Instagram Just Let Google In — Here’s What That Means for Your SEO

Well, well, well. Looks like the gates are open.

As of July 2025, Instagram has confirmed that public posts from Business and Creator accounts are now fair game for search engines. That means your content — your carousels, your Reels, your beautifully filtered brunch shots—can now show up on Google like a real, grown-up web page.

So yes, SEO is coming for your socials. And honestly? About time.

Wait, Is This New?

Kind of. In some regions, Google’s been quietly indexing public Insta posts for a while. But this latest update isn’t just a one-off experiment. It’s a proper, global rollout — and it’s official. Instagram now allows search engine indexing for professional accounts (aged 18+), with a shiny new toggle in your settings:

“Allow public photos and videos in search engine results.”

Switch that on, and boom — your posts can appear in search results.

Illustration of Instagram and Google logos shaking hands in a digital world, symbolising the crossover between social media and search engines — When Insta meets SEO — welcome to the next era of discoverability.

Why Should You Care?

Because this changes the game. Until now, Instagram content was essentially invisible to the wider web. If you didn’t catch it in-feed, you missed it.

But now?

Your post about “DIY email strategy mistakes” can show up in Google searches.
Your Reel on “5 ways to write better blog intros” could bring in new traffic.
Your beautifully optimised carousel might outlive its 48-hour feed life.

In short: your social content just got a second life outside the app. And that means it needs to work harder — for longer.

Close-up of someone adjusting Instagram settings on a phone to allow content indexing by search engines. — PSA: If your posts are public, they’re now playing in Google’s sandbox. Turn on indexing or get left behind.

So… SEO for Instagram Is a Thing Now?

Yep. Time to dust off those keywords.

You don’t need to treat every caption like a landing page, but if your post is public and indexable, it’s now part of your discoverability strategy — whether you planned for it or not.

Here’s what you can start doing (without ruining your vibe):

🖊 Front-load your captions:

The first line now acts like a page title: so skip the cryptic intros and get to the point.

🔤 Use alt text properly:

Instagram lets you write custom alt text. Use it. Describe what’s in the image and give search engines a bit more to chew on.

#️⃣ Choose your hashtags wisely:

They’re now doing double duty: social discovery and SEO signals.

🔍 Be findable, not just scrollable:

Think beyond the Explore page. Someone might find your post while googling “how to write better alt text for blogs.” Make it count.

Flat lay of a digital tablet displaying a checklist with Instagram SEO tips: front-load caption, use alt text, choose keywords, add hashtags. — If your Insta content is searchable, treat it like content — not just a vibe.

What About Privacy?

Good news:

Personal accounts are not indexed
Under-18s are excluded
You can toggle indexing off in settings
So no, your cousin’s hen party album won’t suddenly be ranking on Bing.

But if you’re running a brand, building a presence, or posting educational content — this is worth your attention.

The Bottom Line

Instagram’s not just a feed anymore. It’s becoming part of the searchable web.

This means that what you post on social media now affects your broader SEO and vice versa. Your blog posts should talk to your Instagram captions. Your carousels should support your service pages. Your brand voice should stay consistent across all of it. And if you’re not sure how to make that happen?

That’s literally what we do.

Need help turning your social content into a proper SEO asset?

Let’s build something that ranks and resonates. Get in touch at info@contentopia.co.uk