Major Updates On The Three Platforms Will Impact Your Business’s Visibility

Big things happened in AI search last month. Let’s unpack the latest updates on Google, Instagram, and ChatGPT that will impact your business’s visibility on all three platforms.

Instagram Posts In Google Results

For the first time, Instagram posts are now indexed by Google, meaning your Instagram content could show up in Google search results.

This change could present new opportunities for brand visibility, making Instagram a more valuable part of many companies’ marketing efforts.

A couple of years ago, we decided to deprioritize Instagram efforts at InboundAV. It was clear that our ICP wasn’t searching for business development agencies on Instagram, so we invested in content marketing campaigns on other platforms instead.

Now, we’re reconsidering how Instagram posts could have a higher likelihood of reaching our target audience.

Even if your brand already has a well-oiled Instagram strategy…

…you may need to reframe how you measure performance. Now, you have to consider both engagement on Instagram and how your posts might show up in Google search results.

Will performance optimization on Instagram also increase its visibility on Google? How and when will Instagram posts surface on Google, and how should your brand respond?

The only way to answer these questions is with time and careful monitoring.

Take these key steps to track your Instagram appearances on Google:

1. Confirm professional account: Only business or creator accounts can be indexed.
2. Turn search engine visibility ON: This can be turned on under “privacy” in your account settings
3. Monitor on Google Search Console: Add Instagram as a website in Search Console so you can track impressions and clicks for Instagram URLs that appear on Google.
4. Test, test, test: Make searches with specific keywords or phrases related to your Instagram content to see what results appear on Google, and adjust your content strategy accordingly.

Is ChatGPT Ditching Bing for Google?

Evidence from SEO specialists suggests ChatGPT is using Google for its search results.

After recording this week’s podcast episode, I came across a post from Josh Blyskal breaking this down further. His conclusion suggests two distinct possibilities that explain this shift:

• ChatGPT is switching to Google as its primary source of search results
• Or, more likely, ChatGPT is positioning itself to rely on its own search index, which shares some indexing with Google.

Since ChatGPT hasn’t officially confirmed either, it’s another area where testing and observation will be key.

Even if you’re not an SEO expert, you can keep tabs on this by regularly testing queries related to your content on ChatGPT.

How to Check If ChatGPT Is Using Google

Try asking ChatGPT a direct question that includes a phrase from your website or blog post. If the answer mirrors phrasing from your content or links to it with a live source, that’s a sign your content is in its index. If the source citation comes from a webpage also appearing high in Google results for the same query, it could suggest ChatGPT is drawing from Google-indexed content.

A Continued Shift Towards “Search Everywhere”

These updates have larger implications towards the continuing shift to “search everywhere optimization”.

With Instagram posts appearing on Google and ChatGPT potentially sourcing information from Google, we’re seeing just one example of how multiple distinct but equally influential channels for brand visibility could become interconnected almost overnight.

For marketers, this means thinking beyond SEO silos. It’s about building a connected, adaptable strategy where content can surface across multiple discovery channels at once.

Will This Overlap Make Things Easier?

Not exactly.

AI-powered search tools increasingly deliver zero-click answers–results that satisfy users without sending them to your website. That means even if your content is getting visibility, you might not get traffic or conversions unless your content is positioned strategically.

But here’s the good news: this isn’t unmanageable. With a strategy focused on cross-platform visibility, testing, and messaging that stands out, you can stay competitive.