Instagram’s New Update Could Reshape Your Visibility in Google Search: What Law Firms Should Know

Instagram just made a quiet but significant change that could impact how people find your firm online.

In a shift that blends social media with search engine optimization (SEO), Instagram has begun allowing professional accounts to be indexed by Google and other third-party search engines. This means your firm’s public Instagram posts, Reels, photos, carousels, and videos can now appear in search results and are visible to people who don’t use the platform.

The update, which began rolling out on July 10, 2025, reflects a bigger trend in how people discover content online. It’s no longer confined to individual platforms. Increasingly, content is being searched, recommended, and consumed across multiple channels. For law firms, this presents both new opportunities and important considerations.

What’s Changed?

Until now, Instagram limited the visibility of its content on search engines. While some posts occasionally appeared in results, the platform largely signaled that it didn’t want its content indexed. That has changed.

With this update, posts from professional accounts can now be found via search engines like Google.

Content dating back to January 1, 2020 is eligible for indexing if:

• The account is public
• It’s a business or creator account
• The user is over 18

This feature is enabled by default, though it can be manually turned off in account settings.

What Is Search Indexing, and Why Does It Matter?

Search indexing is the process search engines use to catalogue and organize content so that it can be found through search queries. Now that Instagram content is being indexed, your firm’s posts can become part of a much larger digital landscape, meaning people searching for legal topics, firms, services, or news might discover your posts, even if they’ve never followed you or used Instagram before.

Why Is Instagram Making This Change?

Over the last few years, people have been using social media platforms as discovery tools, not just for entertainment, but to research businesses, get quick answers, and compare professional service providers. Instagram is acknowledging this shift and moving beyond its closed ecosystem by embracing the broader search environment.

Platforms like YouTube and TikTok already dominate search results for visual and video-based queries. Instagram’s update signals a similar shift, one that emphasizes not just recency, but relevance. Content that aligns closely with a user’s search, whether it's new or evergreen, now has a better chance of surfacing.

For law firms, this creates a powerful opportunity to reach future clients where they’re already searching.

What This Means for Law Firms

Law firms often invest significantly in thought leadership—white papers, blog content, legal updates, and in-depth service pages—hosted directly on their website and shared on LinkedIn to drive traffic back. Instagram, by contrast, is often overlooked or limited to recruitment and culture content, seen as short-term engagement rather than a core channel for ongoing visibility and client discovery.

This update challenges that perspective with the following added benefits:

Extended Shelf Life

Instagram’s feed typically favours fresh content, with posts quickly losing visibility. However, search engines prioritize informative, helpful, and relevant content regardless of when it was posted. This means a firm’s evergreen content posted on Instagram now has the opportunity to attract attention and drive traffic long after it’s published.

Increased Visibility

Instagram content can now live alongside your other digital assets in Google search results. This multiplies your visibility across platforms and helps you connect with users at different stages of the client journey.

Enhanced SEO Value

This change reinforces the idea that SEO is no longer just about keywords on your website. Instagram now plays a role in your digital footprint, offering new ways to support your content strategy across visual, written, and video formats.

Think of your Instagram feed as a new entry point. A Reel, image, or carousel could serve as a bite-sized introduction to your firm’s values or expertise, all without the user ever visiting your website.

What This Means for Legal Marketers

Whether your firm is active on Instagram or prefers to focus on LinkedIn, this change is worth your attention.

It highlights several key shifts:

• Search intent is changing. A well-crafted Instagram post could potentially outrank a fulsome blog post if it better aligns with what a user is looking for.
• Your Instagram bio, pinned posts, and Highlights are now potential landing pages.
• Posts should serve search intent, not just the social algorithm.
• Visual content is being rewarded. Google increasingly prioritizes content that is engaging, accessible, and user-friendly across formats.
• SEO is no longer limited to your website. Every touchpoint matters, from your Instagram captions to your alt text.

This is not just a social update, it’s a search update, and one that has lasting implications. Even firms that don’t actively use Instagram may find their traditional content outranked by short videos and visuals that better match what users are searching for. SEO is no longer limited to backlinks and metadata. It’s about delivering the right content, in the right format, at the right moment.

How to Optimize Your Instagram Content for Search

If your firm is active on Instagram or plans to be, here are some best practices to maximize visibility in Google search:

• Use clear, keyword-rich captions. Write in natural language that reflects how your audience searches.
• Include alt text. This supports both accessibility and SEO.
• Add on-screen text and subtitles to videos. Many users watch with the sound off, and search engines prioritize content that is easily understood.
• Use hashtags thoughtfully. They now help categorize content for both users and search engines.
• Tag your location. Especially helpful for firms looking to reach clients in specific regions.
• Post consistently. Google favours accounts that post regularly and offer high-quality, reliable information.
• Prioritize clarity and value. Informative posts (FAQs, how-tos, process explainers) tend to perform well in search.

What If You Don’t Want Your Content Indexed?

Instagram offers a few options to opt out: 

• Turn off the feature in your account’s privacy settings.
• Switch from a professional account to a personal one.
• Set your account to private.

Note: Even if you opt out or delete posts, it may take time for third-party search engines to remove indexed content.

Should Law Firms Be on Instagram?

Many firms already use Instagram to showcase culture, recruitment, community involvement, and diversity initiatives—and that’s still a strong strategy. But now, with this added layer of search visibility, the platform may deserve a second look.

Even if your firm decides not to post actively on Instagram, this update reinforces the need to:

• Consider how your content supports discoverability.
• Diversify your content formats across platforms.
• Embrace more visual storytelling on your website and beyond.
• Think of SEO as a 360-degree experience, not just a website strategy.

Balancing Optimization with Authenticity

Search visibility matters, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of real connection. Using Instagram for recruitment and culture posts continues to be valuable. These posts often get the highest engagement because people genuinely want to see the real people and stories behind your firm. After all, Instagram is a personal platform where authenticity matters.

If you want people to follow your firm’s account on their own time, your content has to be genuine and worthwhile. That means being honest, relatable, and true to your brand’s voice. Overloading posts with keywords or focusing too much on optimization can make your message feel stiff, generic or forced, which isn’t what people come to Instagram for.

As AI-generated content floods social feeds, the demand and appetite for genuine, story-driven visuals continues to grow. Sharing real voices, genuine emotions, and authentic moments builds trust and helps your content stand out—whether in social feeds or search results.

How We Can Help

At Cubicle Fugitive, we help law firms create strategic, content-driven marketing plans that balance professional credibility with creative engagement. Whether you’re looking to optimize your social media presence, improve your website's SEO, or explore new ways to connect with your audience, we bring deep expertise in the legal industry and a thoughtful approach tailored to your goals.

If you’re curious about how this Instagram update could fit into your broader marketing strategy—or want to explore whether Instagram is right for your firm—let’s talk.

Reach out to us to get started.

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Wondering what else has changed on Instagram lately? Read Kaitlyn's blog about Instagram's grid change!