Instagram is a great place to find leads. By looking at followers on thematic accounts, you can grow your network.
Some Instagram users share their email addresses and phone numbers. If you are a marketer aiming to set up an outreach campaign, Instagram users are highly engaged and are an excellent target.
Datablist Instagram Scraper lets you gather lists of followers, who someone is following, and the authors of posts with ease. It's a game-changer for anyone looking to scrape Instagram data.
In this tutorial, you will learn:
- How to set up the Instagram scraping script
- How to scrape Instagram followers
- How to scrape Instagram following list
- How to scrape Instagram Post Authors on Location/Tag pages
- How to use a Chrome Extension to access the script quickly
Set up Instagram users scraper script
Note: To store the script in a Chrome Extension and access it quickly, please read Put the scrapping script in a Chrome Extension.
To extract Instagram members, just copy-paste the following script into Chrome Developer Console.
Notes
The source code for the Instagram member scraper is available on GitHub. The script reads API calls done when loading members on the web page to extract members' data.
To open the Chrome Developer Console, go to the main menu and click "More Tools -> Developer Tools". Then click on the "Console" tab.
After pasting the script, press "Enter" to execute the script. A widget appears in the bottom-right corner.
Important - If this is the first time you open the Chrome Developer Console, you might see a Warning message and be prevented to copy/paste the text into the console. To enable copy/pasting, just write "allow pasting", and press "Enter".
Scrapped Fields
The script works by intercepting the API calls between the browser and Instagram servers. For example, when you display the list of followers for a profile, the script scans the API calls and extracts the followers.
Scrapped users are stored in a local database. The database is persistent. When you reload the page and paste the script again, the already scrapped users are kept.
- Profile Id: Unique Instagram identifier. Multi-digit number.
- Username: Instagram username.
- Link: Instagram profile URL. In the format https://www.instagram.com/{{username}}
- Full Name: Instagram user's full name
- Is Private: Is the profile private
- Location: The location name for post author scraping. When available.
- Picture Url: Instagram user profile picture
- Source: Information about where the user was scrapped. Followers, Following, Post Authors, etc.
Download users in a CSV file
To download the scrapped users in a CSV file. Just click on the widget text "Download XX users".
To clean, filter, or just view the CSV file, you can use Datablist CSV Editor.
Scrape Instagram profile followers
To scrape Instagram followers, you must load the script before clicking on an Instagram profile followers listing.
Warning If you load the script after clicking the followers list. The script won't be able to intercept the API calls. If you have already opened the follower's list, just refresh the page and load the script.
Once the followers modal is open, you see the widget counter increase with the number of added users.
Scroll down the followers listing to scrape more users.
Scrape Instagram following list
Once the following list modal is open, you see the widget counter increase with the number of added users.
Scroll down the following listing to scrape more users.
Scrape Location and Hashtag post authors
The Instagram Users Scraper extracts post authors from Location and Hashtag pages. The script export the post location when available.
Warning: You must load the script before navigating to a Location or Hashtag page. Otherwise, the script won't be able to intercept the API calls.
To scrape post authors, search an Instagram hashtag or a Location using the search menu from the sidebar.
Once on a hashtag page, scroll to load more users.
Instagram returns few results for hashtag search. If you are building a lead list, scraping users from an Instagram Location might be easier.
Enrich Instagram users with profile information
The Instagram Scraper script returns a limited number of profile information (Profile Id, Username, Link, Full Name, Is Private, Location, Picture Url, Source).
To enrich the Instagram users to get detailed information that goes beyond basics, Datablist offers an Instagram Profile Scraper enrichment.
This enrichment visits each profile and scrapes public information. It doesn't use your Instagram login or password. You input your list, configure the enrichment, and that's it.
The Instagram Profile Scraper returns:
- Description - Instagram user bio.
- Follower Count - Instagram user follower count.
- Following Count - Instagram user following count.
- Category - Instagram user category name.
- Website - Instagram user external url.
- Public Email - Instagram user public email address.
- Phone Number - Instagram user phone number.
- Profile Picture - Instagram user profile picture.
- Private - Is the Instagram profile private.
- Verified - Is the Instagram profile verified.
- Business Account - Is the Instagram profile a business profile.
- Business Zip Code
- Business City
- Business Street Address
- Home Country - Instagram user country name. Ex: France.
- Date Joined - Month and year of joining Instagram. Ex: October 2012.
To enrich your Instagram users list, import the CSV on Datablist and click "Enrich".
Then, select the "Instagram Profile Scraper" enrichment.
Use the Profile Id from the script as the identifier.
And create a new property for each additional data you want to scrape. Then click "Run the enrichment" to start the process.
Store the scrapping script in a Chrome Extension
Copy-pasting the script each time on the Chrome Console is time-consuming. Good news! You can use a Chrome Extension to quickly inject the script on the page. It can be added automatically on Instagram pages, or injected on a click.
Clicking on it from the Chrome Extension directly adds it to your Instagram pages.
The Chrome Extension is called "Inject Code" and is available on the Chrome Extensions store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/inject-code/jpbbdgndcngomphbmplabjginoihkdph
Once the Chrome Extension is installed, click to configure a new script.
Click on the "+" button to create a "Snipper (script)".
Then on the configuration page, use the following settings:
- Name:
InstagramScraper - URL Filter:
https://www.instagram.com/* - Type:
js - AutoRun: Select
onto automatically inject the script on Instagram pages. Oroffto add it after clicking from the extension menu. - CodeSource:
Custom Code
Click "Save".
Pin the extension to have it from your navigation bar. And this is it!
FAQ
Is it free to scrape Instagram?
The Instagram scraper script is free and open-source (check the scraper code here). It scrapes Instagram followers, following user lists, and post authors on location and hashtag pages. You can also clean and filter the CSV with a free account on Datablist. If you need to enrich the users with extra information for each scraped Instagram profile, then it requires performing calls on Instagram public profiles (see Instagram Profile Scraper) and this enrichment requires a Datablist paid account.
Can I be detected by Instagram?
The script catches genuine API calls done inside the web page. No extra calls are performed, and no bot clicks are done. Everything happens inside your natural browsing behavior. This script is safer than other scraping applications running in the cloud and using proxies and bots to extract profiles.
That being said, always be careful and don't abuse Instagram. Avoid using fully automated scripts. If you can, use a second Instagram profile that is not your personal one.
How long does it take to scrape Instagram users?
The script scans Instagram API calls as you scroll listing. API calls are transparent and each call loads an average of 12 new users for followers/following lists and 60 users for Location listings. By scrolling for a few minutes, you can extract thousands of users.
Instagram scrapping use cases
Influencer Collaborations
Instagram is the home of influencer marketing. Collaborating with influencers who have a loyal following can significantly amplify your outreach efforts. With this Instagram scrapper, find relevant influencers in bulk.
Find Leads from locations or hashtags
Hashtags are used to categorize content around specific topics, interests, or events. By focusing on users who engage with specific hashtags, you're tapping into a pool of potential leads already interested in your niche or industry.
Users who post under or follow certain hashtags are not just passive observers but are actively engaging with related content. This indicates a higher level of interest and engagement, making them more receptive to messages or offers that align with their interests.
Find Leads from competitor followers
Scraping Instagram followers of your competitors can be a goldmine for finding leads because it gives you direct access to an audience already interested in products or services similar to yours. These users have shown a willingness to engage with brands in your niche, making them highly receptive to your messaging if it resonates with their interests. By analyzing these followers, you can tailor your marketing strategies to meet their needs, preferences, and pain points more effectively. This targeted approach not only enhances the relevance of your outreach but also increases the likelihood of conversion, as you're reaching out to an audience primed for what you have to offer.