How Keywords in Social Media Content Have Fundamentally Changed

Written By Juliana Bermudez

Reading Time: ~4 Mins | Written By: Daniela Sartori

Are social media and SEO the same thing now? Are they going hand in hand? Not exactly, but keywords in social media content have undergone a profound transformation in the last few years. 

In the past, social media posts were stuffed with numerous hashtags, hoping that the algorithm would notice; nowadays, social media platforms (thanks to AI) have become smarter as they understand context and user intent. This shift is referred to as social media SEO. In fact, social media platforms are acting more as visual search engines rather than just engagement platforms.

As a result, keyword optimization is not only a part of the traditional SEO strategy, but it’s also an important piece of the social media plan.

Hashtags Were Everything…and Now?

For a long time, creators added 15 to 20 hashtags to their social media posts, hoping to get discovered and reach a wider audience. They were used not only to boost visibility but also to create engagement and foster online communities. 

Last year, during a Q&A session Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, said: “Contrary to popular belief, hashtags are not a way to get more reach. They’re a great way to let people know what your post is about and connect posts. […] They’re useful for things like search, but generally speaking, no, hashtags do not improve your reach.”

Hashtags are still important today, but they play a small part in your account growth and discoverability; as a general rule of thumb, it is better to use 3 to 5 hashtags that are relevant to your niche or the topic of your post. 

Keywords Matter More Than Ever

Compared with hashtags, modern keyword optimization focuses on understanding user intent. Social media platforms analyze captions, on-screen text and audio transcripts to understand what content is about.

Another reason why keywords are taking over is that users use social media to search: people search in the same way they naturally talk. In 2025, Sprout Search published new findings: “41% of Gen Z turn to social platforms first, making social now the #1 place they search, ahead of traditional search engines (32%), chat-based AI tools (11%), and friends/family (9%).”

Best Practices for Social Media Keyword Optimization

To improve discoverability across platforms, consider these actionable steps: 

  • Write your primary topic in the first two sentences of your caption

  • Use natural and descriptive language keywords

  • Say your keywords out loud during videos

  • Add on-screen text with keywords

  • Consider search intent, not just trends

In the video below, Neil Patel talks about how social search works in 2026 and how keywords can help brands and creators stay relevant and prominent across social media platforms.

The Future of Keywords in Social Media

Optimizing your social media for search is more crucial than ever, and keywords play a huge part as search behaviour continues to evolve. Keywords have taken a more strategic role in how content gets discovered and understood. 

As we move forward, brands and creators who write for people first will create the most effective content.

Juliana Bermudez
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