Instagram SEO Tips and Tricks
Why Instagram SEO Matters
Instagram is not just a social platform anymore, it is a search engine. People look for restaurants, contractors, boutiques, and local events on Instagram the same way they search on Google. If your business is not optimized, you risk being invisible to potential customers.
“Social media is today’s search engine. If they cannot find you, they cannot hire you.”
Good Instagram SEO helps you:
• Appear in Explore Page results and searches
• Reach more people without relying only on paid ads
• Position your brand as credible, professional, and easy to discover
How to Find the Right Keywords
Keywords are the words and phrases your potential customers type into Instagram’s search bar. Examples: “Roselle bakery,” “stamped concrete patio,” or “Chicago photographer.”
How to identify them:
Use the search bar. Start typing and pay attention to Instagram’s autofill suggestions. These are real terms people are searching.
Research competitors. See what keywords appear often in their bios, captions, and hashtags.
Focus on local SEO. Add city or neighborhood names to your service keywords, such as “paving company Roselle” or “Chicago suburbs paving.”
Borrow from Google. If people search it on Google, they are likely using similar terms on Instagram.
“If your customer types it, you should write it.”
Where to Place Keywords on Instagram
To make keywords work, place them in the right spots:
• Handle and name. Include your service or niche in your profile name such as “Fortis Paving | Driveways and Patios.”
• Bio. Write a short description with location and services such as “Stamped concrete and asphalt in the Chicago suburbs.”
• Captions. Use keywords naturally. Instead of “new driveway,” write “new concrete driveway poured in Roselle, Illinois.”
• Alt text. Customize Instagram’s alt text feature to include descriptive keywords.
• Hashtags. Mix broad terms like #ConcreteDriveway with local tags like #RoselleIL and #ChicagoSuburbs.
“Hashtags are highways, keywords are the signs that get you there.”
Quick Tips to Boost Instagram SEO
• Stay consistent with posting and keyword use
• Use stories and highlights since Instagram indexes them too
• Keep content high quality to drive engagement and visibility
• Treat every post like a landing page for your business
“Good content gets likes. Optimized content gets found.”
Why This Matters for Your Business
Instagram SEO is one of the most important tools for business visibility. Customers in 2025 are searching on Instagram before they call, book, or visit. Whether you run a restaurant, a construction company, or a boutique, your Instagram profile is your digital storefront. Optimizing your bio, captions, and content with the right keywords makes it easier for customers to find you, trust you, and choose you.
Lumi Creative Media specializes in building strong, optimized social media that gets results.
