Did Google and Instagram Just Become Best Friends?

Aug 14

Once upon a time, your short-form content and your long-form content were two different things. Those days are officially over.

Yes, long-form content is still important. While some people ‘don’t read anymore,’ many will still read your website in depth to learn more about your services, about you, read your blogs for thought leadership, etc.

Yet your short-form content just got a boost you may never have expected - it’s now showing up on Google.

In July, 2025, Instagram announced that posts will officially be indexed by Google, which will be featuring posts going back a full 5 years.

What does this mean?

It means that your social media is no longer siloed, and your Instagram will not operate in a vacuum.

If you are a law firm in Ottawa for example, and you have used the phrase ‘Ottawa y lawyer’ in your image description or in the ALT text (for adaptive technology users) on your Instagram posts, Google will now recognize it. Thus, when someone goes to search ‘Ottawa lawyer’ on Google, there’s a good chance that your post will now come up.

For someone who has a business consultancy practice in Toronto, you know that you’re already operating in a crowded market. Why not use every opportunity you can to get recognized? Using a phrase like ‘small business consultant Toronto’ in your caption, or in your ALT text, will give you a greater chance of having that post get picked up in a Google search without spending more on paid ads etc.

This is a game changer when it comes to social media marketing. Our philosophy has always been that marketing is a multi-pronged approach. Your Instagram should not replace your website, your Facebook should not replace your Instagram, your website should not replace your LinkedIn, etc. All of these efforts work together to further your brand, and each one is important in its own way.

Remember that marketing isn’t just done for its own sake - it’s all about getting found by your target audience. Think of this as another way that people can find you.

So, what do you need to know moving forward?

Your Instagram content matters more than ever. The words you use on Instagram matter. You can have a personal Instagram account of course, but your business account is one that you can use strategically. That’s not the account where you’re posting photos of you and your friends on the beach with the caption ‘Summer 2025” and nothing further.

You can use your Instagram as a way to inform, engage, and educate your audience. This can happen through reels (short videos), through carousels (multi-slide content), through infographics, and through other images, but it comes through your captions as well.

Today you need to think about writing your captions and your ALT text as though it’s going to be searchable on Google, so what words and phrases do you want to use strategically that will get noticed. Think about your Instagram copy - your captions and your ALT text - as the opportunity to teach your audience something new.

Your caption is no longer just a ‘caption.’ Your ALT text is meant to describe the image for those who may not see it, but it can do so much more. Use your words strategically to incorporate key phrases and offer your audience something of value. Every opportunity for written copy is the opportunity to answer the questions that your audience is already searching on Google.

Think strategically about your bio.

What does your Instagram bio say, and does it say what you need people to know? Remember you only get a few lines, and a few words on each line, so be smart about it.

Your bio can’t say everything about you, but it can let people know who you help, what you offer, and where you’re based. Those three key details will go a long way towards bringing the right people to your page.

Make sure you’re set up for success.

Being searchable on Instagram is a setting, so make sure that your settings are correct. If you go to Settings -> Privacy -> Account Privacy, you can toggle the setting to “allow public photos and videos to appear in search engine results.”

You don’t need to have this on, and you don’t need to worry about your personal beach photos suddenly becoming public fodder (especially if your personal account is a private one). However, you do want to make sure that your business posts are being seen by the right eyes.

The bottom line is that organic marketing is now more important than ever. Google is looking at your last 5 years of Instagram, which is an incredible opportunity to reach new audiences, but only if you seize that opportunity.

If you don’t, you’re basically leaving money on the table.

Need some help boosting your Instagram page?

Caitlin Spearing