Instagram Posts Now Visible on Google Search

On the 10th July, 2025, Instagram posts will become visible in Google search results, creating unique opportunities for savvy businesses and content creators ahead of the curve. This integration is a step by Instagram to move away from its closed ecosystem to be a larger part of the searchable web. It opens up new opportunities for businesses to be discoverable by potential new customers through organic search, making Instagram posts even more valuable for driving traffic and conversions.

The update from Instagram is yet another example of why your social media marketing and SEO strategies should be intertwined, with a multi-channel marketing approach becoming an even more valuable proposition.  

What’s Changing With the New Update

The update launched on July 10th, 2025, but it hasn’t affected every Instagram account and published post. Your posts will appear in Google search results if all of the following are true:

• You have a professional account (Business or Creator)
• Your profile is set to public
• You are 18 years or older
• You post photos, videos or Reels

You can check whether you have a professional account by going to Settings > Account > Account Type and checking whether it’s a Personal, Business or Creator account.

If your account meets the above criteria, your Instagram photos, videos and Reels will start to appear in Google search results once it has crawled your account.

Google is prioritising newer, higher-engagement content, so keep this in mind when creating your Instagram content calendar if you want it to appear in search results.

Why the Change Matters to Businesses, Creators and Marketers

The update is an amazing opportunity for businesses, creators and marketers to integrate their SEO strategy with their social media marketing plan to gain more reach and ultimately conversions. The benefits include:

Increased Organic Reach

The change means your Instagram content can potentially appear in millions of Google results every day, reaching customers you wouldn’t have otherwise reached before. This is another avenue to free, organic visibility (previously impossible on Instagram alone).

Another Tool for SEO

Businesses can now have an SEO presence, even without a high-performing website. A well-optimised Instagram account could potentially outperform a competitor’s website in search results.

Multi-channel Content Efficiency

Content used on Instagram will no longer have to be massively adapted to perform as SEO content. This frees up time for marketing teams to concentrate on other high-value tasks. 

Local Search Opportunities

Using location tags and keywords specific to your business’ local area could mean the difference between your products and services appearing in a Google local search and your competitor’s appearing. 

How to Optimise Instagram Posts for Google Search

If you want to start taking advantage of Google indexing Instagram posts, there are several ways you can optimise new and old posts on your grid. Our top tips are:

• Combine your keyword research for SEO, PPC and organic social posts
• Include keywords in captions and hashtags
• Post regularly to take advantage of Google prioritising newer, higher-engaging content
• Add descriptive Alt text to your images 
• Create high-quality, engaging evergreen content tailored to your audience
• Monitor the impact your changes make in the analytics

Ensuring your Instagram content works for both Instagram and Google users will set you up to achieve higher reach and conversions. 

What This Means for SEO and Social Media Marketing Strategies

This update from Instagram is another example of the growing convergence of SEO and social media. It accentuates the need to adopt a holistic digital marketing approach, making use of multi-channel marketing to make SEO, content and social media strategies work harder.

An integrated SEO and social media strategy will benefit your business by:

• Increasing SEO rankings and visibility
• Improving social media reach and engagement
• Cross-promoting content across different channels
• Maintaining a consistent brand and tone of voice across all channels
• Reaching new potential customers and audiences

Our Final Thoughts

With Instagram posts now appearing in search engine results, there is an excellent opportunity for businesses to outperform their competitors by implementing a few simple changes to their content. By focusing on creating Instagram posts tailored to both Instagram and Google users, your business can beat competitors for visibility and conversions.

By adopting a holistic approach to digital marketing that integrates SEO and social media, you can make your content perform better and reach more potential customers.

Start optimising your Instagram content for Google now.