Connect SEO Score API to GitHub Copilot in VS Code

Add an HTTP server to VS Code's MCP config with the URL https://seoscoreapi.com/mcp and an Authorization: Bearer ssa_... header. The .vscode/mcp.json below prompts for your key once and keeps it out of the file. Then open the tools list in Copilot chat and ask for an audit.

Once it is connected, VS Code / GitHub Copilot can run SEO Score API's tools for you: SEO audits with 80+ checks, GEO and AI-visibility checks, ADA / WCAG accessibility audits, AI citation tracking, site crawls and Deep Audits, all on your own plan.

Set it up

Get a key. Copy your API key from your dashboard, or get a free one.
Add the server. Run MCP: Add Server from the Command Palette, choose HTTP (HTTP or Server-Sent Events) and enter https://seoscoreapi.com/mcp. Then add the header: easiest is to paste one of the configs below.
Enter your key. With the .vscode/mcp.json version, VS Code asks for the key the first time the server starts and stores it as a secret.
Turn the tools on. In Copilot chat, use Configure Tools in the chat input (or Chat: Open Customizations > Tools) and make sure SEO Score API is ticked.
Ask. Try one of the prompts below. Expand the tool call in chat to see that SEO Score API ran it.

The config

.vscode/mcp.json (prompts for the key)

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "seoscoreapi-key",
      "description": "SEO Score API key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "seoscoreapi": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://seoscoreapi.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${input:seoscoreapi-key}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Portable .mcp.json or ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json (key from SEO_SCORE_API_KEY)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "seoscoreapi": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://seoscoreapi.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${SEO_SCORE_API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code now offers a portable format (mcpServers, in a workspace-root .mcp.json or ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json) next to the VS Code format (servers, in .vscode/mcp.json or your user profile). Input variables like ${input:...} work only in the VS Code format; the portable format reads ${NAME} environment variables in header values.

Prompts to try first

Swap in your own URL. The plan column says who can run each one.

Ask	Tool	Plan
Audit https://example.com and list the top 5 fixes, most important first.	`audit`	Free key
How well can AI assistants read https://example.com? Run an AI readability check.	`ai_readability`	Free key
Score the conversion of https://example.com/pricing and tell me what is costing sign-ups.	`conversion`	Free key (full fix list on paid plans)
Is https://example.com visible to ChatGPT and AI search? Run a GEO audit.	`geo_audit`	Basic ($15/mo) and up
Check https://example.com for ADA / WCAG 2.1 AA issues and list the critical ones with fixes.	`accessibility_audit`	Paid plans, from Starter ($5/mo)
Generate an llms.txt file for example.com.	`llms_txt`	Any key
Crawl example.com and show me the broken pages, redirects and orphan pages.	`crawl_site`	Pro ($39/mo), Ultra or a Deep Audit credit
Track whether ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude mention Acme when people ask for an SEO tool. Build starter prompts, create a citation tracker and run it.	`create_citation_tracker`	Starter ($5/mo) and up
Run a Deep Audit on https://example.com and list the high-severity findings.	`deep_audit`	Pro ($39/mo), Ultra or credits

Troubleshooting

Copilot never calls the tools

Check SEO Score API is ticked under Configure Tools, then ask for the task by name ("Run an SEO audit on https://...").

VS Code never asked for my key

Input prompts only work in the VS Code format (servers, in .vscode/mcp.json). In a portable file, set SEO_SCORE_API_KEY in the environment VS Code starts from.

The tools are listed but every call fails with an authentication error

Listing tools needs no key; running one does. Check the key starts with ssa_, that the header reads exactly Authorization: Bearer ssa_... (one space after Bearer) or X-API-Key: ssa_..., and that the key was not rotated in your dashboard since.

A tool says it needs a higher plan

Some tools are on paid plans only (GEO audits from Basic, accessibility audits and citation trackers from Starter, crawls and Deep Audits from Pro). The message names the plan; your free audits keep working.

A tool says you have used this month's audits

The free plan includes 20 audits a month. The message gives the reset date and a one-click upgrade.

FAQ

Does it work with GitHub Copilot's agent mode?

Yes. MCP tools are available to Copilot chat in VS Code once the server is added and its tools are enabled.

Can I share the config with my team?

Yes. Commit .vscode/mcp.json as shown: it holds no key, and VS Code asks each person for their own.

Is it free?

Yes, to start. A free SEO Score API key includes 20 audits a month and needs no card. GEO audits, accessibility audits, citation tracking, crawls and Deep Audits need a paid plan; plans start at Starter ($5/mo). Every tool call uses your plan's allowance exactly as the REST API does.

Do I need to install anything?

No. The server is hosted at https://seoscoreapi.com/mcp, so you add a URL, not a program. If your assistant only runs local servers, the same tools are in the open-source npm package: npx -y seoscoreapi-mcp with SEO_SCORE_API_KEY set.

API key or sign-in: which should I use?

Either works. Assistants that let you set a request header can send your key as Authorization: Bearer ssa_... or X-API-Key: ssa_.... Assistants with MCP sign-in open seoscoreapi.com, you sign in with an email link, Google or GitHub (or create a free account), approve, and you are done. Listing the tools works without either; running one needs one of them.

What can't it do?

It does not download PDF reports (a tool result is text; the audit tool returns the same data), it does not change account settings such as auto-reload, and it cannot create, upgrade or rotate keys. Those stay in your dashboard.

Prefer a local server?

The same tools ship as an open-source npm package that runs on your machine over stdio. Any client that runs local MCP servers can use it:

Local stdio server (npm)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "seoscoreapi": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "seoscoreapi-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SEO_SCORE_API_KEY": "ssa_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Source: github.com/SeoScoreAPI/seoscoreapi-mcp.

Other assistants

ChatGPT · Claude · Claude Code · Cursor · Gemini CLI · Codex · Windsurf / Devin Desktop · Copilot Studio

Questions? Email aaron@seoscoreapi.com. See every AI assistant guide, all integrations and the API docs.