Boost Visibility With These Instagram SEO Tips

January 28, 2022

Does it feel like your account is buried on Instagram, rarely attracting new viewers or followers? The problem might come down to your Instagram search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. You likely know that you need SEO to help your website reach viewers in the search results but might not realize it can help you on Instagram as well. However, you can’t incorporate the same strategy on Instagram that you use for Google. Check out some Instagram SEO tips that will help you reach massive numbers of people.
 

Find Keywords 

Person Using Macbook AirWhile SEO for Instagram differs from SEO for Google, it still starts with keywords. Instagram uses keywords to order and rank posts, so if you want to increase your reach, you need to begin with the right keywords. If you aren’t experienced at keyword research, don’t worry. There are numerous tools available that you can use to find the best keywords for your page. Use the tools to find primary and secondary keywords, as well as hashtags. 

If you don’t want to use a tool, you can visit Instagram pages in your niche. Browse the accounts to find out which keywords they use. You can use that as a starting point for finding your own keywords.  
 

Make Your Profile SEO-friendly

high angle photo of person holding turned on smartphone with tall buildings backgroundYou can improve your visibility quickly by optimizing your Instagram profile. Adding the right keywords to your profile will help you reach people on the Instagram Explore page and in the search results.

Start by optimizing the “Name” field in your profile. Add a primary keyword related to your business. For instance, if you’re a digital marketer, you would add something related to marketing. Then, if people search for that key phrase, they’ll see your account.

Next, add secondary keywords and hashtags to your bio. Instagram crawls bios, pulling out relevant information. Including keywords and hashtags will help Instagram’s bots understand your page. Then, you will show up in the search results and Instagram Explore page.  
 

Add Keywords to Your Captions

You know that your captions need to be engaging so your audience interacts with your posts. What you might not realize is they also need to be SEO-friendly. Include keywords in all of your captions while avoiding keyword stuffing. The keywords should flow naturally, so you’ll get the best results. Also, switch up the keywords you use to expand your reach. Your followers search for an assortment of keywords related to your page. If you only use one or two keywords, you’ll miss out on lots of traffic. 
 

Add Captions to Your Photos

person holding black iPhone 7Instagram has been working on improving the experience for visually impaired users. To ensure that all users can enjoy the site, it includes alt-text on all photos. The site automatically adds this for you, but you can edit it to include your own keywords. Click on “Advanced Settings” before uploading a photo. Then, go to “Write Your Alt Text” and add your own text. Add keywords that explain what your picture is, and then upload it. Instagram will see the keywords when crawling your page, giving you yet another SEO boost. 
 

Use Hashtags With Keywords

You should also include hashtags in your captions. Create hashtags based on the keywords you selected. Both hashtags and keywords are searchable, so this will give you yet another SEO boost. Mix up your hashtags to optimize your reach
 

Get Photo Tags and Mentions

white Android smartphone near green plantIf you have ever optimized a website for search engines, you know the importance of inbound links. Google and other search engines prioritize websites that have inbound links from high-quality sites. These links are like a vote of confidence that your website is worth visiting, so search engines reward you. Think of photo tags and mentions as Instagram’s form of inbound links. The social network will reward you if you get a lot of these. It views them as recommendations for your page, so you will reach more people. 

Don’t be afraid to ask people to tag you in their photos when they’re related to your page. Also, you can run contests that people enter by tagging or mentioning your account. Finally, creating killer content will help you get more tags and mentions. When you add all three together, you can move up in the search results. 
 

Don’t Use Black Hat Instagram SEO Techniques

You need to follow white hat SEO strategies on Instagram. If you use any black hat strategies, you could end up with a shadowban. Black hat strategies include stealing content, keyword stuffing, following too many accounts at once, and using bots. Make sure your content is original, and you use a reasonable number of keywords and slowly follow accounts. Also, instead of using bots, buy real Instagram likes from a reputable source. You can then improve your engagement and reach without getting a shadowban.
 

Monitor Your Analytics

person using Android smartphoneThere isn’t an exact science to SEO. You might find what you think are the best keywords, only to discover that your followers aren’t searching for them. You also might make a minor mistake that prevents you from getting more reach. Track your analytics, so you can find out how your SEO campaign is performing. Then, make adjustments as necessary. The best SEO strategies are constantly evolving. Keep track of everything, and don’t be afraid to make changes. With the right changes, you can increase your reach month after month. 
 

Boost Your SEO Strategy Today

These tips will help you extend your reach to more people on Instagram. As you get to more people, your followers and engagement levels should increase as well. Just remember to track your progress and make changes so you can continue to expand your audience. Also, pay attention to your page’s engagement levels when monitoring the analytics. You can help your engagement levels by purchasing real Instagram followers. That will increase your reach and engagement even more and help your organic results as well.


Click here to learn more about digital marketing strategies for financial services. 

⟵ Back to blog