Your Instagram Posts Can Now Be Found on Google: What This Means for Small Business Owners
Big news for small business owners using Instagram to build their brand – and it might just change your visibility game completely.
As of 10 July 2025, Instagram and Google have partnered up in a way we’ve never seen before. Public content from professional Instagram accounts is now eligible to appear in Google search results.
So, what does this mean? And more importantly – what do you need to do to make the most of it (without spending hours stuck in your phone)?
Let’s break it down in true Jenn Donovan style – friendly, simple, and full of practical gold.
What’s Happened?
If you’re running a professional Instagram account, and your posts are set to public (which most business accounts are), your content – including images, Reels, videos and carousels – can now show up when someone Googles something relevant to your niche, products, services, or even location.
No app needed. No follower relationship required. Just… boom – you’re on Google.
And no, this isn’t something you need to switch on. It’s opt-in by default – meaning it’s already happening unless you actively opt out in your settings.
Why This Matters for Your Biz
Let’s be honest – getting seen online is half the battle in small business. You’re competing with algorithms, attention spans, and content overload.
This new change? It opens the door to a whole new audience of people who use Google to find answers, inspiration, products, and services – but might never have looked for you on Instagram.
Instead of your content being limited to your followers or those who stumble across it on the app, it can now be found through a regular old Google search.
This is huge for discoverability – especially if you don’t blog regularly or have strong SEO built into your website.
The Bright Side (Pros)
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Free exposure on Google without needing extra content.
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Greater reach outside your follower bubble.
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Extended lifespan for your content (no more disappearing into the feed after 24 hours).
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Better visibility in local search results, if you use location tags and keywords.
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A chance to compete with bigger players, simply by showing up where your customers are searching.
The Not-So-Fabulous Bits (Cons)
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Old or off-brand posts might resurface in search – time for a tidy-up?
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Captions now matter more than ever. You’ll want to start thinking like a copywriter and an SEO expert (or just get help from one!).
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More eyeballs = more pressure – is your feed ready to represent your brand at a glance?
Instagram & Google Visibility Checklist
Here’s a quick checklist to help you make the most of this change:
| ✔ | Action |
|---|---|
| ☐ | Audit your feed: Archive anything that no longer aligns with your brand. |
| ☐ | Refresh your Instagram bio: Clearly state who you are, what you do, and where you’re based. |
| ☐ | Add location tags to your posts if you serve a specific area. |
| ☐ | Use keywords in your captions – naturally! Think like your ideal customer. |
| ☐ | Add alt text to your images to support search engines and accessibility. |
| ☐ | Optimise your name field and handle for searchability. |
| ☐ | Include clear calls-to-action on your posts (e.g., “Follow for more tips”, “Visit the link in bio”). |
| ☐ | Plan new content with both Instagram and Google in mind. |
| ☐ | Test your visibility – Google your Instagram handle or post topics to see what’s coming up. |
| ☐ | Don’t panic – plan! Start with small steps and adjust your strategy over time. |
Want to Dive Deeper?
In this week’s episode of the Small Business Made Simple Podcast, I chat all about this new update – what it means, how to navigate the pros and cons, and how to tweak your Instagram strategy without losing your mind (or your day!).
So if you’re wondering:
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Will this bring me more followers?
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What do I need to change, really?
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Is this actually a good thing for small business?
…then this episode is for you.
👉 Click here to listen to Episode 353 now
(or find “Small Business Made Simple” wherever you get your podcasts)
Final Thought + Call to Action
You’re already creating great content. Now, it just has the chance to go out and work overtime for you – finding new audiences, building trust, and even driving more traffic to your website. That’s what visibility is all about.
And the best part? You don’t need a whole new strategy – just a few smart tweaks.
Make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast so you never miss an episode, and bookmark this blog so you can pop back each week for more practical, no-fluff marketing advice made simple.
Until next time – remember, small business peep – there’s no point in dreaming small.
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