Instagram is making headlines again with its July 2025 update. This time, the changes could redefine how brands are discovered online.
With the introduction of a new indexing feature, Instagram is giving professional accounts the power to opt in and have their content indexed by search engines like Google.
This means your Instagram posts could soon appear in Google search results, dramatically expanding your brand’s visibility beyond the app itself.
But what does this update really mean for your business and how can you make the most of this new opportunity?
In this blog, we will break down Instagram’s latest move, explore its impact on brand discoverability and share practical tips to ensure your content stands out in both social feeds and search results.
What is Instagram’s new indexing feature?
Until now, Instagram used robots.txt files and noindex tags to ask search engines not to index its content.
The new feature, starting on 10th July, professional users will have the ability to control this visibility from within the app’s privacy settings. This means:
- Public posts, Reels, videos, carousels and profiles can appear in Google search results.
- You can opt out if you want to only be visible on Instagram.
Why opting in matters: Control over your content’s search presence
For brands and professional accounts, this change blurs the line between social media and the open web. Instagram posts can now act like mini landing pages, increasing opportunities for discoverability, traffic and engagement beyond the platform itself.
Brands can optimise their Instagram content for SEO, by using:
- Relevant keywords
- Alt text
- Strategic hashtags
By doing this, you will potentially see your posts rank alongside traditional web pages, news articles and other search results.
This update not only increases the reach of branded content but also signals a broader shift toward multimodal SEO, where visual and video content can compete directly with text-based web pages for user attention in Google’s search results.
The shift from social to search: Why this update is a game changer
The July 2025 Instagram update represents a game-changing shift from social media as a closed ecosystem to a powerful player in web search.
Instagram content has always been largely siloed, with content mainly discoverable within the app itself.
This update officially opens the gates for Instagram content to be found on Google and other search engines.
But why is this such a big deal?
- Instagram content becomes a direct competitor to traditional web pages in Google search results. Posts, videos and even captions will now be treated as indexable, searchable assets. This means your Instagram content can show up alongside news articles, blog posts and ecommerce listings.
- Brands and creators gain control over their visibility. With a simple toggle, professional accounts can decide whether their content is discoverable on the open web or if it remains within Instagram’s walls.
- SEO strategy must evolve. The lines between social media optimisation and traditional SEO are blurring. Now, optimising Instagram content for search, using keywords in captions, relevant hashtags, descriptive alt text and engaging visuals, becomes just as important as optimising your website. To explore how you can boost your visibility and engagement on Instagram, check out our blog on Instagram SEO tactics.
- Real-time, multimedia discovery. Google’s search algorithms are increasingly prioritising visual and video content that matches user intent and engagement, not just text-based results. This means short videos and dynamic posts can potentially outrank traditional articles if they better satisfy what searchers are looking for.
In short, this update transforms Instagram from a social platform into a searchable content powerhouse. It will allow brands to reach new audiences directly from Google and fundamentally changing the digital marketing landscape.
How to opt in: A step-by-step guide for professional accounts
To take full advantages of Instagram’s July 2025 indexing update and make your content discoverable on Google, you will need to opt in.
- Step 1: Switch your account to a professional one.
- Step 2: Access the new indexing settings.
- Step 3: Opt in to indexing.
- Step 4: Ensure your posts, Reels and stories are set to public.
- Step 5: Optimise your content for search.
- Step 6: Monitor your visibility.
Preparing for the future: Social content as a discoverability asset
This new Instagram update is a clear signal that social content is now a core asset for brand discoverability. As Instagram posts, Reels and profiles become indexable by Google, brands must rethink their approach. Every piece of public social content can now serve as a gateway for new audiences searching beyond the app.
At Bigger Picture, we believe your Instagram presence should be as distinctive as your business. Our social media marketing team, in Hampshire, specialise in helping brands move beyond generic posts, transforming your social content into a powerful asset for discoverability and growth.
From tailored visual strategies to search-ready captions, we craft Instagram experiences that not only capture attention but also drive results. We design every post with purpose, ensuring your brand’s voice is clear, authentic and impossible to ignore.
Ready to unlock the full potential of your Instagram content? Contact us today to elevate your brand’s visibility and impact.