Big SEO news has been coming thick and fast in 2025, but this has the potential to be the biggest of the lot. From 10 July 2025, Google and Bing will begin indexing public posts, reels and videos from professional Instagram accounts.
What does this mean? Like TikTok and YouTube, you’ll start seeing Instagram posts in your search results. It’s a change Meta has been pushing back on for a decade, but it’s finally happened.
On the surface it sounds like a relatively minor change, but in already crowded search results, it could have massive implications for SEO, content strategy, and how brands use social media to grow.
Here’s what you need to know about the change and how to be poised to potentially take advantage.
What’s actually changing?
Until now, Google has been locked out of indexing most Instagram content. While it could see profile pages and public-facing information, individual posts, particularly image captions and hashtags, were effectively invisible to search engines.
From the 10th of July, that changes. Google and Bing will be able to crawl and index public posts from professional accounts, meaning your images, captions, and hashtags could appear directly in search results.
This will not apply to personal accounts, private posts, or stories. Only public content from professional accounts is eligible for indexing.
Instagram has confirmed that the change will apply globally, and that users will have the option to opt out of search indexing if they choose.
Why is this a big deal?
This is one of the biggest changes to social search visibility in years. Here’s why it matters:
- New organic traffic source: For the first time, Instagram content can drive direct traffic from Google Search.
- More real estate in SERPs: Branded search results could now include Instagram posts alongside website content, news, and video.
- Greater visibility for niche content: Posts that perform well on Instagram for specific communities or topics could now be surfaced to a wider audience through search.
This also means that Instagram content is no longer just social, keywords are going to start playing a big role. If you’re looking for more information on how to create a keyword strategy, check out some of our other recent blogs.
Why is Google showing Instagram posts now?
As with most things Google, it all comes down to keeping users in their ecosystem. Search is increasingly happening away from search engines, with many younger users especially searching TikTok (One survey showed that 46% of Gen Z users globally prefer social media for finding information over traditional search engines) and ChatGPT to find the information they need. Google is trying to claw back some of their old dominance. If searchers are looking for visual content; style inspiration, recipes, travel tips, Google doesn’t want them heading straight to Instagram.
By indexing this content directly, Google becomes a more comprehensive discovery tool. And for Instagram, the benefit is more exposure for creators and professional accounts. Instagram’s own search features have widely been regarded as poor in comparison to other social media sites, which could have played a part in their decision to allow indexing. Insta’s CEO Adam Mosseri said “The ability to search for content on Instagram is not satisfactory at the moment… Now the function of searching for the content itself, not finding an account, is becoming more important.”.
So it seems like there’s some mutual benefit for the platforms involved, but what does Google indexing Instagram mean for marketers?
How to optimise Instagram posts to be indexed by Google
Instagram is probably a channel you’ve used to some extent. If you’re a B2C marketer, it’s probably pretty crucial. If you’re in B2B, the new update might mean it’s an untapped opportunity.
After 10th of July we’ll see the dust settle, and better understand exactly how Instagram posts are going to fit into the search landscape. But there are some reasonable assumptions we can make about how posts will rank, based on what we know about Google and other social media platforms.
Here’s our tips on how to start preparing:
1. Optimise your Instagram captions like metadata
Think of your post captions as your new meta descriptions. Include relevant keywords, local terms, and concise, descriptive copy that gives context to your visuals.
Hashtags may also play a role in how your posts are ranked, so choose them carefully, just as you would keywords on a web page.
2. Prioritise high-quality, on-brand images
If your posts are going to show up on Google, they need to reflect your brand at its best. Make sure your professional account is sharing high-quality visuals that clearly convey your products, services, or values.
3. Keep your account public (… Or not)
Only public content from professional accounts will be indexed. If you’re using a personal account or have privacy settings enabled, your content won’t be eligible to appear in search.
If you don’t want your posts to be indexed, you can either check the Instagram settings to toggle off the search engine visibility section, or ensure your account is set to ‘personal’ rather than ‘business’ or ‘creator’. This should hopefully mean your holiday photos aren’t going to be ranking on Google any time soon.
4. Use carousels and video to capture intent
Users searching on Google may have informational or commercial intent, more so than Instagram searches. Content formats like video and carousel posts offer a chance to demonstrate expertise, share value, and show your product or service in action. You still can’t post links in an Instagram post, but a strong call to action might tempt this commercial audience.
How will this Instagram update affect wider marketing strategy?
This change isn’t just about SEO, it touches on content planning, brand visibility, and even user experience.
- Brand discovery: More branded content in search results means more first impressions are happening before users visit your site. This will especially apply if you’re using local search terms in your Instagram content.
- Content efficiency: Social content that previously had a 24 – 48 hour lifespan, and was optimised for a niche explore page can now deliver value long after posting.
- Cross-channel consistency: If your Instagram account is now part of your search profile, it needs to align with your website, ad creative, and other touchpoints. Make sure your tone and promotions are consistent across all channels.
It’s worth mentioning that Google indexing Instagram posts means that as well as optimising for SEO, searchers who find your Instagram posts on Google might end up on your Instagram page. That means it’s worth taking a look and optimising your bio links, highlights, and pinned posts.
Whether you’re a business or creator, now’s the time to look at your Instagram presence through an SEO lens. Your next piece of high performing content might be the Instagram post you uploaded months ago!
If you want help aligning your social and search strategy, we’re always happy to chat.