Instagram enters the Social SEO chat. 10 min read

Google has confirmed that public posts on Instagram can now be indexed.

Instagram has now become the latest app to enter the Social SEO space. This marks a notable shift for Instagram SEO and how brands can approach social media and SEO.

Professional, Creator, and Business accounts have had notifications that their posts will be searchable.

This means that Instagram posts can appear in Google search results. Being indexed by Google makes the platform more competitive, a significant crossover point for SEO and social media marketing strategies.

This shouldn’t change content plans but instead improve results, for Instagram and their users.

Here, we’ll explain how it affects SEO on Instagram and your organic media marketing strategy.

How it began.

In its infancy, Instagram adopted hashtags after their popularity with users on Twitter (now X). They’re a way for users to self-categorise their content, and they blew up on Instagram.

Hashtags became the main form of search on the platform, the original form of SEO for Instagram, if you like.

But that was 2011. In the year 2025, it has been clear for a while that hashtags aren’t cutting it in social SEO marketing anymore. Not in this economy.

Hashtags have slowly become less and less relevant, and this has partly been due to Instagram’s actions as they struggled with the inevitable.

The problem with hashtags on Instagram.

Self-categorisation has downsides.

A post doesn’t have to be about a subject to use the hashtag. They can be used sincerely, sarcastically, or in a bid to get more reach and effectively spam.

Hashtags can also be very broad, which leads to results that aren’t very useful. As Instagram has grown, this problem has grown with it.

#Happy has been used 733 million times.
#OOTD (Outfit Of The Day, an Instagram staple) has been used 458 million times.
#InteriorDesign 212 million times.

These big hashtags are being used too often to generate meaningful results.

They’re too generic for people to find what they’re looking for, and people following the hashtags would be bombarded with posts if Instagram didn’t step in.

And step in they did.

Shadowbanning begins.

Larger hashtags like the above have long been shadowbanned. This means only a tiny percentage of posts (less than 1%) are shown to a tiny percentage of users who follow them.

Not all users know about shadowbanning or what hashtags have been shadowbanned, so they keep on using them.

There are hundreds of thousands of hashtags, and Instagram can’t restrict all of them. If it did, users would see less variety and less of the content they’ve signalled interest in by following those topics.

If Instagram had done nothing, hashtags would have continued to show users posts with low relevance as more users flooded each one with content.

In the long run, hashtags are no longer a sustainable method for categorising content, improving search visibility, or helping users discover posts that match their interests.

Without action, the platform’s search function risked becoming redundant, undermining both Instagram SEO efforts and the overall value of social media and SEO integration.

TikTok arrives.

In the age of TikTok, redundant search functionality was not an option for Instagram.

TikTok’s search capabilities far outpace Instagram’s. In a short span of time, TikTok has become essential to many digital marketing strategies.

Their nippy algorithm can serve relevant and engaging content at speeds beyond Meta’s capabilities.

There’ve been times when there were more searches in a day on TikTok than there were on Google.

By far fewer users.

TikTok’s users were using the search feature more times per individual than people do on Google.

They were searching and staying on-platform, then searching again.

This is the dream. For any platform.

This is Google and Instagram’s enemies to lovers storyline.

When you consider all of this, it’s not surprising that Google and Instagram have teamed up and are living by the proverb, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

How Instagram responded.

Instagram needed a long-term shift to stay competitive in social media SEO and improve on-platform performance.

The platform’s search function had to evolve.

Leaning on a familiar playbook, Instagram adopted a keyword-driven search model.

And it’s working.

Google has confirmed that Instagram posts can now be indexed. That means public posts can appear in Google search results, giving them greater visibility.

Unlike TikTok, users don’t need an account to view these posts. Anyone can click through from Google and see the content instantly.

This lowers friction and boosts traffic potential, strengthening Instagram’s position in the social media SEO strategy space.

It’s a well-timed change. According to RivalIQ, every major social media platform saw drops in reach in 2024, including TikTok.

Now, Instagram posts can gain a second life through search visibility, supported by longer shelf life on Google.

Instead of fading within 48 hours, valuable evergreen content can rank and perform beyond the platform.

How does SEO work on Instagram now?

The new normal is that Instagram strategies need to combine with SEO strategies and vice versa.

They no longer stand apart but together.

No more silos.

It’s no longer about hashtags, which were how people categorised posts with a wink. Now, SEO keywords in Instagram ensure that posts are categorised by what they’re actually about.

The content defines how it will appear in search, not the user.

This change has left Social Media Managers and Creators everywhere reeling (no pun intended), unsure of how to adapt their social media and SEO strategies.

 

We saw this change coming and future-proofed accordingly.

 

At Bamboo Nine, we saw this change coming and proactively future-proofed all our clients’ Instagram accounts.

This change took longer than we were expecting it to, and we’re relieved and excited that Instagram finally bit the bullet.

If you’re looking to adapt your Instagram marketing strategy to this change, here are the steps you can make to compete in this brave new world.

How to do SEO well on Instagram.

Instagram bios.

Hashtags are out and keywords are in. In moderation.

Your Instagram account still needs to be user-friendly, and Google doesn’t like keyword stuffing, which is a long list of keywords used in an attempt to win Google points. Google is onto you. They have things in place so, if anything, you lose points with this move.

Your Instagram bio, like all content, needs to be made for your audience. That’s who Google is trying to please. Please them, win Google. Everything needs to sound natural.

If you want extra points when editing your Instagram bio for SEO, try to fill a box wherever there is one. Adding your industry and location will help.

Geo-tagging.

When it comes to SEO, Google loves a location. That’s why it’s always asking for yours.

Google invented dropping a pin. They own digital cartography.

They.

Mapped.

Earth.

For your Instagram SEO strategy, geo-tagging is a quick win.

This goes for your store, clinic, pop-up, events, and anywhere else real world that you appear.

If you don’t have a bricks-and-mortar location that you want to promote, then geo-tag based on who you’re speaking to. Pick locations (towns and cities) with your most engaged audience, customer base, or target customers.

Test the results of where you get the most traction.

Alt-text is good for SEO.

Like on websites, social media images offer an option to add alt text. This is for vision-impaired users so they can use applications to read images.

It’s also a much-overlooked opportunity for inclusivity and SEO keywords that shouldn’t be skipped.

Always say what you see, but pepper in your key terms.

Just make sure it’s accurate.

Subtitles.

Many people watch videos and reels on social media with the sound off, which makes video subtitles a must-have.

Subtitles can be read by the platform, meaning SEO keywords in your Instagram video audio will then be factored into the performance of your posts.

Gently include keywords where possible into your social media scripts for voiceovers and talking-to-camera explainer videos.

Nailing keywords in Insta reels and video subtitles is a tricky business. It’s difficult to make it sound natural, as long-tail keywords don’t always roll off the tongue.

When in doubt, choose authenticity and user experience over keyword packing. People still buy from people, and in the age of AI, authenticity goes a long way.

Optimising your captions.

This is the real opportunity for using SEO keywords in Instagram.

Test long-tail keywords in your Instagram captions and see what resonates on the platform.

Describe what is in the creative, and then build on it with value.

For example, if you’re a furniture company posting about a red chair, what kind of red is it? What’s it made from? Where can it be used? Is it a dining room chair, living room, bedroom, or an outdoor? This can simply read as this cherry red dining room chair.

When it comes to social media SEO, related keywords are always worth keeping in mind. Say, interior design. Say, home decor.

Then add the value.

Why are you showing them a red chair? How is this interesting or useful, and why this design? Where can they get it?

Optimising your Instagram content.

Ideally, your content is already aligned with your website and SEO.

But, if not, then the easiest way to create SEO-friendly social media posts is with the SEO-friendly content you already have.

This is where SEO and social media work together, and where your optimised content strategy comes in.

Listicles, how-tos, and evergreen content are all easy ways to win in an SEO world, and now social media is no different.

Take this opportunity to repurpose your top tips, lists, and guides for social media.

They make using SEO keywords seamless because this content was built for this.

 

 

Content is still king.

Create content with purpose. Make it relevant, relatable, and genuinely useful.

Most platform updates are about improving usability. As algorithms become more aligned, this should simplify your approach to SEO and social media strategy, not complicate it.

Ditch the silos, work together, and stay consistent. Because at the end of the day, good content always wins.

Want to know how to win the social media game?

If you need support with your Instagram SEO strategy, you’re not alone. At Bamboo Nine, we work closely with brands to connect the dots between social media and SEO, building strategies that are optimised for platforms and people.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining what’s already there, our experienced team will create a joined-up approach that gets your brand seen and remembered in the right places.

Get in touch via the form below to find out how we could make your Instagram SEO work smarter.