Instagram content now ranking in Google Search: B2B implications

As of July 10th 2025, Instagram posts, Reels, and carousels from public professional accounts will now begin appearing in Google search results. While we don’t know exactly how this will look at this stage, it’s certainly an exciting announcement and one that further bridges the gap between social media content and Google search. 

Google has been ‘social-fying’ its SERPs for some time now, as the importance of Google’s E-E-A-T framework and focus on personalisation, community and social sharing continues to be a core aspect of search. Now that Instagram can also be ranked, it presents another opporccctunity for us to optimise, reach, and engage users.

So what’s new?

• Instagram content will now compete head-to-head with websites in SERPs.
• Only public professional accounts will be indexed.
• Instagram content will be treated as “helpful content” if it’s optimised for user intent, just like a typical blog post.

Social search implications

In the past, social media posts were largely siloed – valuable for engagement, brand building, and awareness, but disconnected from organic search strategy. With that wall well and truly down, it means that social-first content must be built with search intent in mind. 

Instagram posts will now sit alongside long-form articles, ecommerce listings, and resource pages in Google’s SERPs, and be judged by the same standards of relevance, utility, and technical optimisation (or at least, we think).

Safe to say, this requires a bit of a mindset shift. Instagram content must be:

• Discoverable (via relevant keywords, hashtags, and optimised alt text)
• Structured for context (with captions that mirror natural search language)
• Rich in value (offering answers, how-tos, or insights)
• Consistent with your overall web messaging, since users might now encounter your Instagram post before they ever visit your site.

A well-optimised Instagram post could potentially outrank a lightly optimised blog, especially for visual, short-tail, or lifestyle-oriented queries. For brands, Instagram profiles become not only a social showcase displaying behind-the-scenes videos and general updates, but a true search discovery layer that’s very much a potential first touchpoint in the customer journey.

Instagram SEO

Captions, alt text, hashtags, and even profile bios could all function much like on-page elements of a website. As previously mentioned, we don’t yet know what will work best and can only theorise at this stage, however, we believe traditional SEO techniques will still be relevant here. 

For example, natural, keyword-aligned language will likely help determine whether an Instagram post appears in response to a user’s search query. As well as keywords, alt text should reflect both accessibility and search relevance, and hashtag strategies may benefit from blending volume with specificity. 

Instagram is, of course, media-focused, with less emphasis on the actual captions underneath posts. But following this new update, it may require a change in approach, as including more detail helps to target more keywords and offer more value to users (and therefore search engines). Even the way marketing teams tackle their social media content will likely need to adapt, as the lines between SEO and social media marketing continue to blur.

Furthermore, Instagram posts will now act as searchable entry points, not just social moments. A Reel could be a user’s first touchpoint with your brand, appearing right beside a blog or product page.  Understanding your audience in a unified way helps keep your messaging consistent, your tone appropriate, and your content discoverable – wherever your audience shows up. Tools like SparkToro are especially powerful in this context, helping to uncover what your audience uses, reads, watches, and even listens to:

By combining these insights with keyword research tools, we’re able to craft content that aligns both with search demand and social relevance. 

Why it matters for B2B brands

While Instagram’s search integration might seem tailored to B2C industries, like fashion, beauty, or travel, the implications for B2B brands are surprisingly significant, particularly when it comes to top-of-funnel visibility and category authority.

B2B prospects turn to Google to understand a problem, evaluate solutions, and assess vendors. Until now, most B2B SEO strategies have focused on long-form blog content, whitepapers, or gated assets. But with Instagram content now eligible to rank in Google search, visually rich, concise formats, like tutorial Reels, explainer carousels, or even thought leadership quotes, can now enter the same SERP playing field as traditional B2B content.

1. Reinforce expertise visually

B2B audiences increasingly engage with content that’s concise and visual, especially in complex or technical industries, to gain an easier understanding. Reels that simplify a pain point or carousels that break down a process offer high informational value in formats that Google now recognises as useful.

2. Compete across content types

Content teams need to coordinate messaging across channels, with disjointed Instagram content becoming a potential SEO liability if it sends mixed signals to Google or searchers. Ensuring content aligns to a full funnel content strategy will put B2B brands in the best position possible to capitalise on these changes to the way Instagram functions within search.

3. Earn early-stage visibility

For B2B startups or product-led companies without a well-established website or backlink profile, Instagram becomes a viable shortcut to search visibility. A well-optimised post explaining a problem-solution framework or showcasing product functionality can now rank, even if your blog is still building authority. It’s essentially a way to bypass initial heavy web investment.

Final thoughts

For marketers who adapt quickly, the integration of Instagram into Google’s search results represents an opportunity to amplify reach, diversify content formats, and drive discovery outside of the app environment. 

In practical terms, this may mean producing more educational Reels, optimising carousel copy for specific keyword clusters, or treating Instagram bios like SEO-rich landing page headers. It may also require merging performance reporting across platforms or realigning brand messaging to maintain consistency across both search and social. It’s an interesting time and presents a new opportunity for brands.

At Hallam, our team of SEO strategists and content specialists work hand-in-hand to deliver integrated, search-first campaigns, built for the modern SERP. Get in touch today to find out more about how we can help.