SEO for Instagram Reels: 9 Tips to Go Viral in 2024
Table of Contents
- What is SEO for Instagram reels?
- Importance of SEO for Instagram Reels
- Factors Affecting SEO for Instagram Reels
- Use These 9 SEO Tips for Instagram Reels to Go Viral
- Bottom Line
SEO for Instagram reels is not a new concept. Smart social media marketers have been leveraging it for a wider reach for years. And it’s time you do, too.
If your goal is to get yourself or your brand noticed on Instagram, you have to make Instagram SEO an indispensable part of your social media game. Good news, you don’t need to be a marketing connoisseur to understand it.
Keep reading to know the nitty-gritty of SEO for Instagram reels and how you can use it to make your content go viral in 2024.
What is SEO for Instagram reels?
SEO for Instagram reels is the same as SEO for search engines like Google. It involves optimizing your profile and reels or posts to be seen and rank higher on search results. When optimized, your post or profile will appear at the top of the search results every time a user searches for the keyword or hashtag for which you have optimized your profile.
Earlier, Instagram search was limited to hashtags and user accounts. But in 2020, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced that users could search via interests. This means that if you type a keyword on the search bar, posts, hashtags, and accounts with that keyword will appear in the search results.
For example, if you search for “Instagram SEO” on the Instagram search bar, accounts optimized for this term will show up on the search list. If you tap on the first result, you will have a “For You” section where you can see all the posts about Instagram SEO.
So, by optimizing your profile and content for a keyword or term specific to your niche, you can increase the chances of getting seen by more eyes and gaining relevant followers.
Now, let’s see why SEO for Instagram reels is important.
Importance of SEO for Instagram Reels
Instagram SEO is important because it enables you to connect with users actively searching for content related to your business or niche on Instagram.
So, every time a user searches a keyword related to your business or niche, you have the opportunity to show up on their Instagram search results before your competitors and potentially turn them into your followers. This can also drive relevant traffic to your website and convert it into potential customers.
That said, do people really use Instagram to find or connect with businesses? Is there a need to optimize your Instagram for search results? The answer is yes.
According to Insider Intelligence, 15% of U.S. shoppers begin their online shopping searches on Instagram. And this number will continue to surge through 2025. Also, internal Instagram data reveals that 70% of users rely on Instagram for their next purchase. That means Instagram is their go-to platform for purchase inspiration and product discovery.
Factors Affecting SEO for Instagram Reels
To successfully apply SEO for Instagram reels, you need to understand what affects ranking on Instagram search results. A few factors come into play here, namely search text, user activity, and content popularity. Let’s look at each factor closely;
Role of Search Text in Instagram SEO
It’s a no-brainer that what you type in the search bar is what you will get or expect to see in the search results. So, the search text is extremely important to Instagram when it comes to providing users with what they are searching for.
Instagram tries to match the search text with accounts using the exact keyword in their bios, captions, usernames, hashtags, and places. So, accounts using relevant search keywords are more likely to appear at the top of search results than those that don’t.
How User Activity Affects SEO for Instagram Reels
Instagram also considers the accounts, posts, and hashtags a user has interacted with in the past to shape their future search result. So, content from an account or hashtag someone has followed or viewed in the past will likely appear higher on search results.
Content Popularity as an SEO Metric for Instagram
It’s simple to understand: the higher the number of clicks, likes, comments, and shares, the higher the chances of the post or account showing up at the top of search results.
Use These 9 SEO Tips for Instagram Reels to Go Viral
Once you have understood the factors affecting ranking on Instagram, the next step is to apply the best SEO practices to be found and seen by more people on the platform.
Here’s a few tips to help you get the most out of your Instagram SEO efforts:
Find the Right Search Text or Keywords to Target
Before you go about including keywords in your bio, caption, username, etc., do some research to find the keywords you want to rank for.
Start with knowing your target audience and putting yourself in their shoes. Think what they would generally search for and their choices and interests on the platform. Then, try to perform some searches for content related to your business or niche.
If the term you typed in the search bar brings you the results related to your business, you have a keyword to target. You can also use keyword tools to get ideas or inspirations for keywords. Even better, use the Instagram autofill search bar feature to get a keyword idea.
As you brainstorm for keywords for SEO for Instagram reels, distinguish between relatively broad keywords (otherwise known as head terms) and relatively specific keywords (also known as long-tail keywords).
Head terms are highly searched keywords (e.g. travel) but have no low commercial intent. Long-tail keywords are not searched frequently (e.g. travel gear) but have high commercial intent.
Which keywords to target depends on your goals on the platform. Do you want to increase traffic to your website? Or do you want to increase conversions? If the answer is the former, you may want to go with head terms. If you are looking for conversions, long-tail keywords are your best bet.
Once you have the terms that bring you the results related to your business or niche, include them in your bio, username (if possible), profile name, and descriptions. Doing so will significantly improve the chances of ranking higher on the Instagram search results.
For instance, if you have a men’s footwear business, you can include “footwear for men” in your profile, bio, and hashtags to appear at the top of search results on Instagram.
Use Target Keywords in Your Captions
It’s no secret that captions are the essence of Instagram posts. But you know what would intensity that essence even more? Keywords. For Instagram SEO, incorporate relevant keywords into your captions to maximize reach and search visibility of your posts.
Use SEO-driven Hashtags
Hashtags have always been paramount to Instagram’s reach algorithm. For years, users have used them to reach more people and categorize their content. When it comes to performing SEO for Instagram reels in 2023, they are even more important.
Instagram suggests using only relevant hashtags, contrary to the popular belief that using plenty of them will get you the highest reach. It also recommends including niche-specific, well-known hashtags and keeping them to 3-5 per post. You should also avoid using overly generic hashtags like #Instagram or #Instatravel.
But how do you choose the right hashtags that would drive traffic to your profile? It depends on your business and audience. There’s a bit of research required here, just like for keywords.
Use Instagram search bar to see which hashtags people have been using most. Of course you need to type in relevant keywords and navigate to the “Hashtags” section to see the most searched or followed tags.
Optimize Alt Text
You probably didn’t know this, but Instagram generates an automatic description of every photo you post through its object recognition technology. It does so for those who use a screen reader. However, the problem with automatic description is that it isn’t always accurate.
This is where you can help Instagram algorithm better understand your photos and put forth them before those looking for content like yours. You can add alt text to your reels and photos and include your target keyword (if it fits well) to make it clear to the Instagram search results what your photo is about. This will also enhance user experience for those with visual impairment, boosting your content even higher in search results.
To add alt text to your post, scroll down to “Advanced Settings” when adding a caption and under “Accessibility”, you will find the option to add alt text. For the best results, add text about location, object, and concepts. Also, include the text that appears in the photo.
Add Subtitles to Videos
Just like YouTube, Instagram also creates automatic subtitles for videos for enhanced accessibility. But if you could add subtitles that include your target keywords to your videos yourself, that would provide more context for Instagram crawlers. Doing so will also enable the Instagram search algorithms to understand the content and context of your videos at a deeper level than captions. This will help push your videos to those actively searching for content like yours. One of the best SEO for Instagram reels hacks.
Post at the Right Time
Generally speaking, post timing has nothing to do with SEO for Instagram reels But it has a lot to do with content popularity.
By posting at a time when users are most active, you can ensure that your post reaches maximum people, which can spark engagement. This helps the Instagram algorithm decide the popularity of your content, which is a determining factor for Instagram SEO.
Here’s the best time to post on Instagram according to Sprout Social:
- Best times to post on Instagram:
- Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon
- Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m.
- Best days to post on Instagram: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Create Content Following the Instagram Recommended Guidelines
Instagram has Recommended Guidelines for content creators. Note that these guidelines are not the same as Community Guidelines—they are just less stringent. If you violate Community Guidelines, the platform will remove your posts. However, if you violate Recommended Guidelines, your content will still appear, but Instagram will not push it to new users. It may also not appear in search results at all.
When it comes to following these recommended guidelines for Instagram reels SEO, the platform suggests avoiding posting anything that’s low-quality, objectionable, or sensitive. It also recommends avoiding content that is inappropriate for young viewers.
Stick to Your Niche
By this, we mean posting reels and photos relevant to your business. This will set a theme for your account, allowing users to know what kind of content you post regularly. It helps build loyalty and increases engagement among your followers. It also helps Instagram search engines better understand your content and push it higher on search results.
Interact with Accounts That Rank for Your Target Keywords
Interacting with accounts that already rank for your target keywords has two advantages. First, it helps others who already follow those accounts know about you and engage with you. And, as we know, engagement is one of the popularity ranking factors for Instagram.
Secondly, it helps Instagram understand your niche and put forth your business whenever users type your target keyword or keywords relevant to your business.
Bottom Line
SEO for Instagram reels is just as important as SEO for search engines since Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms with more than 2 billion users. The good news is it is easier than optimizing a website for search engines. Should you follow these tips, you can increase the chances of ranking your content higher on Instagram search results and be seen by millions.
As one of the reputable social media marketing companies in the US, we understand winning on Instagram may appear like throwing stuff on the wall and seeing what sticks. But our years of experience helping brands boost their presence on the platform tells us that it’s a jigsaw puzzle, with SEO being a crucial piece.
SEO for Instagram Reels: Key Takeaways
- Instagram SEO helps businesses appear at the top of search results on Instagram.
- SEO for Instagram reels involves optimizing your profile and content to be seen and rank higher on search results.
- Content relevancy, its popularity, and search text are the most important ranking factors for Instagram search engines
- 9 Instagram SEO Tips to Make Your Reels Go Viral
- Find the Right Search Text or Keywords to Target
- Use Target Keywords in Your Captions
- Use SEO-driven Hashtags
- Optimize Alt Text
- Add Subtitles to Videos
- Post at the right time
- Follow the Instagram Recommended Guidelines
- Stick to Your Niche
- Interact with Accounts That Rank for Your Target Keywords
