In July 2025, Meta surprised everyone by announcing that professional and public Instagram posts would now be indexed by search engines (Google, Bing, etc.). In other words, an Instagram post can now appear among the top results of an online search for a relevant keyword. This is a major turning point for local businesses, particularly restaurants, as Instagram is known to be the most “foodie” social network of all. This evolution makes Instagram a new tool in the natural search engine optimization (SEO) for restaurants. It brings a host of new opportunities, but also involves adopting new practices to make the most of it.

In this article, we explain how Instagram's SEO works on Google, how to optimize your Instagram pages and posts to benefit from it, and what best practices to implement to attract more customers with this new feature. Analysis.

Instagram and SEO: how does it work?

For your Instagram content to appear on Google, it must first be read and indexed by search engines. This process, called indexing, is constantly evolving with the changing digital landscape. In 2025, it follows a key trend: more and more internet users are using social media as a search engine. According to recent studies, nearly one in four users now prefers social media as their primary source of online search, and this proportion nearly reaches one in two among Generation Z. It's no surprise that Google is adapting by integrating Instagram content into its results!

In practical terms, since July 10, 2025, Google's algorithms can “crawl” (analyze) the public content of Instagram: photos, carousels, and Reels are eligible for indexing. Your professional Instagram posts can therefore appear in Google searches, including relevant local searches for your establishment, or show up in Google Images.

However, there are important technical limits: search engines cannot read the visual content of an image or video itself (except for textual elements like potential subtitles). The SEO of Instagram therefore mainly relies on text and the structure associated with visual content: the post caption, hashtags, potential titles or subtitles, location tags, etc., are all elements that Google can interpret. Conversely, Stories, private messages, and comments are not indexed (however, likes and comments contribute to a post's popularity, which can indirectly improve its visibility).

It is important to note that certain conditions must be met for your Instagram posts to be indexed by Google. According to the criteria announced by Meta:

• Photos and videos must have been published after January 1, 2020. (In other words, older content is not affected.)

• The account holder must be over 18 years old.

• The Instagram account must be public.

• The account must be a professional or creator account (business account).

If your account is not yet professional, now is the time to switch it to business mode to take advantage of this increased visibility. Note that indexing of Instagram content is enabled by default if you meet these conditions (it is still possible to disable this option in privacy settings, but that would mean missing out on a significant advantage in terms of SEO).

Why can Instagram boost your restaurant's SEO?

What advantages can your restaurant gain from the indexing of Instagram posts on Google? Here are the main reasons why this feature is a true opportunity for restaurants:

1. Your content gains visibility (and potentially customers).

Historically, Instagram was a relatively closed ecosystem: no ability to integrate links in posts, content not visible outside the platform, users needed to follow you to see your posts regularly… In short, increasing your visibility on Instagram required time and some tricks. Now, indexing changes the game: your Instagram posts can reach an audience well beyond your current followers. An internet user who doesn’t know you and searches for “brunch restaurant Lyon” on Google could come across one of your appetizing Instagram photos in the results. As a result, you can gain new followers more easily – and among them, potential future customers for your establishment.

2. Your Instagram posts live longer.

Until now, the lifespan of a post on Instagram was relatively short (a few days of engagement, then it vanished into the feed). With its appearance on Google, content you published months or years ago could resurface and find a second life. If you’ve been maintaining your restaurant's Instagram account since at least January 2020, your longevity works in your favor: this content history gives you a certain authority, much like a well-optimized older website accumulates credibility. Particularly if some of your past posts were very successful (lots of likes, comments, shares), there’s a good chance they’ll rank well in search engines. Your past investment in Instagram continues to pay off over the long term.

3. A multiplier effect with your digital ecosystem.

The indexing of Instagram on Google is part of a broader trend: that of global local SEO. The more digital communication channels you activate, the more results you will achieve in terms of online visibility. In other words, Instagram complements an ecosystem that already includes your website, your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), online customer reviews, possibly other social networks, etc. By maintaining all these channels coherently, you maximize the impact of each (sometimes referred to as an omnichannel strategy). For example, a well-optimized Google profile coupled with an active and now indexed Instagram account will ensure that, during a local search, the internet user sees both your business profile (with address, hours, reviews) and perhaps an appealing Instagram post. This convergence increases your chances of attracting clicks and, ultimately, customers to your restaurant. We can also bet that other platforms will follow suit: why not index TikTok content soon? Restaurants that get ahead on all these digital fronts will have an edge in attracting online attention.

10 tips to optimize your Instagram posts for Google

Automatic indexing does not guarantee that your posts will rank at the top of the results. Just like for the SEO of a website, you will need to optimize your Instagram content to maximize your chances. Here are 10 best practices and tips to implement right now on your restaurant's Instagram accounts:

1. Assess your current visibility.

   
   

   Before changing anything, start by evaluating the performance of your (or your) Instagram account(s).

   What is your average engagement rate?

   What types of posts work best?

   Have you recently gained followers thanks to specific content?

   
   

   Also take time to look at where your competitors stand on Instagram. Our initial audit will help you identify your weaknesses and strengths, so you can focus your optimization efforts where they're needed most.

   
   

2. Maintain a consistent identity (especially for groups).

   
   

   If you manage several establishments or a franchise, ensure all your Instagram accounts share a consistent editorial line.

   Same brand name (or very similar), same communication tone, harmonized visuals… and ideally, common keywords related to your offer.

   For example, if you have three pizzerias in different cities, make sure to use similar terms to describe your specialties in each bio or post (#NeapolitanPizza, #WoodFired, etc.). This uniformity helps algorithms quickly grasp your area of business and universe.

   
   

   However, be careful with content duplication: avoid copying and pasting text from your website or brochure into your Instagram captions to prevent creating duplicate content that SEO doesn’t appreciate. Take inspiration from it, yes, but rephrase it in your own words for each post.

   
   

3. Optimize your Instagram bio.

   
   

   Think of your Instagram profile biography as an SEO homepage. It is often the first (or even the only) thing that some internet users arriving from Google will see, and it is one of the elements that search engines read to understand who you are.

   Use this strategic space to clearly describe your establishment by including your main keywords:

   • Type of cuisine, specialties, neighborhood or city, unique features (e.g. gourmet burger, sunny terrace, vegan option, free parking…)

   • Your hours

   • And don’t forget a link to your booking system, website, or online menu – Instagram allows you to include a clickable link in the bio.

     
     

     A well-filled bio can significantly improve your relevance for certain queries (like organic Italian restaurant Bordeaux, for example).

     
     

     If you have several links to share (reservation, menu, delivery…), use tools like Linktree or Beacons to create a single link to a multi-link page. These additional links won’t directly contribute to SEO for Google, but they offer a path for converted visitors to learn more or take action, while strengthening the overall ecosystem of your online presence.

   
   

4. Prioritize high-performing publication formats.

   
   

   Not all Instagram posts are created equal, both to the Instagram algorithm and in terms of appeal to Google.

   
   

   Currently, Reels (short videos) and Carousels (multiple images) are the formats generating the most engagement on Instagram – they are highlighted by the platform, thus reaching more users.

   Moreover, a popular post has a greater chance of being well-positioned in Google results. Using these “favorite” formats is therefore an indirect SEO lever.

   
   

   Additionally, they offer intrinsic advantages for SEO: a carousel allows you to develop content through multiple visuals and texts, creating a rich and thematic post (which Google particularly appreciates, as it provides context and varied keywords around a single subject).

   
   

   A Reel with subtitles (embedded text or captions) is doubly interesting: it captures users' attention on Instagram and provides Google with text to index (the subtitles being readable, just like the description of the Reel).

   
   

   In summary, to improve the popularity and readability of your posts, focus on these dynamic formats. For instance, instead of just one photo of your new dish, why not create a carousel “zoom on our homemade desserts” with 5 photos and descriptions, or a chef interview Reel in the kitchen with subtitles?

   
   

5. Add location to each of your posts.

   
   

   Local SEO is crucial for a restaurant, and Instagram offers a simple tool to work on it: location tagging. With each publication, remember to tag the place (city, neighborhood, or specific location) associated with your content.

   
   

   For example, if you post a photo of one of your dishes in your Paris establishment, geotag it with Paris or YourRestaurant – Paris 5th. These geotags clearly inform Google of the geographical area relevant to your content. Thus, for a search like “best brunch Bordeaux”, a post with “Bordeaux” as the location will carry more weight.

   
   

   For very competitive localized keywords (e.g. pizza Lyon, cocktail bar Marseille), it's a small bonus that can make a difference in reinforcing the local relevance of your post.

   
   

6. Enhance the text of your captions (without over-optimization).

   
   

   On Instagram, the caption accompanying your visual is no longer just there to amuse your followers—it’s also text that Google will analyze. Therefore, it’s advisable to naturally include relevant keywords in your captions. For example, instead of a vague caption like “Sunday vibes 🌞🍹”, you could write “Sunday brunch on the terrace: homemade pancakes and vitamin-packed cocktails on the menu!”. This way, you gain keywords like Sunday brunch, terrace, homemade pancakes, cocktails… that better match user searches. Nevertheless, remember to stay natural and centered on the user experience: a caption should primarily engage and entice (to like, comment, or visit you…). Don’t fall into the trap of keyword stuffing by piling up a tedious list of SEO terms. There’s no need to repeat “Italian restaurant Paris” ten times or to cram all the dishes on your menu into the same caption! Stick to 2 or 3 main keywords, and write a coherent and pleasant text to read. In short, write your captions for humans while keeping Google in mind.

   
   

7. Use relevant and moderate hashtags.

   
   

   Hashtags on Instagram function like clickable keywords, and now they also serve as indicators for SEO.

   
   

   Use them strategically: integrate 2 to 5 hashtags per post, choosing terms directly related to your post and your activity.

   For example, for a special sushi photo on your menu in Paris, hashtags like #sushitime, #sushiparis, #japaneseRestaurant will offer more value than overly generic tags like #food or #yummy.

   
   

   A hyper-popular but vague hashtag doesn’t really enhance your targeted visibility (there’s too much content, and it doesn’t teach Google anything specific about you).

   Prefer longer and more descriptive long-tail hashtags (location, type of cuisine, signature dish name…).

   Also, avoid mixing unrelated hashtags in the same post: focus on one theme per publication.

   
   

   This thematic coherence, from hashtags to visual and textual content, will reinforce the algorithm's understanding of your posts.

   
   

8. Create content that answers internet users' questions.

   
   

   A clever way to attract traffic from Google is to align some of your Instagram posts with frequent queries.

   
   

   Think about the questions that your clients or prospects ask, and turn them into content. For example: “How to choose a wine to pair with cheese?”, “The 5 secret ingredients of our beef bourguignon”, “What dessert to offer for Valentine’s Day?”.

   
   

   A carousel can very well become a mini-practical guide that answers a given question, slide by slide. This type of post has a good chance of showing up when a user asks the same question on Google.

   To find inspiration, feel free to use Google yourself: type in a keyword related to your restaurant (e.g. Lebanese cuisine Toulouse) and look at the sections “Frequently Asked Questions” or “Other Suggested Questions” by the engine. You will see what people are searching for around this topic (e.g. “What is the best Lebanese specialty?”, “Popular vegetarian Lebanese dish”, etc.).

   
   

   These insights can enrich your ideas for “SEO-friendly” posts. By creating content that provides real added value (answering a question, giving advice, sharing the story of a dish…), you not only please the algorithm, but you also strengthen engagement and loyalty within your community.

   
   

9. Use alternative text (alt text) for your images and videos.

   
   

   The alternative text is a descriptive field often overlooked on Instagram, but extremely useful. It is originally an accessibility feature – allowing a description of an image for visually impaired individuals or in case of loading issues. However, this same text also serves search engines to understand visual content!

   
   

   Instagram allows you to manually add alternative text to each photo/video (through Advanced Settings at the time of publication). Take advantage of it!

   If you don’t use this field, Instagram automatically generates a basic alt text, not always optimized. It is better to personalize this description with your keywords. For example, instead of leaving “Image may contain: 1 person, food”, you can write “Server presenting a gourmet vegan burger at restaurant X, Paris”.

   
   

   This type of description, rich in relevant details, will help Google to better index your image in appropriate results (including in Google Images).

   Moreover, if you upload your visuals from your phone or computer, remember to rename the image/video file with keywords before sending it to Instagram. A file named pizza-margherita-napoli.jpg will have more impact than an obscure IMG_8356.jpg. It's a small effort up front, invisible to users, but that counts for your SEO.

   
   

   In summary, treat your Insta images just like those on your website: give them a descriptive and useful alt tag (or filename).

   
   

10. Post regularly and highlight your past content.

    
    

    In social networks (as in SEO), regularity often translates to success. It’s better to publish at a modest but consistent rate (for example, 2 to 3 times a week) rather than sporadically.

    
    

    An active and updated account sends a positive signal – both to your followers and to the algorithm. It indicates that your establishment is dynamic, responsive to its community, and multiplies opportunities to appear on Google (more posts, hence potentially more doors leading to you).

    Additionally, take a look back: identify your best past posts (those that generated the most engagement). These gems can still work for you.

    
    

    Check if some of these posts are already showing up on Google by typing associated keywords. If not, you can try to optimize them retroactively: add a location tag if it was missing, slightly edit the caption to include an important missing keyword, or even republish the visual in an updated form (a throwback in the story, a repost in a “Our Must-Haves” carousel, etc.).

    
    

    The idea isn't to overhaul everything or spam, but to capitalize on what has already proven effective. In web SEO, we know that updating old content can revitalize its ranking; similarly, on Instagram, spotlighting previous content that performed well (without necessarily drastically changing it) can be beneficial.

    Test these optimizations cautiously on your most popular old posts and observe if it impacts their visibility on Google.

    
    

    This is a testing phase; each account may have different results, but it's worth trying.

In conclusion: Instagram + SEO, the winning recipe

For restaurateurs, the indexing of Instagram by Google is excellent news, provided it's approached with method and common sense. As we've seen, it’s mainly about applying classic SEO principles to your practices on Instagram:

• Coherence of information,

• Content rich in relevant keywords,

• Consistency in publishing,

• Utilizing all the features offered (hashtags, location, alt text…) to help search engines comprehend and highlight your establishment.

In short, think “SEO” every time you create an Instagram post, while keeping in mind that this post should first and foremost appeal to users.

This combination of technical optimization and quality content is key to boosting your visibility.

Finally, don’t forget that SEO is a game of patience and ecosystem. Instagram doesn’t replace the rest; it complements it.

Continue to nurture your presence on Google (your site, your reviews, your establishment profile), while passionately and strategically feeding Instagram. It’s the synergy of all these digital levers that will ensure that, tomorrow, a user looking for a restaurant finds your establishment – and not the one next door – whether it's a standard Google result or an Instagram post integrated into search results.

By applying these tips, you maximize your chances of attracting more followers… and more customers at the table.

Happy Instagram SEO, and bon appétit to your future visitors!