Are you frustrated by the ever-changing landscape of social media? Are the algorithm changes making you feel lost? As changes arise, consistency is key.
If you’re looking to improve your reach on Instagram, you need to start thinking about Instagram SEO. Just like with Google or any other search engine, there are specific tactics you can use to help improve your rankings and visibility.
In this article, I’ll show you how to optimize your profile and content for better search engine visibility. Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to reaching a larger audience on Instagram.
What Is Instagram SEO?
Instagram SEO is the process of optimizing your profile and content to increase your visibility in search engines. This can be done by using specific keywords, hashtags, and other strategies that we will cover in this article. By optimizing your account for SEO, you will be able to reach a larger audience and grow your following on Instagram.
There are two types of SEO that you need to be aware of when it comes to Instagram: on-page and off-page.
On-page SEO refers to the optimizations that you can do on your own account, such as using keywords in your bio or captioning your photos with relevant hashtags. Off-page SEO, on the other hand, refers to the things that you can do outside of your account to improve your SEO, such as building links from other websites.
Both on-page and off-page SEO are important for growing your Instagram following. In this article, we will focus on on-page SEO tactics that you can use to optimize your account and content.
Instagram SEO vs. Search Engine SEO
Before we dive into the specific tactics that you can use to improve your Instagram SEO, it’s important to understand the difference between search engine SEO and Instagram SEO.
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engines. This can include using specific keywords on your website and in your content, as well as building links from other websites.
Here’s something to remember, though. Search engines like Google search all websites, including social media platforms. That means that when people are searching for the kinds of things you are posting about, Google may crawl your social media pages, too and pull results from there.
Instagram SEO is the process of optimizing your profile and content to rank higher in the Instagram search engine. This can be done by using specific keywords in your bio and captioning your photos with relevant hashtags. Just like with regular SEO, Instagram SEO is all about using the right keywords to help improve your visibility.
Instagram allows users to search for words, phrases, profiles, and hashtags. Being able to search by interest broadens your opportunities as a consumer of Instagram, allowing you to dive in and explore topics of interest without the limitations of specific hashtags. Users can search for topics or by interest, just as you would on Google.
To start, find the magnifying glass icon on your desktop interface or mobile app. That’s where you’ll type in your topic of interest. Let’s look at how it works.
Now the fun begins. You can start clicking around to find more ideas.
You can click on more ideas and dive down that rabbit hole, where Instagram and Instagram content creators hope you’ll stay for a while.
As we mentioned above, Google crawls Instagram and other social media sites like any other website. This is especially true for profiles or usernames. When people search for your brand on Google, your social media pages are likely to come up. So make sure that your username mirrors your brand name closely.
Here’s an example, using Google to search for fiddle leaf figs on Instagram. Of course, to get Instagram in the top results, we had to use the word “Instagram” in the search, but it shows you the power of having your top keyword in your username and bio.
When you are creating content to be optimized to Instagram’s search features, you may also want to think about how Google is analyzing that content, to get better traffic, whether customers are using the internal search on Instagram or Google.
Why Is Instagram SEO Important?
Instagram SEO is important because it can help you reach a larger audience and grow your following. By optimizing your account and content for search engines, you will be able to improve your visibility and attract more followers. As you go through the time and effort to create your Instagram posts, you want to make sure that you’re getting the most engagement and ROI on each of them.
There are two main benefits of improving your Instagram SEO:
- Reach a larger audience: By ranking higher in the search engines, you will be able to reach a larger audience. This is because more people will see your content when they search for specific keywords or hashtags.
- Grow your following: When you reach a larger audience, you will also be more likely to grow your following. As more people see your content, some of them will decide to follow you. Over time, this can lead to significant growth in your following.
While there are other benefits of Instagram SEO, these are two of the most important ones. If you’re looking to reach a larger audience and grow your following, then you need to focus on optimizing your account and content for the search engines.
Why Should You Care About Instagram SEO?
Now that you know a little bit about Instagram SEO, you might be wondering why you should bother with it. After all, isn’t it enough to just post great content and hope that people see it?
The answer is no. Just because you’re posting great content doesn’t mean that people will see it. In fact, most of your content is probably not being seen by anyone except for your most loyal followers.
If you want people to see your content, then you need to make sure that it’s optimized for the search engines. This is where Instagram SEO comes in. By optimizing your account and content for the search engines, you will be able to improve your visibility and reach a larger audience.
Instagram is a competitive platform, and if you want to be successful, you need to do everything you can to stand out from the crowd. Optimizing your account for the search engines is one of the best ways to do this.
Best Practices for Improving Your Instagram SEO
Let’s take a look at some best practices for improving your reach. Here are nine tips for improving your Instagram SEO.
*Note: You will notice that some of these tactics are similar to regular SEO tactics. That’s because they are! The same principles that apply to SEO also apply to Instagram SEO.
1.Optimize for Search By Interest
The first step to take is understanding what your target market is interested in. What are they searching for on Instagram? It’s important to optimize your profile with relevant keywords in your bio. Your bio is one of the first things that people see when they visit your profile, so it’s important to make a good impression.
The images below show how a user can search by interest in two ways. The first image shows the top accounts based on the keyword. The second image shows the top posts for that keyword.
When writing your bio, be sure to include relevant keywords that describe what you do and who you are. For example, if you’re a photographer, you might use keywords such as “photographer” or “photo tips.”
Including relevant keywords in your bio will help you rank higher in the search engines and attract more followers.
You should also use the correct Instagram hashtags to target a larger audience that is interested in your product or service. When you use relevant hashtags in your posts, you’re more likely to show up in the search results when people search for those hashtags.
For example, if you use the hashtag #photography, you’ll be more likely to show up in the search results when someone searches for that term. Including relevant hashtags in your posts is a great way to improve your visibility and attract more followers.
You can also use those same keywords in your caption. Just like your bio, your captions are another great place to include relevant keywords. When you use keywords in your captions, you’re more likely to show up in the search results when people search for those keywords.
For example, if you’re a photographer, you might use keywords such as “photo tips” or “how to take better photos.”
Including relevant keywords in your captions is a great way to improve your visibility and reach a larger audience.
2. Be Consistent
When it comes to Instagram SEO, one of the most important things you can do is be consistent. It’s important to post regularly and maintain a consistent posting schedule.
If you’re inconsistent with your posting, you’re more likely to lose followers. People will unfollow you if they see that you’re not posting regularly.
It’s also important to maintain a consistent theme with your posts. Your posts should all be related to a certain topic or niche. For example, if you’re a photographer, all of your posts should be about photography. The image below showcases a beautifully curated profile that is both on brand and consistent with photography.
If you post about a variety of topics, it will be more difficult for people to understand what your account is about. It’s important to focus on one niche and maintain a consistent theme with your posts.
Being consistent with your posting schedule and maintaining a consistent theme will help you attract more followers and improve your visibility.
3. Be On Brand
When you’re creating content for your Instagram account, it’s important to be on brand. All of your posts should reflect your brand’s values and message. Note that this applies across platforms. Whether someone sees your website, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, there should be a uniform look and feel.
Your posts should be visually consistent with your brand. Here are some examples:
- If you have a very colorful brand, all of your posts should be colorful.
- If you have a more minimalistic brand, your posts should be minimal.
- You should have a set of brand colors to insert consistently across all images.
- If you enjoy using a filter, use that filter on every image for a consistent look.
Your posts should also reflect your brand’s voice. Here are some examples:
- If your brand is very formal, your posts should be formal.
- If your brand is more casual, your posts can be more casual.
- Your captions should sound consistent across every post.
- Use the same hashtags throughout your account for consistency.
It’s important to make sure that all of your content is on brand. When you’re on brand, you’re more likely to attract followers who are interested in your brand.Users are attracted to brands that encompass the look and feel of whatever it is they’re selling. If you’re a makeup artist but don’t have any pictures of your clients, how would anyone know what your service looks like? Representing what you sell and who you are as a business is key to getting people to trust you.
Being on brand will also help you rank higher in the search results. When you’re consistent with your branding, it’s easier for people to find you when they’re searching for keywords related to your brand.
If you’re not sure how to be on brand, take a look at your competitors. See how they’re creating content and try to emulate their style. Being on brand is a great way to improve your visibility and attract more followers.
4. Be Thorough in Your Captions
Your social media captions are another great place to include relevant keywords. When you use keywords in your captions, you’re more likely to show up in the search results when people search for those keywords.
It’s important to be thorough in your captions and include as many relevant keywords as possible. However, you don’t want to stuff your captions with keywords.
If you stuff your captions with keywords, it will be difficult to read, and people will be less likely to engage with your content. You want to strike a balance between including relevant keywords and making your caption readable and natural.
5. Be a Real Person
All the tips and tricks aside, search engines are constantly working to be more human. And the more human you can be, the better. Some of the best tips for social media SEO include just being authentic, natural, and just showing up a lot. Keep the “social” in social media and be kind. The quickest way to get hidden or pushed down the algorithm is to just have poor etiquette on these types of platforms.
People are more likely to follow an account that feels personal and relatable. If you can show that there’s a real person behind your account, you’re more likely to attract followers.
6. Use Tools to Improve Your Instagram SEO
There are a few tools that you can use to help improve your Instagram SEO. Using these tools will help you find the right keywords to use, track your progress, and measure your success.
To really up your Instagram SEO game, you may want to explore the number of Instagram analytics tools and other programs that can help you learn how your Instagram strategy is working. Here are just a few to get you started.
- Iconosquare: A powerful scheduling tool that provides real-time analytics on how your content is promoted, as well as competitor and industry data to help you post well.
- Hashtags for Likes: A tool to research and uncover the best hashtags for your content.
- Plann: Integrating design tools like Canva, this tool lets you create, post, and monitor all in one place so you can keep an eye on how your Instagram strategy is working.
Using tools to track your progress is a great way to ensure that you’re making the most of Instagram for your business.
7. Take Advantage of User Interaction
User interaction is a great way to build relationships with your followers and get people talking about your brand. If you can take advantage of user interaction, you’re more likely to attract followers and grow your business.
One way to take advantage of user interaction is to run giveaways. Giveaways are a great way to engage with your followers and get people talking about your brand.
Another way to take advantage of user interaction is to create polls. Polls are a great way to get feedback from your followers and learn more about your audience.
By taking advantage of user interaction, you can build relationships with your followers, get feedback from them, and learn more about your audience.
8. Have A Measurement Strategy In Place
When you’re trying to improve your Instagram SEO, it’s important to have a social media measurement strategy in place. You need to be able to track your progress and measure your success. Different metrics may be more important based on the goals of your Instagram page.
One way to measure your success is by tracking your engagement. Engagement includes likes, comments, and shares.
You can also track your reach. Reach is the number of people who see your content.
Another way to measure your success is by tracking your traffic. Traffic is the number of people who visit your website from Instagram.
You can also track conversions. Conversions are the number of people who take a desired action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.
By tracking your progress, you can see what’s working and what’s not. This will help you adjust your strategy and continue to grow your business.
Here are some helpful tools to better understand your Instagram analytics:
9. Don’t Forget The Basics
Even though Instagram is a visual platform, don’t forget the basics of internet presence.
Be sure that your copy is spelling and typo-free. Errors look messy and unprofessional.
Instagram is a visual platform. So it’s important for your images to be relevant and high-quality. A user should have a good understanding of what your business does simply by looking at your profile gallery.
Be sure you are keeping all of the links in your profile up to date. The last thing you want is for someone to click on your profile link and find an error message.
As much as SEO is important, if the people who are on your profile leave because of errors, low quality images, and broken links, you’ll lose credibility and your efforts could go to waste.
Conclusion
SEO is a key part of your entire content strategy. They are interrelated and critical in our ever-growing digital world, and that doesn’t stop with your website and your blog. Instagram SEO and all other social media platforms you are using consistently should also be part of this equation.
How are you planning to create captions that are more searchable for your customer base?
