Image: Prodeep Ahmeed from Pixabay
Let’s be honest—Instagram hasn't been about just about stylish or fun pictures for a while now. It’s a battleground where visibility equals success, and if you’re not playing the SEO game, you run the risk of missing out on opportunities to grow your audience and stand out in a crowded space of over 200 million businesses on Instagram.
The good news is, mastering Instagram SEO isn’t as daunting as it sounds.
In this article, we’ll break down the essentials of Instagram SEO, giving you practical tips and strategies to make your profile more visible and engaging. Whether you’re aiming to increase your reach, attract the right followers, or outshine your competition, this guide has you covered!
What is Instagram SEO?
Instagram SEO is essentially the process of optimizing your profile and content so that Instagram’s algorithm boosts your visibility, similar to how traditional SEO works for websites on search engines. The goal is to make sure that when someone is searching for content or accounts related to what you offer, you're the one they find.
However, Instagram’s ranking system is even less transparent than Google’s. Meta likes to keep things a bit hazy, often changing how content is ranked—much to the frustration of even the most experienced marketers. But just as with traditional SEO, there are key factors that you can focus on to improve your chances of being seen.
Instagram’s ranking factors
Like Google, but different:
- Search text: Instagram matches content to queries by looking for keywords in profiles, posts, and hashtags.
- Popularity signals: Backlinks boost SEO; on Instagram, it’s likes, comments, shares, and saves that push your content to a wider audience.
- User activity: Like Google, Instagram tracks user behavior—hashtags and accounts people engage with and the posts they view, even from accounts they don't follow—to decide what content to show.
- Content-specific ranking signals: Reels, Stories, and posts have their own rankings. Diversifying your content helps you reach more people.
Here’s an explainer on how Instagram ranks different content types from Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram.
Why should you care about Instagram SEO?
Instagram has become a powerful search engine. A recent survey showed 36% of respondents used it to discover brands and products.
Separately, SOCI’s Consumer Behaviour Index 2024, which explored how consumers interact with local businesses, revealed that the top local tool for a staggering 67% of Gen Z was Instagram.
Search preference between Google, TikTok, Instagram, and other sites, by age group
Source: SOCI
With over 2.4 billion monthly active users, if your Instagram profile isn’t optimized, you’re missing out on a huge potential audience.
If you’re still on the fence about optimizing your Instagram profile, here are a few reasons that might change your mind:
- Attract the right audience: Instagram SEO helps you connect with users who are actively searching for what you offer, turning casual visitors into engaged followers who are ready to help you monetize your Instagram presence.
- Increase profile visibility: In the crowded Instagram landscape, SEO helps your profile stand out, making it easier for potential followers to find you.
- Boost conversion rates: By drawing in the right audience, Instagram SEO can lead to higher conversion rates, whether you’re aiming for sales, sign-ups, or other goals.
- Leverage the algorithm: Instagram’s algorithm favors optimized content. With effective SEO strategies, the platform recognizes the value of your content and boosts its reach to a wider audience.
9 Instagram SEO best practices, tips and tricks
To truly tap into the potential of Instagram SEO, you need to go beyond just throwing in a few hashtags or keywords.
Effective Instagram optimization is all about being strategic and intentional. Let’s explore some best practices that can help you get there.
1. Understand your audience with Instagram insights
Instagram insights are available for business or creator accounts. They help you understand what’s trending across your followers and how your content is performing. The metrics can play a crucial role in informing your content strategy and optimization. Insights include:
Best time to post: Identify when your followers are most active and schedule posts for peak engagement times to boost visibility.
Content types: Determine which formats (photos, videos, Reels) resonate most with your audience and focus on creating more of what works.
Captions: Analyze whether short, snappy captions or detailed narratives get the best response, and tailor your captions accordingly.
Hashtags: Track which hashtags drive the most traffic and use them consistently to improve discoverability.
Follower growth: Monitor spikes in followers and replicate successful strategies to continue building a strong, engaged audience.
Engagement rate: Keep an eye on the ratio of likes, comments, and shares to followers, as a strong engagement rate improves your content’s ranking in Instagram’s algorithm.
Find out more about Instagram insights here.
2. Optimize your Instagram bio for visibility
Your Instagram bio is a prime spot for boosting your profile’s searchability. Including the right keywords can make your profile more identifiable and easier to find:
- Profile name: Add a keyword related to your niche or industry alongside your brand name. For example, instead of just “John Smith”, use “John Smith | Graphic Design”. This makes it easier for users searching for graphic design services to find you.
- Bio description: Clearly state what you do and who you serve, using specific keywords that your target audience might search for. If you’re a vegan chef, include phrases like “vegan chef” or “plant-based recipes”. This helps Instagram associate your profile with these terms, improving your visibility in relevant searches. You can add up to five links in your bio, so make use of these to provide visitors with more information about your business.
- Hashtags in bio: Consider adding a relevant hashtag, like “#VeganEats” if you’re in the vegan food niche. While these don’t work like regular post hashtags, they can still enhance your profile’s visibility in searches.
- Highlights: Label your Instagram Story Highlights with keyword-rich titles like “Workouts,” “Recipes,” or “Client Results.” This organizes your content and reinforces the keywords associated with your profile.
- AI: There are many AI tools out there that can help optimize your bio and hashtags for maximum visibility, suggest relevant keywords, and provide insights based on existing trends to improve your profile's performance. However, bear in mind they are not foolproof so you should verify the data. While they are useful for some functions in terms of content, AI-generated content won't replace human originality here.
Let’s take a look at this personal trainer’s bio.
It has everything to boost Instagram SEO as it includes:
- Optimized Name: contains specific keywords related to the niche as well as the location for local targeting.
- Business category: Identifies the type of the business associated with this profile (available for business profiles only).
- Bio description: Tells visitors key information about the profile, includes keywords, qualifications, unique selling proposition and a website link.
3. Use keywords in Instagram captions
To get your content noticed, start adding keywords right into your captions. You can easily find the right keywords for your niche by using Instagram’s search bar or tools like Wordtracker.
Make your keywords fit in naturally with the flow of your content. Instead of saying, “Try this workout” go for something with more detail of what you’re offering, like, “Here’s a quick full-body workout for beginners”. It’s more informative and conversational—and additionally, you’re more likely to show up in specific searches like “full-body workout.”
As a result, you’ll attract the right audience to your account which can boost shares and so reach a wider audience.
4. Implement strategic SEO-hashtags
Hashtags can be a game-changer for your reach if used wisely.
Aim for a balanced mix of popular, niche, and specific hashtags, especially those related to your brand or campaign, and stick to 3 to 5 per post for the best results.
While it might be tempting to use broad hashtags with millions of searches, like #girl or #explore, these are better avoided—they're too generic to make a real difference.
And if you’re thinking about hiding your hashtags in the comments, don’t bother. In the past, this might have worked, but now only hashtags placed directly in your caption will help you show up in search results and achieve business growth.
5. Add captions to videos
Adding captions to your videos does more than just improve accessibility; it also helps search engines understand the content of your videos better. This gives you the opportunity to include more keywords and ensures your content is accessible to those who watch with the sound off (a win-win for both your engagement and SEO!)
You can add a caption before sharing your post, or edit a caption after you’ve shared your post.
Instagram Help outlines the steps.
When you add captions, make sure you include relevant keywords that could help your target audience discover your post and therefore your profile.
6. Write alt text for images and videos
Alt text is important for accessibility, and also helps your Instagram optimization.
Instagram automatically generates alt text for your posts. However, these tend to be general in nature and may not capture the full detail or context. It’s better to write your own alt text so you can provide a more accurate description, better capturing the essence of your post.
Instagram Help outlines the steps.
When writing your custom alt text:
- Use 2-3 sentences to highlight the main features of your post or video
- Repeat any text shown in the image or video for extra context
- Focus on details that are important and relevant to your content
- Incorporate keywords, but keep the text natural and readable
7. Make good use of Instagram geotags
For targeting local audiences, geotagging is a must.
Tag relevant locations—like a city, landmark, or your place of business—for your posts to appear in area-specific searches.
However, avoid the temptation to tag random, popular locations just to reach a wider audience. Instagram’s algorithm favors relevant and authentic content, so a misdirection like that can harm your credibility and reduce engagement.
8. Prompt profile tagging
Here are some ideas you can use to encourage tagging on Instagram and increase your reach:
- Design posts or Stories that your audience will want to share, like striking visuals, quotes, or memes, and ask them to tag your profile when they repost.
- Host a contest where participants are asked to tag your profile in their posts or Stories as part of the entry requirements.
- Encourage followers to share their experiences with your product or service and tag your profile for a chance to be featured on your account.
- Partner with influencers and ask them to tag your profile when they feature your brand in their content.
Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLabCo., says,
“Reaching the right audience on Instagram can be challenging, especially when you’re competing in a crowded space. At PetLab Co., we tackled this by leveraging collaborations with veterinary doctors, pet consultants, and trainers to create educational content that resonates with pet owners.
But we didn’t stop at creating the content—we tagged each collaborator in every post. This simple yet strategic move allowed us to tap into their trusted networks, expanding our reach to highly engaged followers who value expert advice.
By tagging collaborators, we not only boost visibility but also build credibility with our audience, positioning PetLab as a go-to resource in pet care. It’s a practical way to ensure your posts stay relevant and discoverable in Instagram’s algorithm, helping you grow organically.”
Here's an example of this strategy in action from PetLabCo. in partnership with a pet influencer:
9. Ensure your profile is cohesive
Ensure your content stays aligned with your brand’s theme or niche. Straying into unrelated topics can confuse both your audience and Instagram’s algorithm.
For example, if your profile focuses on fitness, suddenly posting about finance might throw your followers and reduce engagement.
A consistent, focused content plan signals to Instagram that your profile is relevant in your niche, making it more likely your posts will reach the right audience.
Engaging with similar profiles can further solidify your position within your niche.
Things you should definitely not do
We’ve covered the strategies to boost your Instagram visibility and drive traffic to your profile, but it's equally important to know what not to do if you want those efforts to pay off.
Instagram search results are influenced by the platform’s Recommendations Guidelines. If your content violates these guidelines your profile is likely to be penalized—pushed down in search results or excluded entirely.
Instagram says: "we work to avoid making recommendations that could be low-quality, objectionable or sensitive, and we also avoid making recommendations that may be inappropriate for younger viewers”.
Posting recycled content from other platforms like TikTok (especially if it’s pixelated or has watermarks), can also hurt your growth. Instagram favors fresh, original content.
You should read and familiarize yourself with the Recommendations in full.
Ready to optimize your Instagram profile?
Mastering SEO is a must if you want to stay competitive and grow your presence on Instagram. From understanding your audience with analytics to optimizing your bio, using strategic hashtags, and creating engaging content—every detail counts.
By following these best practices, you’ll not only boost your visibility but also attract the right audience and drive real results.
Now, time to put these strategies into action and take your Instagram profile to the next level!
