Instagram’s SEO Shift: What Businesses Need to Know

Published On: July 14th, 2025Categories: Consulting, Marketing, Small Business

On July 10, 2025, Instagram began allowing all public posts from professional accounts to be indexed by search engines like Google, including all public photos, reels, and carousels, marking a significant merging of social media and search engine optimization (SEO).

Why Does This Change Matter?

Rise of social search: Consumers are increasingly looking to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest when searching for answers or products and services.
Zero-click evolution: Users often find answers directly in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) without visiting a site, making multimedia content even more critical.

By enabling its content to appear in search engine results, Instagram is expanding its role beyond just user engagement, positioning itself as a valuable piece of broader SEO efforts.

What Impact Does This Change Have on Businesses?

Instagram is no longer just for engagement. It can directly boost discovery, drive organic traffic, and shape conversion intent. Now, each of your posts on Instagram is essentially treated like a single webpage. When crafting your public posts, you should:

Optimize captions with your business’s primary keywords.
Use clear, branded visuals.
Always add alt text to images and video thumbnails.
Create content that answers common search questions, rather than following fleeting trends.

How Should Businesses Adapt?

Review your current content from a search perspective.
Revise captions to include relevant keywords.
Add alt text and name files descriptively.
Align posts with target searches and user intent.
Track performance in Search Engine Results Page (SERP) after execution.

The Big Picture

This update integrates Instagram deeply into a business’s SEO. Brands that combine creative visuals with strategic SEO optimization are likely to have a leg up on their competitors.

By aligning social and search strategies through keyword-rich captions, alt text, and insight-driven content, Instagram becomes a powerful tool for brand visibility and traffic over time.

Need help optimizing your Instagram and social media strategies to be discoverable wherever your audience is searching? Our Marketing Team is here to help.

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About the Author: Rachel McNerney

Rachel leads the marketing team, which is responsible for helping businesses grow through various marketing efforts. She has over 14 years of marketing experience and specializes in brand strategy, brand launches, client engagement, email and digital marketing, and content creation.