🔥 The SEOs Diners Club - Issue #188 - Weekly SEO Tips & News

Instagram SEO Revolution and Practical Implementation Guide

This week, we're diving deep into Instagram's Google indexing, putting the latest SEO and AI developments on the table. An issue packed with practical tips and this week's book recommendation awaits you.

Greetings,

This week, I'm here with one of the hottest topics in digital marketing: Instagram profiles and posts starting to appear in Google search results. This development is rewriting the rules of the game for brands and individual users. Instagram is no longer just a social media platform, but has also transformed into a powerful SEO tool. So what does this mean, and how can we best leverage this opportunity? Let's dive deep together.

Instagram SEO Revolution and Practical Implementation Guide

With Google's July 10, 2025 announcement, posts from Instagram's public professional (business or creator) accounts are now being indexed in search results. This presents a tremendous opportunity, especially for businesses without websites or those new to SEO. Instagram is no longer just an engagement platform, but has become a critical channel for organic visibility.

Why Is This So Important?

The biggest reason underlying this change is the transformation in user behavior. Gen Z, in particular, is increasingly choosing social platforms over traditional search engines for finding information. According to Sprout Social's research, 41% of Gen Z use social media as their primary search channel, while those preferring traditional search engines like Google have dropped to 31%. Forbes' study shows a 25% decline in Gen Z's Google usage. Instagram took this step, recognizing this trend, to prevent content from being trapped within the app and provide content creators with longer-lasting visibility.

The concrete benefits of this situation for your business are:

• Increased Visibility: Even without a website, potential customers can now discover you and your products directly through Google searches.

• Expanding Audience: Your Instagram content can reach millions of new users who don't actively use the platform but search for related topics.

• Rising Organic Traffic: Traffic from Google can flow to both your Instagram profile and your website (if you have one), increasing your organic visitor count.

• Longer-Lasting (Evergreen) Content: An Instagram post can now appear as an answer to a search query on Google, not just for a few hours or days, but months or even years later.

Action Plan for Instagram SEO: Step-by-Step Optimization

So what should we do to best benefit from this opportunity? Here are practical steps I've specially compiled for you that you can start implementing immediately:

1. Strengthen Account and Profile Fundamentals

• Switch to Professional Account: This feature only applies to "Business" or "Creator" accounts. You can make this switch in seconds from Settings.

• Make Your Account Public: Private profiles are not indexed by Google. Check your privacy settings to be sure.

• Allow Indexing: Although Instagram activates this feature by default, it's worth checking from Settings > Privacy whether search engine indexing is allowed. You have the option to turn off this feature if you don't want it.

• Optimize Your Bio: Your bio is like your shop's sign. Make sure to include keywords that best describe you and your work (for example, "Istanbul Wedding Photographer," "Sustainable Fashion Brand"). Use consistent language with your other digital channels (website, LinkedIn, etc.).

2. Prepare Your Content for Search Engines

You should now think of your Instagram posts as "micro blog posts" or "mini landing pages." Each post has the potential to answer a specific search intent.

• Do Keyword Research: Think about what questions your target audience asks on Google, what terms they use. Naturally, incorporate these terms into your post captions.

• Never Skip Image Alt Text: This is one of the most critical steps. When sharing a post, add descriptive alt text to your image from the "Advanced Settings" section. For example, "chocolate and hazelnut cookies on white marble kitchen counter." This helps Google understand your image.

• Enrich Your Captions: Don't just write a few words and move on. Provide detailed information about the topic, ask questions, and use your keywords in a natural flow.

• Choose the Right Hashtags: Use 5-8 hashtags that are directly related to the topic and have search potential. Avoid overly general and irrelevant hashtags.

• Optimize Videos and Reels: Your video titles, descriptions, and on-screen text should also include keywords.

• Optimize File Names: Before uploading images and videos to Instagram, rename file names in a descriptive and keyword-containing format like "istanbul-sunset-view.jpg." This small detail can make a difference in SEO.

3. Create Value-Focused Content Strategy

Google loves content that solves users' problems and is valuable and educational. This rule now applies to Instagram as well.

• How-to Content: Prepare guides showing how your product or service is used.

• Educational Guides and Tutorials: Share your knowledge about your industry. For example, if you're a dietitian, something like "Healthy snack preparation guide."

• Case Studies and Success Stories: Share the successes your customers have achieved with you.

• Answer Frequently Asked Questions: Turn questions your customers have into post topics.

Remember, in this new era, Instagram is becoming one of the most important parts of your brand's digital storefront. With strategic and conscious steps, you can get one step ahead of your competitors and maximize benefits from this new traffic source Google offers. If you need a deeper strategy on this topic, Stradiji is always here for you.

Algorithm & Search Engine Updates

Google hasn't been sitting still lately. The August 2025 Spam Update, which started in August and lasted about 27 days, was finally completed on September 22. This was 2025's first official spam update, and its effects were quite fast and harsh. Many site owners experienced serious drops in organic traffic within 24 hours, while some sites previously negatively affected by earlier updates found a recovery opportunity. Google stated that this was a general spam update, and they focused on further developing their AI-based systems called SpamBrain. If you noticed a sudden drop in your site, it would be beneficial to review Google's spam policies again. Remember, spam updates typically target sites with spam content or manipulative link profiles. A clean and user-focused strategy is the key to emerging from such storms with minimal damage.

Practical SEO Tips

In this week's practical tips corner, we'll focus on two topics that have always maintained their validity in the SEO world but have gained a completely new dimension with artificial intelligence: People Also Ask (PAA) and Link Bait Content.

1. Conquer People Also Ask (PAA) Boxes

The "People also ask" section that we frequently encounter in Google search results is actually a golden traffic source. Appearing in these boxes gives your brand both visibility and authority.

So how can you appear in PAA?

• Identify Questions: Use tools like Semrush or direct Google searches to identify PAA questions related to your keywords.

• Give Clear and Concise Answers: Add these questions as H2 or H3 headings to relevant pages or blog posts on your site and write short, clear, and understandable answers right below. Remember, Google looks for paragraphs that directly answer the question, not long articles.

• Create FAQ Pages: Preparing a comprehensive FAQ page for PAA questions gathered around a specific topic is a great strategy. This can also be done for a category or product page.

This strategy is also critically important for preparing for next-generation search features like AI Overviews. Google will continue to reward sources that provide the fastest and most accurate answers to users' questions.

2. Create AI-Powered Link Bait Content

"Link bait," as the name suggests, is the type of content that other sites can't resist linking to. This content is one of the most natural and effective ways to increase your site's authority (E-E-A-T). So what types of content serve as link bait?

• Original Data and Research: A survey you conduct related to your industry, statistics you compile, or market research is invaluable for journalists and blog writers.

• Comprehensive Guides and Manuals: Content that covers a topic from A to Z, in-depth enough that readers won't need another source.

• Free Tools and Templates: A simple calculator, checklist, or spreadsheet template acts as a magnet that users will continuously return to use and share with others.

So how does artificial intelligence come into play here? This is where it gets exciting!

You no longer need to know coding to create such link bait content and tools. With advanced AI models like ChatGPT, you can create simple tools through "vibe coding" (intuitive coding). For example, by giving ChatGPT a command like "Create a simple HTML tool that counts the words in text entered by the user," you can have a word counter tool ready in seconds that you can add to your site. This both adds value to your site and increases your potential for earning backlinks naturally. Think about what simple tools you could develop, specific to your industry, using your creativity! If you need help with this, Stradiji's door is always open.

From the AI World

This week also brought dizzying developments on the artificial intelligence front. It seems our AI assistants will soon not only answer our questions but also become a new playground for advertisers and a proactive part of our daily lives.

1. ChatGPT Becomes an Ad Platform

One of the biggest news stories came from OpenAI. The company has started hiring engineers to build an advertising infrastructure for ChatGPT. What does this mean? Very soon, brands will be able to run direct advertising campaigns on ChatGPT, which has 700 million weekly active users. This is a revolutionary step for the digital marketing world. A very powerful new player is joining alongside Google and Meta. As advertisers, we need to closely follow this platform and its innovations, and start thinking about our strategies accordingly.

2. ChatGPT Pulse: Your Proactive Morning Briefings Ready

OpenAI's other innovation is "Pulse". This feature, currently offered only to Pro users, prepares personalized morning briefings for you while you sleep. It analyzes your calendar, emails, and previous conversations to present daily highlights, important news, or travel plans specific to your interests as cards. This is one of the first steps in AI's transformation from a reactive tool to a proactive assistant. Starting your day with a personalized agenda prepared specifically for you while sipping your morning coffee... The future is really closer than we think.

3. Google Search Live Launches in the US

Google isn't sitting idle either and has officially launched its AI-powered new search experience, "Search Live" in the US. With this feature, users can ask questions about the world around them using their phone's camera and microphone, both vocally and visually, and get instant AI-powered answers. This development shows us once again how interactive and multimodal the future of search will be.

4. New Weapon Against AI Content: Cloudflare Content Signals

To combat the flood of low-quality AI-generated content on the internet, Cloudflare announced a new technology called "Content Signals". This system allows publishers to inform search engine bots and AI models about the originality of their content and that it was created by humans. This is an important step that will help creators of original and quality content differentiate themselves from AI-generated spam content.

5. Will AI Kill Websites?

An article published in Search Engine Journal asks the question on all our minds: "What will happen when AI Agents replace websites?" The answer isn't as simple as we think. Yes, AI assistants will change how we access information, but this doesn't mean websites will completely disappear. On the contrary, brands will need to position themselves as "data sources," becoming trusted authorities that AIs will reference. This again comes down to producing quality, original content that meets E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) criteria. Our websites will become libraries that AIs feed from. Are you ready for this transformation? How about having a coffee with Stradiji to shape your strategy according to this new reality?

Closing

That's all for this week! As you can see, the digital marketing world, especially around SEO and artificial intelligence, continues to develop and transform nonstop. From Instagram's evolution into an SEO channel to artificial intelligence's new roles in advertising and content creation, we're going through an exciting and equally challenging period.

Remember, falling behind these changes is not an option. What's important is understanding these new tools and strategies correctly and proactively adapting them to our own business and goals.

If you want your brand to be one step ahead in this transformation and are curious about how to integrate all these innovations from Instagram SEO to AI-powered content strategies into your business, we're always here to chat over coffee. You can contact us by visiting Stradiji.com.

Have a great week!

With love, Mert Erkal

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