In this post, I'll show you how to extract and download Instagram data using a free account (there’s a limit on scraped data) with Apify. While this isn't just an Instagram data scraper, it offers different apps for scraping Instagram data.
(if you'd also like to see how to scrape Youtube comments with Apify for free, check out this post)
Key Takeaways
Versatile Applications: Instagram scraping helps in marketing, research, and trend analysis by collecting publicly available data like posts, comments, and hashtags for insights into engagement and user behaviors.
Beginner-Friendly with Apify: Apify provides an easy-to-use platform for scraping Instagram data without coding skills, offering a free tier to scrape profiles, posts, and hashtags efficiently.
Creative Use Cases: From identifying influencers and monitoring brand perception to gathering insights for market research, scraping offers numerous ways to improve strategies and decision-making.
What is Instagram Scraping?
Instagram scraping helps you download publicly available data from public Instagram profiles and posts, using web scraping tools to collect and analyze information such as followers, posts, comments, and hashtags. This can help you gain valuable insights into target audience, engagement patterns, popular content, and trends, all of which can inform more effective marketing strategies.
Why Scrape Instagram?
Customer Success and Web Scraping
Instagram scraping can help you get customer review data directly from Instagram posts and at scale - without manually checking individual posts. You can use this info in ads or do a sentiment analysis to understand customer satisfaction, pain points, and overall sentiment. Additionally, Instagram scraping can help you define target audience and analyze user behaviors and preferences, enabling you to create more personalized and effective marketing strategies.
Research
For researchers studying social media behavior, cultural trends, user psychology, or related subjects, Instagram scraping can help them collect large-scale datasets, empowering researchers with data for both quantitative and qualitative analysis, and a deeper understanding of user interactions and emerging trends. With access to such extensive data, researchers can uncover patterns, build theories, and generate insights that enhance our understanding of digital social behavior and cultural phenomena.
Other
Here are some creative ways to leverage Instagram scraping:
Gather data on hashtags and post likes to spot emerging trends early. This can provide opportunities to jump in on popular movements or design a niche product to capitalize on fleeting trends.
Analyze location-based data to uncover insights or identify potential risks that could impact your business or investment choices.
Scrape comments to gain a clearer view of how customers perceive your brand, helping you understand real feedback and impressions.
Identify Instagram influencers who could effectively promote your products, and monitor their engagement levels in real time to measure their reach and influence.
Build a continuously updated dataset centered on your industry, location, or areas of interest, enabling you to track trends and adapt to shifts over time.
Dive into market or academic research by analyzing Instagram data, offering insights that extend beyond what surveys and polls can reveal.
How to scrape Instagram data with Apify
My favorite web scraper is Apify - I have zero coding and engineering skills and I can scrape Instagram data without any problems. The UI can be a bit technical but it’s very easy to use and that’s why I’m writing these guides.
Start by creating an account. Apify offers three tiers but their free tier is very generous and you can scrape data from Instagram for free.
Once you have the account, go to Store and search for Instagram Scraper. You'll see a full list of different scrapers (extracting data from Instagram posts, Instagram profiles, hashtags and more), but go ahead and pick the first one.
You'll land on a page where you'll need to add in details:
link to the profile
what you'd like to scrape (Instagram profile data, comments, mentions or reels)
how many posts
and their age
Once you add in these details, simply click on "Save & Start".
You'll have to wait for a few minutes while the actor extracts data.
When the scraper is done, a list of results will appear on your screen.
The only step left is to export the data so you can analyze it. You can choose from many different formats, I usually go with .csv and upload it to drive. There's also an option to exclude fields or to include just a specific field.
Is it Legal to Scrape Instagram?
We'll be using Apify to extract data. According to their website, Apify Instagram scrapers are designed to operate ethically, accessing only public data that users have chosen to share, without retrieving any private information such as email addresses, gender, or precise locations. We believe that, when used responsibly, these tools are safe for Apify users. However, it’s important to note that scraped data might include personal information, which is protected under GDPR in the European Union and similar regulations globally. You should avoid scraping personal data without a valid legal basis. If you’re uncertain about the legitimacy of your purpose, consult a legal expert.
Choosing the Right Instagram Scraper
As mentioned in the intro, we'll be using Apify to scrape Instagram data. However, there are a few alternatives to web scraping software that we'll quickly review.
Instagram API and Graph API
Instagram API scraping allows developers and approved users to access and gather data and features from their own Instagram accounts or from public accounts they follow.
The Instagram Graph API is an enhanced version of the Instagram API, aimed mainly at businesses and creators. It offers access to a wider set of data, including insights on followers, posts, stories, and hashtags.
Web Scraping Tools and Proxies
Web scraping involves gathering data from websites, including Instagram posts.
While scraping publicly available information is a useful tool, it’s important to use it carefully to stay within Instagram's terms of service and legal guidelines.
Apify is a great tool for Instagram scraping because it's reliable, easy to use, and respects legal boundaries.
In-house Web Scrapers and Instagram Partner Program
You can create a web scraper using popular scraping libraries in languages like JavaScript, Python, or Ruby. Building an in-house Instagram scraper allows users to customize and adapt it to meet specific business needs. Additionally, Instagram’s Partner Program provides approved third-party companies with access to Instagram post data, enabling them to develop tools and services for businesses based on that data.
Conclusion
Instagram scraping is a powerful tool for marketers, researchers, and businesses looking to harness valuable insights from publicly available data. With platforms like Apify, even users without technical expertise can efficiently extract and analyze information such as comments, hashtags, and user behaviors to make informed decisions. By leveraging this data, you can enhance your marketing strategies, gain deeper customer insights, and stay ahead of emerging trends.
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