Instagram Expands Google Access to Public Posts in More Regions, Boosting Creator Visibility
July 18, 2025 — Instagram has announced an expansion of its policy allowing public posts from professional accounts to be indexed by Google and other search engines, effective July 10, 2025. This change, which builds on a practice already in place in many regions, enables photos, videos, carousels, and Reels from Business and Creator accounts (operated by users over 18) to appear in organic search results, enhancing discoverability beyond the Instagram platform.
The update, first signaled by in-app notifications to users, applies only to public professional accounts and includes content posted since January 1, 2020. Instagram’s shift moves away from its historically closed ecosystem, where content was largely confined to the app due to robots.txt restrictions. Now, eligible posts can appear alongside YouTube videos, news articles, and blog posts in Google search results, offering brands and creators a new channel for organic traffic.
“This is a game-changer for Instagram SEO,” noted marketing expert Diya Singh on X, emphasizing the potential for businesses to reach audiences without relying solely on Instagram’s algorithm. Posts on X, such as those from @socialmedia2day and @afaqs, highlight the update’s significance for content discovery, with some users like @CeartasDMCA urging creators to audit their content and adjust privacy settings to maintain control.
Users can opt out by navigating to Settings > Privacy and toggling off “Allow public photos and videos to appear in search engine results” or by switching to a personal or private account. Instagram warns that search engines may take time to re-index content, meaning posts could linger in results even after opting out. For those embracing the change, experts recommend optimizing captions with keywords, using descriptive alt text, and aligning hashtags with search terms to boost visibility.
The rollout, already active in regions like Italy (where Instagram appears for over 669,000 keywords), is now reaching additional markets, though Instagram has not specified which ones. While some X users expressed privacy concerns, others see it as a “golden opportunity” for travel, retail, and lifestyle brands to integrate social media and SEO strategies.
Join the conversation on X to share your thoughts on Instagram’s expanded Google indexing.