Ever dreamed of waking up to a flood of new eyeballs on your content—from total strangers outside the ‘Gram?
Well, surprise… It’s not a fantasy anymore. As of July 10, 2025, Instagram has officially started letting public professional accounts (yes, both Business and Creator profiles) get indexed by Google and other search engines. That means your Reels, carousels, and even those clever captions can now show up in Google search results—even for people who don’t even have Instagram.
It’s a major shift, and an even bigger opportunity for creators looking to grow their audience and income. Learn how WIWT can help you build your own branded travel shop and take advantage of this update.
Think this is a big opportunity? You’re more than right—but only if you do it the right way.
Keep reading below.
Article Summary
- Instagram posts and Reels from professional accounts now appear in Google search results.
- This adds a new organic traffic channel, even for non‑Instagram users.
- SEO tactics—keywords, alt‑text, geotags—matter now for Instagram.
- Travel creators can leverage this to boost their affiliate bookings.
- Evergreen content stays discoverable long after posting.
Jump to:
- Why Instagram’s SEO matters to travel creators and affiliate marketers
- How to take advantage of this golden opportunity
- Final word
Key takeaways
- Treat Instagram posts like mini landing pages for search intent.
- Focus on informational & visual stories about travel spots.
- Use SEO tactics in captions, location tags, hashtags.
- Optimize Reels and carousels to capture affiliate‑ready audiences.
- Control indexing with Instagram’s privacy toggle (Settings → Privacy → Searchability).
Why this matters to travel creators and affiliate marketers
- New organic traffic from Google
Your Instagram content is no longer confined to the app. Searchers hunting for “best rooftop bar in Barcelona” or “Bali jungle lodge with infinity pool” might see your Reel or carousel directly in Google search results—even if they don’t use Instagram - SEO = affiliate gold
More visibility means more clicks—and clicks lead to affiliate bookings or commission‑driven hotel room purchases. Brands love creators whose content ranks for long‑tail travel queries. SEO‑friendly captions and alt‑text help make that happen.
📈 Curious how this ties into the bigger hotel booking ecosystem? Explore how WIWT supports hotel distribution channels here. - Extend your content lifespan
Instagram posts usually get discovered for a day then vanish. But Google can serve them for months or years. Evergreen travel guides, hotel hacks, or destination tips now work overtime as long‑term traffic magnets.
How to Take Advantage of this Golden Opportunity
If you want to turn your Instagram content into a powerful discovery engine and revenue stream, now’s the time to get strategic with your SEO game.
🔍 Instagram posts are now search content
On July 10, 2025, Instagram officially lifted the wall around public professional profiles. Google can now index everything from Reels to carousels—default setting: on—unless creators opt out. Private or personal accounts are excluded by design.
📌 Optimize like a web page
If you’re writing a caption about “Hidden waterfalls in Bali you didn’t know existed,” make it SEO‑friendly:
- Include keywords: hidden waterfalls Bali, off‑the‑beaten‑path in Bali
- Use location tags with geotags
- Add alt‑text that describes the image clearly
- Keep it public and professional
If done right, Google might show your post alongside travel blog results.
🎥 Make Reels & carousels search‑friendly
- Add on‑screen text or subtitles (Google can read them)
- Use carousels: more text, more indexing real estate
- Make each slide answer a clear travel question
- Your Reel could pop up when someone searches “best boutique hotels in Barcelona for Insta pics”
💸 Supercharge Your Travel Affiliate Marketing Game
Imagine someone searching for “affordable beachfront hotels in Costa Rica.” Your Instagram post showing a dreamy sunrise at a hotel could appear, link in bio points straight to your affiliate room‑night booking, and cha‑ching—commission earned. That new search user might never know you exist—until they book via your affiliate link.
Final Word
This update is a game‑changer. Instagram content now plays in the same sandbox as blogs and news pages. For travel creators and influencers working with hotel affiliate programs, that means:
- Your best posts can attract new eyes
- SEO tactics suddenly matter on Instagram
- Affiliate revenue? That can scale thanks to search‑driven clicks
So start thinking of each Instagram post as a SEO‑optimized, affiliate‑ready micro‑landing page. Use keywords, geotags, alt‑text. Craft Reels and carousel content with clear travel intent. Keep it public unless you want to opt out.
Ready to make your IG work harder and make more money from your travels? Optimize, publish, and watch Google do the rest. And yes—it’s okay to think of Instagram as your next secret weapon for travel affiliate marketing.
✅ Want help turning your posts into income-generating machines? Check out WIWT—trusted by travel creators to build branded affiliate shops that grow with your content.
About WIWT
WIWT - WISH I WAS THERE is revolutionizing the way travel is sold. Via the WIWT Social Selling Platform, both influencers and hotels generate incremental income by selling hotel rooms via social media.
Influencers motivate their followers to book hotel deals in their private travel shop and make a commission on every sale.
WIWT is at the forefront of AI adoption in travel, bridging the gap between social media marketing and hotel distribution.
Monetize your content with the WIWT Travel Shop!
