Instagram is now searchable: What it means for brands and content creators

Instagram content from public business and creator accounts is now appearing in Google Search - marking a major shift in how social content is valued, discovered and used to drive organic traffic.

For marketers, this evolution transforms the role of Instagram from a brand-building and engagement platform into a search-enabled ecosystem, where every post could act as a digital storefront.

“This is a truly transformative moment for brands and influencers,” said Bryce Coombe, managing director at influencer marketing and content agency Hypetap.

“Content will no longer be just about what happens in feed, but will take immediacy and relevancy that introduces it to the wider world via search. It means influencer content is more powerful than ever and has a bigger role in marketing plans, demanding a more integrative and robust strategy than ever before.”

From 10 July, Google began indexing eligible Instagram content - including Reels, carousels, captions, bios and alt text - from public professional and creator accounts. The change applies retroactively to posts dating back to 2020 and positions Instagram grids as discoverable assets that now compete for visibility in organic search.

For digital marketers, the implications are wide-ranging.

“Instagram becomes not just a brand-building tool, but an SEO asset,” said Charlie Ransom, national trading and operations lead at performance marketing agency Kinesso. “Brands now have an opportunity to optimise visual and short-form content for discoverability beyond the app, reaching high-intent audiences searching on Google.”

Ransom added that the shift will influence how advertisers approach content creation - placing greater importance on keyword-rich captions, alt text, geo-tags, and brand consistency across platforms.

“Smart brands will view this as an opportunity to align SEO and social strategies, with cross-functional collaboration towards content,” he said.

Jack Reid, SEO director at consulting firm Orange Line, sees it as a structural change in how brands are discovered online.

“Instagram is no longer just a brand-building or engagement channel - it’s now a potential driver of organic traffic via Google,” he said. “We can expect to see more Instagram posts optimised like traditional landing pages: clear keyword targeting, relevant hashtags, and links to owned channels.”

Creators gain long-tail power

The update is also set to raise the strategic bar for influencer content, which now lives beyond the feed and can act as long-tail discoverability assets.

“We are watching a major behavioural shift unfold,” said Nathan Powell, chief strategy and product officer at influencer marketing platform Fabulate.

Traditional search dominance is under attack. From social platforms to ChatGPT and even YouTube, Google’s status as the default search engine is steadily being eroded.

Powell said this change provides longevity to content that was once fleeting. A product review, tutorial or campaign post could continue delivering value weeks or months after it was published.

“Instagram posts from professional accounts now showing up in Google Search means social content is no longer ephemeral. It becomes part of your permanent digital footprint. For businesses, that means greater discoverability, especially for those without a deep SEO infrastructure or a website.

“It makes creator content more valuable, more evergreen and more measurable.”

From brand to community to search

For Mary Proulx, co-founder at social media agency Bread, this blurring of the lines between brand, community and discoverability is the latest step in a trend already underway.

“Social for search isn't new,” she said. “More and more we know that audiences are skipping search engines and heading straight to social platforms to find their inspo, answers and product recommendations.”

“Jumping on a trend with a catchy caption here and there has its place, but it has never been a long-term strategy. That is even more apparent now.”

“Making sure your social content strategy is built and based on real audience needs and behaviours is how brands will win. In the new social search era, that means crafting stories that are optimised for search and will show up when and where the audience is looking for it.”

She urged brands to understand the search behaviours of their audiences and use long and short-tail keywords as the basis for social content planning.

“It’s not just your own content - the real power of social search also falls to community content. Reshape your UGC and influencer briefs to include keywords and tagging strategies that help drive visibility in search.”

From social to SEO

Lina Esa, chief marketing officer at creator marketing platform Cult Creative, agreed that social teams will need to treat themselves more like SEO teams.

“What used to take a back seat - the caption - might become the most important part,” Esa said.

“This is maybe where you might want to play the volume game in the race to rank. For your brand’s name to rank, don’t get bottlenecked and try to do all the content yourself. Engage with micro or nano creators at scale. Encourage them to post on their creator profiles using your branded keywords, names, taglines and hashtags.

“The more consistently this comes out the more likely it’ll get searched and viewed by potential customers.”

Strategic caution, not just reach

While the shift brings new opportunities, it also demands a more strategic and cautious approach to publishing.

“Captions function like meta descriptions, tags improve visibility, and content lasts longer than before,” said Ru Perera, performance media manager at full-service independent agency Enigma.

“This isn't about sacrificing creativity - it’s about improving their digital presence with a smarter structure. Instagram content offers a new strategic touchpoint and this gives a competitive advantage for brands.”

Esa also flagged caution in this new fast-moving landscape, particularly with posts that may lack wider context.

“Social content that’s fun or sarcastic might show up in a different context and then be interpreted in the wrong way,” she said.

“What used to be fun or a place where we could post for the sake of posting might not necessarily be that anymore. Audit your past posts for potential reputation risks.”

A clear win for creators

What is clear amid this new playing field is that the strategic value of creators in the content mix will gain traction. Quickly.

“They are no longer just storytellers. They are discoverability engines,” said Fabulate’s Nathan Powell.

“That fundamentally changes how we think about influencer partnerships. They are no longer just a social play. They are part of your organic acquisition strategy. Smart brands will move toward always-on creator relationships that deliver both cultural relevance and search visibility.”

For Perera, the path forward is clear. “My advice is to change your mindset. Treat each post like a small landing page. Write clear, keyword-rich captions, use alt text and tags thoughtfully, and ensure key messages are visible on-screen, not just in audio. Work closely with SEO and content teams to coordinate your strategy.”

And like Esa, he urged brands to revisit their archive.

“Take another look at older posts. What once seemed temporary may now be permanent.”