which links went live, next to the code you're shipping.

Set it up

1

Create an API key

Create the key in BacklinkGenie under Settings → MCP. Keys start with bg_live_ and are shown once. MCP access is on the Growth and Agency plans.
2
Add the server

Open Windsurf Settings → Cascade → MCP servers → View raw config, or edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Windsurf uses serverUrl for remote servers.
~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backlinkgenie": {
      "serverUrl": "https://app.backlinkgenie.com/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer bg_live_your_key" }
    }
  }
}
```
3

Refresh

Windsurf doesn't reload MCP servers on its own. Press Refresh in the MCP panel or restart, and BacklinkGenie's tools appear.
4

Ask Cascade

Ask Cascade to list your pitches or import a post. It asks before running tools that change anything.

W Windsurf

BacklinkGenie connected

Here are the 4 posts our competitor got listed in this quarter. Import them into BacklinkGenie and tell me which ones have a contact.

Used import_posts Used get_prospect_report

Imported all 4. Contacts found for 3: the editors at zapier.com, makeuseof.com and nesslabs.com, all verified. The g2.com post has no public contact yet, so it's parked. Pitches for the other three will be in your approvals shortly.

Example with fictional product Margin.

Also try

What you can do from Windsurf

Step-by-step guides with a prompt to copy, the tools Windsurf calls and what to expect back.

Find link opportunities

Start a run that finds posts in your niche where your product belongs, then read the report.

Review and approve pitches

See what's waiting, tighten the wording and approve the ones you like without opening the dashboard.

Reply to editors

Find the editors who answered, get a reply drafted with the exact placement, and send it once you've read it.

Import target posts

Hand the agent specific posts you want to be in. It checks them, finds the contact and drafts the pitch.

Monitor your backlinks

Check which won links are still live and followed, and re-check one the moment you suspect it changed.

Get a weekly link report

Pitches sent, replies, reply rate and links won, summarised the way you want and sent where you want.

Update your pitch after a launch

Update how BacklinkGenie describes your product, so new pitches mention what you just shipped.

Manage your outreach blocklist

Add competitors, partners and sites you've had bad experiences with to a blocklist the agent always respects.

Tools used in this example

import_posts

Gives the agent specific post URLs to pitch. It qualifies them, finds the contact and drafts.

get_prospect_report

Every prospect with its Domain Rating, Google ranking, contact status and why it fits.

Windsurf can use all 22 tools. See the full list on the MCP page or browse example prompts.

What stays the same as the dashboard

Windsurf works on the same account, sites and mailboxes as the BacklinkGenie dashboard, so you can switch between them freely. Pitches still wait for approval, every edit goes through the quality check, and sending stays inside each mailbox's daily limit. Read more about how the outreach engine works, or check whether it's a better fit than Pitchbox or BuzzStream for your team. New to MCP? How MCP servers work for SEO explains the setup in plain terms, and the other integrations use the same connection.

Questions people ask

Can I keep the key out of the file?

Yes. Windsurf expands ${env:VAR} in headers, so you can write "Bearer ${env:BACKLINKGENIE_API_KEY}" and set the variable in your shell.

The tools don't show up. What now?

Press Refresh in the MCP panel. If it still fails, check the key is valid and on a Growth or Agency account. Teams and Enterprise admins may need to allow remote MCP servers.

Does Cascade ask before sending?

Cascade asks before tool calls that change things, and BacklinkGenie tells every assistant to get your explicit go-ahead before approving a pitch or sending a reply.

BacklinkGenie for Claude

Custom connector (paste the URL). Sign in, no key.

BacklinkGenie for ChatGPT

Custom connector (paste the URL). Sign in, no key.

BacklinkGenie for Cursor

MCP server in mcp.json. Uses an API key.

MCP server reference

Endpoint, auth and every tool in detail.

Prompts to try

A library of prompts for pitching, replies and reporting.

Pricing

MCP access is on the Growth and Agency plans.

Get your free prospect report first

No card needed. Connect Windsurf when you move to Growth or Agency.

Get your free prospect report See pricing