Instagram Just Became a Search Engine: Here’s What Sacramento Businesses Need to Know

Big news dropped on July 10th: Instagram posts are now showing up in Google search results! For Sacramento businesses, this is a game-changer.

Until now, most Instagram content was visible only to your followers—or people browsing hashtags. But now your posts, Reels, and captions might appear right on the first page of Google when someone searches for local businesses or services.

At Get on the Map, we’re helping Sacramento businesses pivot their Instagram strategy to make the most of this new reality.

How to Optimize Your Instagram for Google

✅ Think of your caption as a mini blog post. Tell a story. Use your keyword in the “headline” or first sentence of the caption.
✅ Use Local Keywords. Instead of just hashtags like #SacramentoEats, write captions that say, “Best Mexican food in Sacramento.”
✅ Geo-Tag Posts. Google uses location signals to deliver local search results. Tag your city or neighborhood on every post.
✅ Create Evergreen Content. Posts that answer common questions or showcase popular products/services are more likely to rank in search over time.
✅ Use Alt Text. Add descriptive alt text to your images. It’s great for accessibility and helps Google understand your content.
✅ Protect your copyright. Include your name and copyright notice in the EXIF data of your images.
✅ Hashtags are out. They don’t work any more.

Why Instagram SEO Matters

Your Instagram feed is now a powerful SEO tool. Imagine a customer Googling “Sacramento boutique gym” and seeing your post pop up above your competitors. That’s free advertising and a potential new customer—all because you optimized your posts.

At Get on the Map, we’re excited to help Sacramento businesses ride this new wave of search visibility. Let’s make sure your business gets found everywhere your customers are searching!

Want more info from Sacramento SEO and Social Media?