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Digital marketers have relied on search engine optimization (SEO) to bring content and products to their target audiences for nearly 30 years. But now, search engines like Google aren’t the only places shoppers can discover new brands.
“With social platforms emerging as Gen Z’s preferred search engines, optimizing for these placements is a powerful way for small businesses to increase visibility and build long-term affinity with younger audiences,” says Leslie Ann Hall, founder and CEO of ICED Media.
This article covers the importance of Instagram SEO, ranking factors, and tips to help your business increase its visibility on the app.
Instagram search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of tailoring your Instagram account and content to make it more discoverable and rank higher in search results on the platform’s Explore page.
Just as traditional SEO aims to improve your website’s visibility on search engines like Google, Instagram SEO focuses on making your profile and posts more accessible to your target audience on Instagram.
In addition to helping Instagram users find your content on the app, Instagram SEO is also crucial for getting discovered outside of Instagram.
Google and other search engines index public Instagram posts, often featuring them on search engine results pages (SERPs).
The same is true of generative AI tools. “As ChatGPT and other large language models increasingly reference organic social signals, establishing a robust, text-rich presence on these platforms can also enhance a brand’s visibility within emerging AI-driven discovery ecosystems,” says ICED MEDIA’s Leslie.
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When it comes to social media SEO, it’s important to understand that platforms like Instagram have separate algorithms for different functions, including search.
“Showing up in search results requires a different approach,” Leslie says. “Search ranking is driven by intentional keyword usage—specifically within captions, on-screen text, transcribed audio, and relevant keyword-based hashtags.”
The two ranking factors that shape the Instagram algorithm for search are:
Above all, Instagram wants to provide its users with relevant content. The more specific your keywords, hashtags, and captions are, the more likely your Instagram content will reach its target audience. For example, if you run a fitness account, instead of using generic keywords like “fitness” and “workout,” include targeted terms such as “30-minute HIIT workout” or “beginner yoga poses.”
Popular social media platforms like Instagram offer a wealth of content—especially when users type in generic search text such as “fitness” or “makeup.” When there is a large volume of relevant content, Instagram will use popularity to determine which posts to elevate. Instagram determines popularity through engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares. It also factors in follower numbers and engagement rates. The good news here is that standard Instagram marketing techniques also help with SEO.
🌟Resource: 20 Inspiring Instagram Post Ideas for New and Unique Content
Here are eight tips to boost your business’s Instagram SEO strategy:
To optimize your Instagram business account, start with a solid name and handle. Typically, it’s best to use your company name for both, so potential customers who have heard of you elsewhere can easily find your Instagram account. If your name isn’t well-known, you can add something that will make it easier to find, like your industry or location.
If you haven’t chosen your business name (or are considering a rebrand), use keyword research to find one with high search volume. Sarah Cieslinski and JJ Follano originally launched their sustainable business under the name Earthy Shop before JJ discovered the domain name zerowastestore.com was available. “When we changed the name to Zero Waste Store, I think we gained 100,000 followers in less than 12 months,” Sarah says on an episode of Shopify Masters.
Handles must be unique; if your company name has been used by another account, consider adding something short and simple to it to create your handle. For example, olive oil company Graza uses the handle @getgraza. Avoid dashes and periods, which make it harder for users to find your account.
Next is your Instagram bio. Adding keywords to your bio helps the Instagram algorithm understand your content. Make sure it also reflects your business and the content you share, so viewers can easily get to know your brand.
For example, skin care brand Blume’s Instagram bio includes keywords like “sensitive skin” and “fade acne” to help its target audience find its account.
To stay within the 150-character limit, prioritize communicating your value proposition and brand voice.
Use Instagram’s profile features to your benefit, adding your logo as your profile picture, and linking to your store, location, and account category (there are hundreds of business categories, from auto repair to zoo). The more information you give Instagram, the better it can connect you with your target audience.
Instagram’s search functionality is powered by text, so it’s crucial to use the right keywords in your captions. It can be helpful to think of the first 100 words of your Instagram caption as a meta description.
The more specific your keywords, the better. While Instagram users may search for generic terms, such as “makeup tutorial,” the sheer volume of posts those terms pull up makes it hard to compete. Instead, try niche search terms, such as “eyeliner for hooded eyes” or “doll blush for beginners.”
Here’s an example from tinned fish company Fishwife. This caption celebrating the brand’s smoked rainbow trout landing at Costco includes important keywords like “best-selling smoked rainbow trout,” “Costco Club,” and “bulk,” and the locations “midwest,” “northwest,” “southeast,” “LA,” and “Texas” without sounding keyword-stuffy. Unsurprisingly, the post is the top result for “smoked rainbow trout Costco.”
Instagram captions are capped at 2,200 characters, but shorter ones (less than 30 words or roughly 150 characters) have the highest engagement, according to a study from Socialinsider.
Instagram hashtags can improve your SEO by signaling important keywords to the algorithm. They can also increase your post’s discoverability by including it in searches for your hashtag.
While Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags, you don’t need to use that many. A 2025 analysis of 37 million posts found that those with 11 hashtags received the most engagement. As with keywords, be selective with your hashtags and avoid generic ones such as #food or #photo. Instead, choose a handful of specific hashtags, like #plantbaseddinner or #35mmfilm, to get your posts in front of your desired audience.
Here’s an example from photographer Ethan Barber. Ethan used hashtags like #upperwestside and #autumninnewyork to caption a carousel post of fall scenes around New York City.
Instagram alt text, or alternative text, describes visual content so it’s accessible to visually impaired users. It can also act as a placeholder for images that fail to load. And, it factors into SEO.
Instagram uses object recognition to create automatic alt text for all posts. But writing your own alt text ensures that it includes target keywords. Before sharing a new post, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click “More options.” From there, tap “Write Alt Text” under “Accessibility and translation” and enter your own copy.
Scheduling Instagram posts to publish when your target audience is active can increase engagement, which, in turn, can boost search rankings. You can use Instagram analytics to identify your followers’ peak engagement times. Or, use a social media scheduling tool such as Hootsuite or Later to choose high-traffic times for you.
Optimal timing will depend on your audience, but generally, the best times to post on Instagram are:
Instagram rewards active and engaged users, so use it to connect with your followers and prospective customers. Activity between your account and other relevant users helps the algorithm understand who your target audience is.
Start by responding to comments and direct messages. If you have the bandwidth, you can also comment on customers’ posts and reshare user-generated content (UGC) on Instagram Stories when your account is tagged. These actions will improve your Instagram search engine optimization and build valuable connections with your audience.
Using SEO on Instagram is similar to traditional SEO. You can optimize your Instagram profile for search by adding relevant keywords, writing detailed captions, using targeted hashtags on your posts, and creating engaging content that encourages interaction.
Yes, SEO is relevant because Instagram has its own algorithm separate from regular search engines such as Google. Instagram SEO tactics are necessary to improve your content’s visibility.
You can gauge the success of your Instagram SEO by monitoring Instagram analytics. If your reach, engagement, followers, and profile visits increase, your tactics are working.
To improve your Instagram SEO, focus on keywords. Instagram’s search algorithm relies on text, so make sure you’ve optimized your bio and include relevant keywords and hashtags in captions.
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