The impact of Instagram indexing on your SEO strategy

It's official as of July 10, 2025: Instagram now allows search engines like Google to index the public posts of professional accounts. This is a real boon for businesses and entrepreneurs looking to boost their online visibility, even without a dedicated website or blog. Gone are the days when your Instagram content remained confined to the platform; it can now appear directly in Google search results, increasing your organic reach and traffic to your profile.

This development is not all that surprising. The line between social media and search is becoming increasingly blurred. Studies show that Gen Z overwhelmingly use social platforms as their primary online search tool, overtaking traditional search engines. Instagram is no longer just a social network, it's also a search channel in its own right (as is Tiktok, for that matter!), and this update marks a new stage in this "social search".

How can you take advantage of this new opportunity?

To maximize your chances of being indexed by Google and attracting new customers, here are a few tips:

• Make sure your account is professional, public and that the indexing option is activated.
• Research relevant keywords: What terms does your target audience use on Google? Integrate these keywords naturally into your video captions and text.
• Use Alt Text for your images: Describe the precise content of your visuals with relevant keywords.
• Optimize your hashtags: Use relevant and popular hashtags to increase the discoverability of your content.
• Apply these principles to all your formats: static publications, carousels, reels and videos.
• Create educational, value-added content: Tutorials, case studies, guides and "how-to" articles are particularly effective for SEO.
• Optimize your biography: Integrate relevant keywords and ensure consistency with your other digital channels.

It's crucial to consider that your Instagram content will now be more public. Before you publish, ask yourself if you'd be comfortable with this content appearing in Google search results. You can also audit your old content and update it with keywords if necessary. If you're not comfortable with this indexing, you can disable it in your account settings.

Search engine indexing of Instagram publications is an exciting opportunity for businesses. By integrating Instagram into your SEO strategy and treating your publications as micro landing pages, you can significantly increase your online reach and visibility.