What Is Instagram SEO & Why Does It Matter for Small Businesses?

Back in May, we shared insights straight from Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, in our blog Killer Snapshot: How to Grow on Instagram in 2025. That post focused on Instagram’s big priorities for creators this year: original content, small account growth, and smarter recommendations.

In this article we’ll expand on that conversation, zooming in on one of the most important shifts happening right now: Instagram SEO.

Instagram isn’t just a social app anymore. It’s becoming a search engine, and how you show up in those searches can directly impact your visibility, discoverability, and sales.

As Jamia Kenan, Senior Social Media Specialist at Sprout Social, put it:

“Instagram SEO is about intentionally aligning your content with what your audience is already searching for. Social search overall isn’t about gaming or hacking algorithms—it’s about understanding audience behavior.”

Historically, social media SEO was not a common concept, with SEO typically referring to Google search results. However, this is shifting in 2025 as Instagram’s latest indexing update is more than another algorithm tweak, it’s a reset.

“Brands that proactively optimize their Instagram presence for search will be more likely to increase visibility, dominate discoverability, capture untapped audiences organically and command space in the attention economy.” – Jamia Kenan

Why Instagram Search Traffic Can Bring Higher-Quality Leads for Local Businesses

Instagram’s SEO shift has led us to experiment with new strategies for a local retail store, particularly focusing on Instagram captions, bio copy, alt text, and local tags. Our initial efforts on the first post yielded a 4% search traffic, which, while seemingly small, represents higher-quality leads actively seeking specific products that they’re posting about.

For instance, 40 valuable prospects from a post with 1,000 views are far more beneficial than the previous absence of search traffic. It’s important that we shift our mindset on how to differentiate these stats and begin to categorize view types between cold, warm, and hot leads.

Consider this: 40 individuals actively searching for a new denim jacket in the local area are more valuable than 330 people who passively scrolled past the post in their feed. These 40 people are more likely to visit the store and try on the jacket because they were “searching for it” in their local area. We can often forget this differentiator when chasing bigger, but less qualified, numbers.

Here’s an example of that first post:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Apricot Lane Vero Beach (@apricotlaneverobeach)

NOTE: The post also includes the product brand and price using IG’s product detail feature, and includes a detailed Alt text for the image.

Why Does Instagram SEO Matter for Small Businesses?

Here’s a stat worth paying attention to: According to The 2024 Content Strategy Report, 61% of users turn to Instagram for product discovery, and that’s more than any other platform, according to the report.

So, your Instagram isn’t just about being seen; it’s actually influencing what people buy. Optimized content can help businesses get discovered, drive engagement and conversions, and build brand authority by appearing in relevant searches.

What Factors Impact Instagram SEO Rankings?

1. Keywords: In your profile name, bio, captions, alt text, story text, highlight titles, and hashtags may still have some pull but not much according to what Adam said earlier in 2025.
2. User activity: The accounts your audience engages with and content they’ve saved, liked, or shared.
3. Recency & engagement: Newer posts with higher engagement can rise to the top.

Key takeaway: If your content is relevant and engaging, Instagram is more likely to recommend it, even to people who don’t follow you.

💡 TIP: Keep an eye out for new Instagram features down the road, like the ability to add captions to your stories. It might take a little extra time to fill out that info, but it could seriously boost your Instagram SEO.

How Can Small Businesses Improve Their Search Results on Instagram?

Here are five steps I recommend to improve your search results on IG:

• Add keywords to your profile name and bio (ex: “location, business type, key service or products”).
• Write captions that naturally include the phrases or questions people would search for.
• Avoid spammy hashtags. Use them less. We’re only including 2-3 hashtags that focus on location, product type, and brand.
• Create content that encourages saves and shares, not just likes.
• Stay consistent & engage with your audience.

Common Questions About Instagram SEO

How is Instagram SEO different from Google SEO?

Google SEO helps websites rank. Instagram SEO helps your posts and profile show up in app searches. Both use keywords, but Instagram is more visual and social-driven.

Do hashtags still matter?

They may help Instagram understand your content but won’t drive discovery on their own.

Can Instagram SEO really help small businesses?

Absolutely. People now use Instagram like a search engine, especially Gen Z. If your content is optimized, you’ll show up when potential customers are searching for your product or service.

What should I measure beyond likes and followers?

Track saves, shares, profile visits, link clicks, engagement, and search visibility. These are stronger signals of discoverability than follower count.

Written by Brian Curee, CEO & Marketing Strategist of Killer Bee Marketing. Helping businesses grow with clarity, confidence, and a strategic approach.

Want more insights on Instagram growth?

Start with our May post: Killer Snapshot: How to Grow on Instagram in 2025 (Straight from the Top)

🤖 This article is grounded in our own experiences, reflections, and insights. AI tools were used to assist with the writing and publishing process, enabling us to share valuable content with you more quickly.