While Instagram lets users "control" their algorithm, marketers shouldn't over-index on it. The platform's own AI often miscategorizes content, and most casual users are unaware the feature exists. Focusing on audience pain points remains a more reliable strategy than chasing predefined topic categories.

Your Instagram profile has two primary searchable fields: your unique @username and your non-unique 'Name'. Since your username must be original, the 'Name' field is the ideal place to load relevant keywords describing your niche (e.g., "Weight Loss Coach for Moms"). This makes your profile discoverable to a broader audience searching for those terms.

Contrary to popular belief, hashtags are no longer an effective growth strategy. Data now indicates that posts with zero hashtags, on average, receive more views than posts that use them. The more hashtags you use, the fewer views you are likely to get. Focus on content quality instead of hashtag research.

Contrary to some growth-hacking advice, stuffing captions with keywords or hiding them in videos is considered spammy behavior by Instagram's algorithm. This practice will result in your content being actively penalized and shown to fewer people.

With the hashtag limit dropping to five or even three, their strategic importance has plummeted. Instagram's sophisticated AI can now understand content context from text, audio, and visuals alone, making hashtags a redundant legacy feature. Using irrelevant hashtags may even lead to penalties for trying to game the system.

Treat your Instagram captions as SEO content, not just descriptive text. As posts become discoverable in external search engines and chatbots, embedding relevant keywords is crucial for visibility beyond Instagram's walls. This transforms captions into a key tool for search discoverability.

For Instagram's algorithm, the caption is the most impactful place for keywords. This is followed by on-screen text, then spoken audio. Surprisingly, the comment section is the fourth and least impactful area the algorithm scans for SEO, a detail confirmed by Instagram's head Adam Moseri.

Contrary to old advice, recent data and a statement from Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, confirm that using hashtags can result in fewer views. The more hashtags used, the lower the reach, making them an F-tier growth strategy that should be abandoned.

Effective Instagram SEO isn't about complex tools but about using the same language as your audience. The best research method is to analyze the comments on your posts and those of others in your niche. Identify the specific terms, phrases, lingo, and even emojis your community uses, and integrate them into your content.