A Deep Dive on Instagram’s Google Indexing

As of five days ago, public Instagram posts are starting to appear in Google search results. Historically, Instagram’s closed ecosystem meant even your highest-performing content stayed hidden. But starting 10 July 2025, public posts are showing up in search results, opening your content to real-world discoverability.

We spoke with JR, our Senior Account Director, to explore this important shift in social SEO. Wondering how to make your content discoverable beyond the grid and show up on the search engine? Let’s dive in:

What does this mean for brands?

Brands can now supercharge marketing by surfacing content beyond the app. This is your heads up to rethink how you approach Instagram content:

• Think beyond the app
  Your posts have potential beyond the platform itself. Make sure they say something meaningful.

• Optimise for search
  Use clear, keyword rich captions and alt text that describe your product, customer pain points or story.

• Invest in influencers who get it
  Work with influencers who know how to tell stories and build visibility, they're your SEO secret weapon.

• Longevity is back
  Your posts might actually live beyond the scroll, treat your best content like evergreen assets.

If you're an influencer, this shift opens up a whole new layer of discoverability.

• Your content is searchable

Use this to your advantage by being intentional with your captions, alt-text, hooks, and keywords

• Think search first
  Look at content creation through a search-first lens, find ways to incorporate search strategies from the jump

• Double down on value
  Content that is genuinely helpful, informative, inspires or answers a question will garner more value on SERPs.

• Old content, new legs
  Don't be surprised if that post from 6 months ago starts getting traction again - it might be getting a second wind via Google.

And marketeers, here’s where to start:

• Start with captions

Think: "If someone was searching for this topic on Google, what keywords would they use?"

• Use keywords naturally
  Don't stuff your posts with keywords for the sake of it, be strategic. Content that doesn't look natural isn't going to do well in-platform.

• Prioritise clarity
  Aesthetic content is great, but it also needs context - be clear what your content is about, both within text overlays and in your captions/alt-text.

• Test and learn
  Try optimising a few posts for search, track engagement and see what happens over time.
  Think about clarity and context within your content and you're already on your way.

For anyone in social, influencer marketing, digital PR or brand strategy; this is your sign to start building Instagram campaigns with discoverability in mind, not just engagement. This update has only rolled out in selected regions, but it won't be long until this is a formidable part of the search experience. It has already started, and you should, too.

Need help building out your SEO-friendly Instagram strategy? Get in touch.