Search engine optimization (SEO) techniques help your content rank higher on Google, Bing, and Yahoo. But they can also help your Instagram profile appear higher in the app\u2019s search results.<\/p>\n
In this article, we\u2019ll look at how Instagram ranks profiles and content. Plus, we\u2019ll walk through six ways to boost your overall visibility on the platform.<\/p>\n
Instagram\u00a0SEO<\/a>\u00a0is the process of optimizing your account and content to rank higher in Instagram\u2019s search results. Doing so can help increase your reach and drive more followers and conversions to your account.<\/p>\n You can\u2019t convert people into customers if they can\u2019t find you. Instagram SEO can give your brand more visibility if you know how to leverage it.<\/p>\n When someone types a search query into Instagram, SEO tactics help your posts appear in the top results. This can include the content you make, but also audio, tags, and places associated with it.<\/p>\n The \u201ctop\u201d content is what Instagram considers the most relevant to the search term.<\/p>\n You need to optimize all parts of your profile and anything you post, from your Instagram bio to minor details in your content.<\/p>\n While Instagram SEO has some similarities to regular SEO, it\u2019s also platform-specific and very different from Google.<\/p>\n Instagram SEO connects you with people actively searching for content related to your business. It can help you build an engaged following of prospective customers who are more likely to convert.<\/p>\n Another reason to care about Instagram SEO? Social media isn\u2019t going away anytime soon. Instagram has over\u00a02 billion monthly active users<\/a>\u00a0you can tap into.<\/p>\n Studies show that Instagram users want to engage with brands as part of their experience.<\/p>\n And according to Instagram, there are over\u00a0200 million business accounts<\/a>\u00a0that users visit every day.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what\u00a0our account<\/a>\u00a0looks like:<\/p>\n About\u00a050% of Instagram users<\/a>\u00a0say they discover new brands, products, and services on the platform. Some\u00a044% of users<\/a>\u00a0also buy products on the platform weekly using tags and the Shop feature.<\/p>\n Many users see Instagram to discover businesses, brands, services, and products. And that\u2019s why it\u2019s important to be as visible on the platform as possible.<\/p>\n The top three Instagram ranking factors that apply to marketers are search text, user activity, and popularity signals.<\/p>\n The platform says\u00a0there isn\u2019t one Instagram algorithm<\/a>. Instead, there\u2019s a personalized set of classifiers and processes for each user.<\/p>\n Instagram tailors content based on how people use the app:<\/p>\n Now let\u2019s look at how the platform decides which content users see first when browsing.<\/p>\n Like regular SEO,\u00a0search text<\/strong>\u2014the text a user types into the search bar\u2014is the most important ranking factor on Instagram.<\/p>\n The search function is the primary way to navigate content on Instagram. When people use it, the search query they type shows specific intent.<\/p>\n The platform will also recommend phrases to get users started:<\/p>\n Based on the terms used, the Instagram search engine will find relevant bios, captions, hashtags, and even usernames it thinks match the intent.<\/p>\n Hashtags<\/a>\u00a0used to be the main way users found new content. But one recent study from Hootsuite found keyword-rich captions got\u00a030% more reach<\/a>\u00a0and twice as many likes as hashtags.<\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t mean you should stop using hashtags (we\u2019ll get to why soon), but using Instagram SEO to optimize all your content is key to better reach.<\/p>\n Instagram\u2019s algorithms pay attention to content and accounts users have engaged with recently. This helps the platform understand which posts are relevant to specific audiences.<\/p>\n If users watch a lot of fitness-related content, Instagram will probably recommend fitness influencer accounts:<\/p>\n The platform also determines the link between the content creator and the viewer. If a user follows your business page or they\u2019ve commented in the past, it\u2019s more likely they\u2019ll see your content in their feed.<\/p>\n Having mutual connections also has a big impact on visibility. Friends of people who follow your business will see your profile ranked higher than others in search results. This makes it easier for people in your target audience to find you.<\/p>\n Instagram will boost content that is trending in popularity. This means more people will see it, even if it doesn\u2019t exactly follow their usual content history.<\/p>\n For example, this post from\u00a0Tom Holland<\/a>\u00a0recreating the famous Spider-Man meme was everywhere in 2022:<\/p>\n Instagram also considers information about the person posting content.<\/p>\n For example, an influencer who\u2019s had a lot of interaction over the past few weeks will probably rank higher than someone new to the platform.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note these popularity signals have more impact on the Explore and Reels pages. Individual user preference is weighed more heavily on the Home page.<\/p>\n There isn\u2019t one surefire way to be in the top results on Instagram\u2019s search or recommendations.<\/p>\n But these six Instagram SEO tips will help increase your discoverability on the platform.<\/p>\n Every time an Instagram user searches for a keyword related to your business, you have a chance to drive high-quality traffic to your profile.<\/p>\n Your Instagram SEO strategy needs to use keywords just like any other effective content marketing strategy.<\/p>\n According to\u00a0Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri<\/a>, when the site is indexing content, it looks at four things to make sense of a profile:<\/p>\n Those are prime spots for including keywords relevant to your audience.<\/p>\n Your handle will likely be your brand name, but you can use your profile name and bio to include keywords that apply to you.<\/p>\n For example, if you type in \u201cinterior decorating,\u201d you\u2019ll see the top accounts have those keywords (or related versions) in their handles, profile names, and bios.<\/p>\n Another Instagram marketing tip for your bio is adding\u00a0location<\/strong>\u00a0tags<\/strong>\u00a0alongside keywords. That is especially important for location-specific\u00a0small businesses<\/a>.<\/p>\n Only business accounts can add tags, but it makes it easier for people in your area to find you.<\/p>\n Your captions also need to be descriptive and use target keywords. Use them to write engaging content to entice new followers while providing value for your current audience.<\/p>\n Not sure which keywords to use? Semrush\u2019s\u00a0Keyword Magic Tool<\/a>\u00a0can help you figure out what your audience is searching for from a database of 24 billion keywords.<\/p>\n If you sell dog accessories, for example, you can type \u201cdog accessories\u201d into the tool to get a list of relevant keywords.<\/p>\n The \u201cVolume<\/strong>\u201d column shows you how many people are searching for these terms on Google. The \u201cTrend<\/strong>\u201d column also shows how the level of interest changes over time (e.g., if it\u2019s seasonal).<\/p>\n Remember that search text is Instagram\u2019s most important ranking factor. So make the most of it by using keywords throughout your account and content.<\/p>\n Get Keyword Suggestions<\/p>\n with the Keyword Magic Tool, the Biggest Keyword Database on the Market<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Tactical use of keywords results in better reach. But Instagram recommends you also use hashtags in your captions to help the platform understand the context of your content.<\/p>\n Mosseri<\/a>\u00a0says\u00a0hashtags will not significantly change your reach<\/strong>. But it\u2019s still good practice to use them.<\/p>\n One study analyzed over 75 million Instagram posts and confirmed hashtags\u00a0don\u2019t directly increase post views<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, hashtags help Instagram\u2019s algorithms understand content and make it more discoverable for users.<\/p>\n According to a post from Instagram’s creator community, Instagram captions with\u00a0relevant hashtags add context<\/a>\u00a0to your post.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to strike a balance, however. As Mosseri says in the above video, \u201cdon\u2019t do a ton\u201d of hashtags. They won\u2019t help and can look spammy.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of what not to do:<\/p>\n With that in mind, here are four tips for using Instagram hashtags meaningfully:<\/p>\n The caption vs. comments argument for hashtags has been going on for as long as Instagram has existed.<\/p>\n But even\u00a0Mosseri<\/a>\u00a0uses them in his captions:<\/p>\n Instagram is cracking down on users who recycle their content from other social media platforms.<\/p>\n Mosseri<\/a>\u00a0says Instagram will recommend Reels with watermarks and logos to users less often than ones without.<\/p>\n That\u2019s especially relevant given the rise of TikTok and the rivalry between the apps.<\/p>\n For example, here\u2019s what a\u00a0TikTok video<\/a>\u00a0shared on Instagram looks like:<\/p>\n They\u2019re usually lower quality and always have the TikTok logo and user\u2019s handle somewhere on the screen.<\/p>\n An Instagram spokesperson said in 2021 that the platform would\u00a0deemphasize watermarked content<\/a>\u00a0in recommendations.<\/p>\n Mosseri confirmed that using third-party tools to post a video is still allowed. But\u00a0any type of logo superimposed onto content will cause it to be down-ranked<\/strong>.<\/p>\n To avoid being penalized, upload your content directly to Instagram rather than copying from another social media platform.<\/p>\n Writing keyword-rich\u00a0alt text<\/a>\u00a0(alternative text) can help improve the performance of your posts.<\/p>\n Just like keywords in your profile and captions, Instagram uses this text to understand what an image is about and serve it to relevant users.<\/p>\n Alt text is used to describe your images and videos for people who use a screen reader to access Instagram. Including detailed descriptions helps with accessibility, and relevant keywords can help your SEO efforts.<\/p>\n To add alt text to the next photo you post, after you write a caption scroll down and select \u201cAdvanced settings<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Under\u00a0Accessibility<\/strong>, click \u201cWrite alt text<\/strong>,\u201d then add a photo description. Incorporate relevant keywords if they fit naturally.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re finished, click \u201cDone<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo IDs<\/strong>\u00a0do the same thing as alt text, but you include them as part of your captions (usually at the bottom).<\/p>\n Rather than using your alt text again, find another way of describing the image and use keywords here too.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of\u00a0Porter Airlines<\/a>\u00a0using a photo ID:<\/p>\n You should include both alt text and photo IDs wherever possible.<\/p>\n Here are six tips to make the most of your alt text and photo IDs:<\/p>\n Audience interaction is a significant ranking factor on Instagram. Posting when your followers are most active will boost your organic reach and engagement.<\/p>\n According to original research by\u00a0CoSchedule<\/a>, the best times, hours, and days for B2C businesses to post on Instagram are the following (in order):<\/p>\n The times for B2B are similar\u2014most activity happens around lunch or after work.<\/p>\n This is a starting point, not an exact formula. Luckily, you can use Semrush\u2019s\u00a0Social Media Toolkit<\/a>\u00a0to remove the guesswork and get the results you want.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Social Analytics tool<\/a>\u00a0shows how followers interact with your posts, and what time they\u2019re online.<\/p>\n This tool also tells you more about your audience\u2019s demographics, so you can cater content to them.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Social Tracker<\/a>, you can benchmark your performance against competitors. You can find their follower counts, posting schedules, and engagement stats like hashtag use, and then use similar tactics for your account.<\/p>\n With\u00a0Social Poster<\/a>, you have access to an\u00a0interactive calendar<\/a>\u00a0to plan out an entire year of Instagram posts.<\/p>\n Set the dates and times your audience is active, create drafts, and build a schedule of great content for your account.<\/p>\n Mosseri<\/a>\u00a0suggests two feed posts per week and two stories per day is ideal for building a following. But you may find that more (or less) works for your audience.<\/p>\n Posting valuable Instagram content consistently (and at the right times) is crucial for successful\u00a0social media management<\/a>.<\/p>\n Track Your Social Profiles<\/p>\n with the Social Media Toolkit<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Engaging with other accounts in your niche helps Instagram understand where yours fits in.<\/p>\n Similarly, engaging with your target audience encourages them to engage back, which helps with popularity signals.<\/p>\n Engagement is one of the most significant ranking factors for Instagram. And sticking to a niche is one of the best ways to build a dedicated following.<\/p>\n Micro- and nano-influencers are accounts with less than 60,000 and 10,000 followers, respectively. But they have much higher engagement rates because they have a more personal connection with their followers.<\/p>\n One study found\u00a0nano-influencers have high engagement rates<\/a>\u2014an average of 6%. That\u2019s 6 times the rate of macro-influencers.<\/p>\n That proves more followers aren\u2019t always necessary for better business. A small number of loyal customers can result in more consistent conversions.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why you should encourage all kinds of engagement on your posts\u2014including comments, saves, likes, and shares\u2014to build up a community.<\/p>\n Here are a few tips to help improve your engagement rate:<\/p>\nWhy Should You Use SEO on Instagram?<\/h2>\n
Top Instagram Ranking Factors to Consider<\/h2>\n
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Search Text<\/h3>\n
User Activity<\/h3>\n
Popularity Signals<\/h3>\n
6 Instagram SEO Tactics to Boost Your Visibility<\/h2>\n
1. Use Specific Keywords to Help Your Instagram SEO Ranking<\/h3>\n
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2. Use 3-5 Relevant Hashtags in Your Captions<\/h3>\n
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3. Avoid Watermarks and Logos on Instagram Reels<\/h3>\n
4. Leverage Instagram Alt Text<\/h3>\n
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5. Find the Right Days and Times to Post<\/h3>\n
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6. Encourage Engagement by Engaging Yourself<\/h3>\n
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