Influencer Content is Now Built for Google, Not Just Social Feeds: What This Means for DMOs

A major shift has happened in how people discover travel inspiration. 

Google and Instagram recently announced a deal to index Instagram’s public content in Google Search. This means Reels, posts, and Stories Highlights from creators are now eligible to appear directly in search results, not just within the Instagram app. 

For DMOs, this is a game-changer. 

It’s no longer just about how content performs in the feed. Influencer content is now part of Google’s search ecosystem, helping destinations show up when travelers search for things like “best things to do in [Destination]” or “hidden gems in [Destination]” or “[Destination] travel guide”. 

Here’s what’s changing: 

• Google is pulling in short-form videos from Instagram, in addition to TikTok and YouTube, into AI Overviews and search results. They can be found integrated into regular search results and on the Short Videos tab at the top of the page.  

• Instagram’s new deal with Google means posts, Reels, and Stories Highlights are now searchable outside the app. 

• The content that performs best? It’s not viral trends, it’s content that answers questions and provides helpful information. 

Influencer campaigns and social content have always focused on awareness and engagement metrics like impressions, reach, likes, views, and shares. But now, influencer content can help your destination  own key search moments that impact real travel decisions. 

When travelers search “Best brunch spots in [Destination],” it could be your influencer’s Reel that shows up in the results. But only if it’s crafted with search intent in mind. 

1. Partner with Creators Who Publish Across Platforms

Creators with blogs, YouTube channels, or who publish itineraries are more likely to have their content pulled into AI Overviews and Google snippets. Multi-platform creators give your destination more surface area in search.

2. Focus on Content That Answers Traveler Questions

Spanning shots of epic views may gather a lot of impressions, but since Steller has the unique ability to connect social posts to travel planning tools and bookings, we can tell you what the data says: posts with information drive travel intent and planning.  Make sure your influencer and social posts are answering the questions people are searching.

Brief influencers to create content that answers real searches: 

• “Best time to visit [Destination]” 

• “Can’t-miss experiences in [Destination]” 

• “3-day itinerary for [Destination]” 

• “Best things to do in [Destination]” 

Real life examples:

We recently partnered with Visit Denmark and Icelandair to highlight the Icelandair stopover in Reykjavik, en route to Copenhagen. The mixture of content from both Iceland and Denmark was incredible and like all Steller campaign content, it was connected to trip planning tools, marketing automation, and bookings. The campaign concluded months ago but you can find it at the top of Google’s Short Videos section.

3. Optimize Captions & Titles for Search  

Captions should be substantial, as Google still prioritizes quality content, but they should make sense for social media. This campaign post from @SallyTrubella does it right, providing deeper details on the video content while optimizing for search engines. 

As tempting as it is, do not stuff captions with keywords. Captions should sound like natural answers to traveler questions, not keyword dumps. Use descriptive, helpful language that AI models understand.

4. Require Location Tags & Context

When it comes to AI-driven search, context is everything. Google (and other AI search tools) rely on signals like place names, landmarks, and location data to understand and surface content related to specific destinations.

Unfortunately, most influencer captions are short, vibe-heavy, and lack the type of structured context that search engines need. 

Here’s how to fix that: 

Ask creators to: 

• Tag specific locations in their posts (e.g., not just “Sedona” — but “Cathedral Rock, Sedona, AZ”). 

• Mention location names in captions and voiceovers (e.g., “Here’s what I did with 48 hours in Santa Fe, New Mexico…”). 

• Describe what they’re doing, where, and why it’s special. Google favors content that answers questions like “What is there to do in Taos?” or “Where to stay in Maui on a honeymoon?” 

Why this works: 

• Google and AI models rely on geo-contextual clues to match user queries with relevant content. 

• Even if a Reel is visually stunning, it won’t rank if the caption lacks a clear description of where it was filmed and what’s happening. 

• Location-rich content improves discoverability on both Google and within Instagram’s own search and Explore algorithms. 

Best Practices for DMOs Moving Forward 

• Invest in Evergreen Content with Influencers:

  Collaborate on content that answers questions and remains relevant over time. There is a place for content that is not evergreen, such as promoting an event or pop-up, but make sure at least 50% of your content collaborations focus on evergreen content that will answer future travelers questions for years to come.  

• Connect Content to Action:

  If a person searches and ends up on an influencer’s post or your brand’s own content, you want them to be able to take action. You can do that by using Steller Connect to connect all posts directly to trip planning tools, an automated marketing journey, and booking opportunities.  

• Monitor Search Rankings, Not Just Social Metrics:

  Check how influencer content is showing up in Google’s AI Overview and search results.

  Every month, manually search common queries travelers might use: 

• • • “Best hikes in [Destination]” 

• • • “Things to do in [Destination] in fall” 

• • • “Weekend itinerary [Destination]” 

           Then check: 

• • • Are any of your influencers’ Reels, blog posts, or itineraries showing up? 
  • • Are they being pulled into AI Overviews, featured snippets, or People Also Ask sections?

          Keep a running tracker of which creators’ content is showing up and under what queries. 
  

The Bottom Line

The Instagram-Google deal is a huge opportunity for destinations to expand their digital footprint. It’s one more opportunity to show up where distribution and discovery are happening. Influencer content can now help DMOs not just win on social but dominate in search. 

Let’s Work Together