SEO no longer concerns the web only. The Instagram app has become a full-scale point of brand discovery, making Instagram SEO important for any business that aims to tap into its target audience. So next time you schedule Instagram posts, think “keywords” and “search optimization”.
A solid Instagram SEO strategy can help you boost your discoverability, improve engagement, and attract more followers, ultimately reinforcing your presence on the social media platform. Optimizing your account will help the algorithm crack your content and deliver it to the right target audience.
In this article, I’ve gathered 11 practical tips to help you get started with Instagram SEO, bringing you to the top of search results.
What is Instagram SEO?
Instagram SEO means optimizing your Instagram profile, posts, captions, and overall activities to make your content more digestible for the platform’s algorithm and improve your visibility in Instagram search results. This includes using relevant keywords, hashtags, and high-quality content to attract and engage a wider audience.
Media platforms have become top sources for brand discovery and inspiration, mainly because they provide more customized results than Google Search.
With such a shift, Instagram has boosted its search functions, making a solid Instagram SEO strategy key for reaching your relevant audience on the platform, especially if your business is visual-oriented.
According to Amanda Walls, Director at Cedarwood Digital:
If you have a business where imagery is key then Instagram SEO can play a key role in your optimization strategy. The ability to showcase your products and services through high-quality interactive images, videos, and other forms of media can help to engage your audience and also demonstrate your expertise and authority.
How does the Instagram search engine work?
Instagram SEO works quite similarly to regular search engines.
The Instagram algorithm evaluates your content based on engagement and the relationships between your account, followers, and the accounts you follow. These interactions are key indicators of content relevance.
However, Instagram also uses various signals from user activity, Instagram captions, and account information to rank content in search results and tailor suggested content feeds to match user searches.
Using relevant keywords in your captions, hashtags, and profile helps the algorithm understand the context of your content, improving its chances of appearing on the Instagram Explore page.
Account information, like the username and bio, also plays a vital role in Instagram SEO, ensuring your profile aligns with search queries.
So, if users are actively searching for content or a business profile on a specific topic and your Instagram posts and profile match the search term, the algorithm is more likely to push it toward prospective customers. This improves your visibility both within and beyond the platform.
The basics of an Instagram SEO strategy
Instagram SEO is all about… well, optimization. Your core goal is to ensure you send the algorithm all the right signals to comprehend, rank, and categorize your content to offer it to the right crowd.
So, you want to make your content as digestible for the algorithm as possible while maintaining it human-centric. Easy-peasy. *laughs nervously*
Ranking factors for Instagram
When you work on your SEO on Instagram, you can’t overlook the algorithm’s key ranking factors. Instagram, in fact, says that there’s no single algorithm working for everyone — but there are some mutual factors that can affect your Instagram SEO tactics.
As Hannah Lewis, Marketing Specialist at Green Hearted Digital Marketing put it:
It’s all about helping the algorithm understand your fantastic content and show it to the right people. Think of it as a secret handshake with Insta.
That’s a pretty on-point description.
Key Instagram SEO factors include:
- Search text
The words users type in the search bar are matched with relevant profiles, posts, and hashtags. The search function helps users navigate unexplored Instagram content, so ensure your posts include these terms to increase discoverability.
- Relevant keywords
Closely connected to the search text, keywords help the algorithm decode your content and match it with Instagram’s search results. Make sure to put them in your bio, captions, feed posts, hashtags, Instagram stories, and alt text.
- User activity
Instagram evaluates who’s been interacting with your account and what other accounts and content they interact with. Say, if a user is a skincare fan, they are more likely to be offered more content on the same topic.
- Trends
Can’t cut corners here. If everyone raves about Cowboy Carter or the Met Gala, users are likelier to see content featuring it, even if it’s not their usual content consumption pattern.
Shift from hashtags to keywords for Instagram
Instagram hashtags used to be the key driving force behind Instagram optimization. However, Adam Mosseri said that hashtags no longer bring a significant amount of traffic from Instagram users.
The platform is shifting toward strategically placed target keywords instead. Mosseri highlighted core places where you should utilize your keywords to pop up in Instagram search results with higher probability: handle, profile name, bio, and captions.
Say you’re a freelance marketer or a team behind a marketing tool. To rank your profile higher and ensure Instagram users discover it quickly, use your primary keyword in your bio and profile name.
It doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t use relevant hashtags. Use secondary keywords related to your topic as hashtags and mix them with a couple of popular ones to expand your reach — that way you keep your hashtag strategy game on point.
Instagram content calendar
Consistency is key. Using an Instagram content calendar ensures your business account has a steady supply of SEO-optimized relevant content.
By planning your Instagram SEO posts in advance, you can maintain a consistent posting schedule and ensure your content is charged with relevant hashtags, target keywords, and optimized captions.
Instagram content calendar in Planable
This approach keeps your feed active and engaging and helps you stay on track.
An effective content calendar allows you to track your progress, adapt your Instagram strategy to trending topics, and align your posts with audience engagement patterns, improving your visibility and reach on the platform.
Practical tips to optimize your Instagram profile for SEO
SEO for Instagram is essential, that much we have established.
Now, let’s get down to business with a comprehensive guide on hitting Instagram’s top search results. Find 11 practical Instagram SEO tips below.
1. Create effective SEO-driven captions
Captions are your first stop on the Instagram SEO journey. To write descriptive, keyword-rich captions, start by identifying your target keywords and integrating them naturally into your post captions.
But “naturally” is the keyword here. The trick is to balance optimization and authenticity to ensure your content contributes to your Instagram SEO score but still reads human-like. Avoid keyword stuffing at all costs.
If you’re ever struggling to think of the right wording, Planable AI can help. You can use it to generate captions and get suggestions on how to incorporate your target keywords into your posts.
IG caption generation with Planable AI
To enhance your reach and Instagram SEO efforts, use a healthy mix of popular, niche, and branded hashtags in your post captions, in addition to keywords.
Following this fine line of balanced keyword use will help the algorithm pick up your content to push it into relevant search results while also staying engaging and authentic for your audience.
2. Boost content discoverability through alt text
Adding alt text to images before uploading them to Instagram is crucial for SEO and accessibility.
The alt text describes the image content. This helps you cover two important bases at the same time: help visually impaired users understand your posts and enhance your content’s discoverability in search results.
ALT text on an IG post
If you aim to power up your organic growth through SEO, Instagram alt text is not optional — it’s a must-have. Sai Deshmukh, SEO Director @ Amber says:
Alt text ain’t optional. Describe your images clearly and slip in some keywords. It helps with accessibility and boosts your chances of showing up in image searches.
Write alt text using the target keyword for each post. You can do this natively by navigating to advanced settings on Instagram before publishing your post.
Or, if you’re all about efficient social media automation, use Planable! With Planable, you can schedule your content in advance and add your own alt text for each image, ensuring your Instagram grid is optimized and inclusive.
3. Plan your content in advance
Working on Instagram SEO content requires some additional time: keyword research, relevant hashtags, crafting a compelling caption…
Having SEO-optimized content ready and scheduled means you can focus on future strategies rather than worrying about daily posts.
Even planning a week in advance can relieve a lot of stress and help you maintain a consistent content schedule without compromising on quality, especially when you manage multiple Instagram accounts.
I usually try to schedule content for no more than two weeks ahead. Such an approach helps me stay consistent but flexible.
With Planable, you can schedule anything, from feed posts to Stories, and carry on with your strategy while your SEO-friendly content does its magic. The grid view even gives you a perfect preview of how your profile will look once content is live.
Instagram grid view in Planable
4. Use keywords on Instagram posts
Incorporating relevant keywords in your captions, bio, and account name helps the algorithm better categorize your content, pushing your posts to relevant audiences on the Explore page.
Keyword research elevates your SEO efforts and is also helpful for generating more relevant Instagram post ideas. Explore what your followers are actually typing in the Instagram search bar and reverse engineer some solid topics.
As Lisa Kubatzki, Senior SEO Content Manager at D-A-CH, GetResponse, explains:
Not only do you maximize your chance to be visible and attract new followers, but you also get great ideas for content when using SEO tactics on Instagram. You start thinking about what your target group really expects from you. That creates a great connection between you and your followers.
5. Leverage video subtitles for engagement
Much like alt text, subtitles check two boxes for you: they power up your Instagram SEO efforts and make your videos more accessible. They make your content accessible to hard-of-hearing users and help Instagram’s algorithm understand your video’s context to rank better on the Explore page.
Plus… how many of us actually have their sound on when scrolling Reels?
You can use Instagram’s auto-caption feature to add subtitles:
- Open Instagram and select the video you want to upload.
- Tap on the “Stickers” icon.
- Select “Captions” to auto-generate subtitles.
- Edit the text for accuracy if needed.
Circling back to tip #3 — you can plan and schedule Instagram Reels in advance, like any Instagram posts and Stories, through Planable.
6. Use hashtags strategically for increased discoverability
While Adam Mosseri mentioned that Instagram hashtags don’t dramatically affect your reach, they still help categorize your content.
Best practices for Instagram hashtags include using 3-5 per post. To tap into wider audiences, make it a healthy mix of popular (#Fitness, #Wellness) and niche (#HIITWorkout, #TrainAtHome) hashtags.
If you don’t want to clutter your caption with hashtags, put them neatly into the first comment. And yes, you can schedule it alongside the actual Instagram post in Planable!
Scheduling the first comment on Instagram posts in Planable
7. Time your posts for optimal engagement
Engagement remains crucial on Instagram, so maximizing it should still be your priority, even when concentrating on Instagram SEO.
Posting during peak times can significantly increase your visibility and interaction. Although publishing time won’t compensate for mid-quality content, it will amplify the results of your high-quality pieces, bringing you that most important first-hour engagement.
Hannah Lewis also highlights that being social on Instagram is crucial for reaching more followers:
Don’t underestimate the power of being social! Engagement is like gold on Instagram. Respond to comments, host contests, and authentically connect with your audience. The algorithm loves interaction, so get out there and build relationships with your followers.
Use native Instagram analytics or third-party Instagram marketing tools to pinpoint the best times to post for your specific audience. High engagement periods vary, so tailor your schedule accordingly.
Once you have a solid idea of the best time to post on your Instagram account, you can schedule your content in Planable to go live exactly at the highest engagement times. And if you have content that you’d like to post regularly, you can turn it into a recurring post.
Setting a preferred time to post in Planable
8. Create Instagram collabs
Instagram collaborations are a natural, native way to leverage audience overlap, provided you choose your collaborators carefully. Collaborative posts can double your potential audience reach by tapping into a similar target audience that hasn’t discovered you yet.
Find a fellow brand or an influencer whose audience overlaps with yours in some aspect and create a post together.
Collab posts are visible on both feeds and feature all collaborators, sharing all the engagement, such as likes, shares, and comments.
This IG content strategy enhances your visibility and engagement on social media by exposing your content to new, relevant audiences.
9. Attract local traffic
SEO is not only about incorporating specific keywords. Leveraging location tags is an effective Instagram SEO tactic to attract local traffic.
Most marketers are familiar with location tags, which you can add to your Stories and Instagram posts. As noted by Sai Deshmukh, SEO Director at Amber:
Location isn’t just for your bio. Geotag your Stories for maximum local exposure!
For now, only business accounts can add location in their bios. Take advantage of that, especially if you’re a small location-tied business — a local beauty salon, bakery, or some other form of on-site first company.
10. Refine your Instagram SEO strategy
When asked about improving reach, the one and only Adam Mosseri keeps highlighting the iterative nature of Instagram strategies. This definitely applies to SEO strategies as well.
The key to sustainable success is continuously working on Instagram optimization and refining your approach. Use Instagram Insights and other Instagram analytics tools to monitor whether your efforts are bearing fruit.
By analyzing engagement rates, reach, and interactions, you can make informed, data-driven adjustments to your Instagram SEO strategies. This iterative process ensures your content remains relevant and highly visible, adapting to changes in audience behavior and platform algorithms.
11. Optimize your Instagram account for maximum impact
To make your Instagram profile more discoverable, strategically infuse primary and secondary keywords into various parts of your profile. Let’s imagine you’re a marketing agency based in Boston:
- Instagram bio. Include primary keywords that best describe your brand or niche. This helps Instagram categorize your profile and show it to relevant users — for instance, “Boston Marketing Agency”.
- Location: if you are a business account, add a location tag — Boston, in our case.
- Account name. It doesn’t have to be your handle — leave it at @brand_name — but make sure to add keywords related to your business or content focus to the account name.
- Post captions. To enhance visibility in search results, use secondary keywords relevant to your topic in captions, such as “SEO strategy” or “Marketing Services”.
- Hashtags. Mix niche and popular hashtags to reach a broader but still relevant audience interested in your content.
This approach ensures your profile appears in search results targeted toward relevant users, boosting your visibility and engagement.
Maximizing your reach with strategic Instagram SEO
Instagram SEO is not a low-hanging fruit (see what we did here?). Leveling up your Instagram SEO game can take some time and experimenting to see what’s working for your Instagram account, but these 11 tips will give you a head start.
Try Planable to plan out and schedule your next batch of SEO-optimized Instagram content. You get 50 free posts when you sign up!
Keep an eye out for Instagram algorithm updates, and watch your analytics closely. Let’s rock it!
Content marketer with a background in journalism; digital nomad, and tech geek. In love with blogs, storytelling, strategies, and old-school Instagram. If it can be written, I probably wrote it.
