Instagram content increasingly visible in Google: what does this mean for your SEO strategy?

social media and search engines are converging

Whereas social media and search engines used to be two separate worlds, we have seen a clear shift in recent years. Platforms such as Instagram are becoming better indexed by search engines such as Google. This allows Instagram pages, posts and even Reels to show up in the search results of people searching for relevant information, products or services.

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For businesses and content creators, this is an important development. Because if your Instagram profile is now also findable through Google, it opens up new opportunities for your visibility, branding and traffic to your website.

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How exactly does this work?

Instagram was originally a closed platform, where content was primarily displayed within the app. But Meta (the parent company of Instagram and Facebook) has been working for some time to "open up" content to search engines. This involves structuring public profiles and posts in such a way that Google can read them and include them in search results.

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Specifically, this means:

• Public profiles and posts with a permalink can be indexed by Google.
• Instagram users who use SEO-friendly text (such as captions with keywords) increase the chances of their content being displayed in search results.
• Popular hashtags, location information and descriptions with relevant terms help Google understand what your post is about.

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Why is this important for businesses?

If your target audience searches for something on Google, for example "sustainable jewelry Utrecht" or "personal coaching for entrepreneurs," you naturally want your business to be visible there. Where previously this was done primarily through your website or Google My Business, now your Instagram posts can also contribute to that visibility.

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Some benefits at a glance:

• Additional channel for visibility through Google
  Your Instagram profile can rank higher on brand name, product categories or local keywords.
• Stronger branding
  A well-designed Instagram account with consistent branding comes across as professional, especially when people land on your profile through Google.
• Faster content indexing
  New posts can become visible in Google within a short time (especially if they are properly optimized).

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Tips: this is how to optimize your Instagram for Google

Want to take full advantage of this development? Then it's smart to look at your Instagram strategy from an SEO perspective as well. Here are some concrete tips:

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1. Provide a public profile

Only public profiles can be indexed. So make sure your business Instagram account is not set to private.

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2. Use keywords in your bio and captions

Think carefully about the terms your target audience is searching for. Use those words in your profile description and under your posts.

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3. Add ALT text to your images

Instagram lets you add alternative text (ALT text) when editing a post. This not only helps people with visual impairments, but also search engines better understand what the image is about.

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4. Use relevant hashtags

Hashtags act as mini-search words within Instagram and contribute to the context that Google takes away.

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5. Link to your Instagram from your website

A good internal link structure (for example, from your website to your Instagram and vice versa) helps Google understand the connections between your channels.

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What can you do with this as a company?

For businesses, now is the time to enrich their social media strategy with an SEO lens. Instagram is no longer a separate channel, but is now part of a broader content and findability strategy. By setting up your Instagram smartly, you can significantly boost your brand's online visibility.

At TMC Media, we help companies create content that is both creative and strategically smart content that touches people and gets found. Want to know how your Instagram profile ranks in Google or want help optimizing your posts? Feel free to contact us!

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