Social SEO: Your Guide to Instagram Content Now Showing on Google Search

TL;DR

🚨 Social media managers, take note: Instagram just levelled up.

As of 10 July 2025, Meta and Google have joined forces, meaning IG content is now showing up directly in Google search results. Yep, your Reels, carousels and killer captions aren’t just for the ‘gram anymore, they’re fully discoverable on the world’s biggest search engine.

This update affects all public content from Business and Creator accounts (with opt-outs available in Privacy settings).

Forget chasing hashtags and algorithm hacks, social reach now extends beyond the app. It’s a massive shift for brands who want to stay seen, searchable and ahead of the curve.

The line between social and search? It’s officially gone. Here’s what you need to know.

🛠️ Your New Optimisation Checklist: How to Win at Google Search with Reels

While great captions and trending audio are still your friends, marketers need to start thinking about how to hack search behaviour.

👉 Here’s a best practice checklist to follow:

✏️ Optimise Captions

This is arguably the most important change. Instagram’s algorithm and Google’s crawlers can now read your caption, meaning it’s no longer just a space for a clever one liner. It’s your meta description, your headline, and your keyword real estate.

• 🧠 Think Like Your Audience: What would a potential customer type into Google? Incorporate these natural language keywords into the first couple of sentences of your caption.

🖼️ Don’t Skip the Alt Text

Alt text (alternative text) was originally created for accessibility, helping screen readers describe images for visually impaired users. Now, it’s an SEO goldmine.

• 📝 Be Descriptive: With alt text, the more detail, the better. Instead of just “Dog on beach,” write “Happy golden retriever playing fetch on a sunny beach.”
• 🔑 Use Keywords (naturally): This is a perfect spot to add in secondary keywords without sounding spammy in your main caption.

📲 On Screen Text and Subtitles Are Non-negotiable

Remember when you could just slap a few stickers on a video and call it a day? Those days are over. Google’s AI can now read the text overlays on your Reels, so use them to your advantage.

• 🖍️ Highlight Key Phrases: Reinforce your main keywords with on-screen text. If your Reel is about “3 Must Have Marketing Tools,” put that title right on the screen.
• 💬 Add Subtitles: Not only is this great for accessibility (especially if users watch videos on mute), but it also gives search engines a complete transcript of your spoken words. This is a huge SEO signal!

📌 The Basics Just Got an Upgrade

Some of your old tricks are now more important than ever.

• #️⃣ Hashtags: Hashtags are back from the dead…but with a different function. Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, has stated that hashtags are more about categorisation than distribution. Think of hashtags as a form of SEO keyword. Instead of using 30 generic tags, the best practice is to use a small number of highly relevant, specific hashtags that your target audience would actually search for (e.g., #easydiyprojects). They reinforce the keywords in your caption and alt text, adding another layer of context for search engines.
• 🧾 Profile Optimisation: Your bio and username are your brand’s SEO home base. Make sure your bio clearly states what you do and includes your most important keywords.

Social Strategy Meets Search Strategy: Are we Surprised?

If you’re thinking, “Hasn’t TikTok been doing this for ages?” – you’re not wrong. TikTok videos have been showing up in Google search results for some time now, often featured in a dedicated “Short Videos” carousel. With Gen Z increasingly using short-form video platforms as their go-to search engines, whether for restaurant tips, tutorials, or product reviews – Google has been paying close attention.

Their goal is clear: deliver the most relevant and engaging content possible. That means prioritising dynamic, bite-sized videos that resonate with how people actually search and consume information. So it’s no surprise that Google is deepening its ties with platforms like Instagram.

For brands and creators, this is a game changer. The 48 hour window of visibility for an Instagram Reel is no longer the limit. A well-optimised Reel can now surface in search results for weeks, months, even years – driving sustained organic traffic long after it’s been posted. 

Looking for a social media partner who just gets it?

There are huge benefits to hiring a social media agency who can take all this on for you. As the UK’s top social media marketing agency, at Our Own Brand, keeping our finger on the pulse of all things social is second nature.

Here’s why partnering with a social media marketing agency gives you a serious edge:

✅ Always-on trendspotting: We stay ahead of every platform update, format change, and search engine shift – so you don’t have to
✅ SEO-first social strategies: We know how to create content that looks slick and ranks well, combining keyword strategy with thumb stopping visuals
✅ Optimised content creation: From Reels to carousels, every post is built with discoverability, engagement, and conversion in mind
✅ Data-backed decisions: No more guesswork. We use insights and analytics to refine your content, amplify what’s working, and switch up what’s not
✅ Platform-native expertise: We speak fluent Insta, TikTok, Snap, LinkedIn, and so much more – we get what works natively and how to adapt for cross-channel success
✅ Time saving execution: Focus on running your brand while we handle the rest – think 360, smart, and scalable social, content and influencer strategy, all in one place
✅ Stronger, smarter growth: Whether it’s building brand visibility, driving traffic or supercharging your audience, we deliver measurable results.

Want to learn more?

OOB is an award winning social-first creative agency powering global brands with strategy, content and culture. We’re independent, plugged-in and built for what’s next, creating trends, turning heads and delivering scroll-stopping work that actually moves the needle. 

Want to check out our work? Head to our website 👉 https://ourownbrand.co/
Or drop us a message! 👋 https://ourownbrand.co/contact/