Instagram public posts are being surfaced in search engines results. For brands, it’s a great opportunity to extend Instagram’s reach beyond the app. Read on to learn what this means and how to optimize content for search.
Your business’ Instagram content now has the opportunity to reach a lot more people. As of July 10th, Google and other search engines are now indexing public content from professional Instagram accounts in search results by default, making the social search trend even more powerful. While it has been a hot topic among social media professionals recently, it’s not entirely new. Instagram has been allowing indexing by search engines for at least a year. The recent buzz is likely due to the expansion to new regions and Instagram switching from an “opt-in” setting to automatically being “turned on” by default for eligible accounts. Still, while the setting may not be new, it remains an excellent way to expand Instagram’s reach.
Meanwhile, the way people search for information online is changing, with social media platforms increasingly being used as search engines, particularly by younger demographics, who prefer the engaging, authentic, and timeliness of social content and peer reviews compared to traditional marketing. With this shift in behavior, it makes sense that social media content is becoming valuable in search engine results.
While indexing Instagram content is not entirely a new update, despite what recent headlines might suggest, it does offer valuable opportunities for businesses as it can extend a brand’s reach far beyond the Instagram app to connect with a wider audience, including people who aren’t even on Instagram. Let’s take a look at what it means for business.
What’s actually new?
Instagram recently shared an in-app notification announcing that, as of July 10th, search engines will automatically be allowed to show all photos and videos from professional Instagram accounts on their results page. This update has sparked a lot of conversation, but in reality, indexing Instagram content isn’t new and has already been happening since 2024 for many accounts. So what’s actually changed?
Instagram has updated how public posts and profiles are made available to search engines. Instead of requiring users to opt in in the app’s settings, content from eligible accounts is now indexed automatically. If owners of public accounts prefer not to have content appear in search results, they must actively turn off indexing in their settings.
To turn off indexing, account owners can do one of the following things:
- In the Instagram app, visit your account privacy settings to turn off the ability for public photos and videos to appear in search engines. (Go to your profile -> select the three lines in the upper right corner -> scroll down to “Account Privacy” -> Toggle OFF where it says “Allow public photos and videos to appear in search engine results”)
- Turn the account private
- Switch the account from professional to personal
What does Search Indexing Instagram Content Mean for Businesses?
Search indexing is the process of organizing and storing information from the internet so that third-party search engines, like Google and Microsoft Bing, can access it quickly and efficiently when users search for something relevant. When content is indexed, it becomes discoverable in search engine results, making it more easily accessible to anyone on the internet. For Instagram, this means that individual Instagram images, reels, and even profile content from a business handle can now appear in search results, reaching a wider audience.
Instagram indexing offers key opportunities for brands:
- Increased visibility and discoverability: branded content can now show up in search engine results even if the business doesn’t have a website or blog.
- Expanded reach to potential customers: Instagram content now has a higher chance of being seen by people outside of the app, and when and where they are searching.
- More organic traffic: the potential for a boost of organic traffic to a brand’s Instagram profile and website.
- Extended the lifespan of social posts: content can appear in search results long after it was first published on Instagram, extending the post’s shelf life.
What Instagram Content is Indexed?
According to Instagram’s Help Center, Instagram allows search engines to index photos and videos from public reels and posts that were uploaded or posted from January 1, 2020 onwards from accounts that meet all of the following criteria:
- The account holder is currently over 18 years of age.
- The account is currently public.
- The account is currently a professional account.
Once an account meets the criteria, all photos and videos from public reels and posts posted by the account are eligible to be indexed. Content from private and personal profiles and story posts, DM’s, archived posts and deleted content is not indexed.
How can Businesses Optimize for Instagram SEO?
With Instagram content being searchable on Google and other search engines, it is important to ensure that your business’ social posts are fully optimized for discoverability.
Here are four ways to optimize Instagram content for search visibility:
Optimize Profile
Include relevant keywords in your profile name, display name, and bio, which helps both users and search engines discover your account more easily. For location-based businesses, adding location tags can boost visibility among local audiences.
Use Search-Friendly Keywords and Hashtags in Captions
Write detailed, but concise, captions that naturally incorporate keywords your target customers might search for, such as “Italian bistro in downtown Calgary” or “fast and easy dinner ideas.” Pair them with targeted, relevant hashtags to help your content surface in both search engines and Instagram search results.
Add Alt Text to Images
Use Instagram’s alt text feature to provide descriptions of visuals using relevant keywords. This not only improves accessibility but also enhances the discoverability of your content in search.
Add Subtitles or Captions to Videos
Include subtitles or captions in your videos to enhance accessibility, even with the sound off, and provide another opportunity to integrate relevant keywords, boosting search visibility.
Publish Evergreen Content Aligned with Search Intent
Create content that stays relevant over time and answers common questions or needs your audience is actively searching for. This increases the chances of the content appearing in search results long after it’s published.
Indexing Instagram content on search engines like Google and Microsoft Bing may not be brand new, but it offers a valuable opportunity for businesses to reach more potential customers beyond the social platform. To make the most of this potential for increased visibility, businesses should strategically take advantage of the opportunity by ensuring their social content is fully optimized for search.
