Track your Instagram followers over time with Google Sheets Scripts

instagram_count_to_googe_sheet.js

// Thank you to @juliendev for his script (updated here with minor cosmetic changes)
// https://gist.github.com/JulienDev/df5a3b66e899c224fa1b2dc90acfa2ae

// Your sheet name in the document
var sheetName = "Sheet1";
// Your instagram user id
var user_id = ""; //find your id here : https://codeofaninja.com/tools/find-instagram-user-id

var instagram_base_url = "https://www.instagram.com/graphql/query/";
var following = "?query_hash=58712303d941c6855d4e888c5f0cd22f&variables=%7B%22id%22%3A%22" + user_id + "%22%2C%22first%22%3A24%7D"
var followers = "?query_hash=37479f2b8209594dde7facb0d904896a&variables=%7B%22id%22%3A%22" + user_id + "%22%2C%22first%22%3A24%7D"
var medias = "?query_hash=f2405b236d85e8296cf30347c9f08c2a&variables=%7B%22id%22%3A%22" + user_id + "%22%2C%22first%22%3A12%7D"

function insertFollowerCount() {
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheet = ss.getSheetByName(this.sheetName);

  var followers = getFollowers();
  var following = getFollowing();
  var medias = getMedias();
  var engagement = getEngagement(medias, followers);

  sheet.appendRow([Utilities.formatDate(new Date(), "GMT", "yyyy-MM-dd"), followers, following, medias.count, engagement.totalLikes, engagement.totalComments, engagement.EngagementRatio]);
};

function getFollowers() {
  return parseInt(fetch(instagram_base_url + followers)['data']['user']['edge_followed_by']['count']);
}

function getFollowing() {
  return parseInt(fetch(instagram_base_url + following)['data']['user']['edge_follow']['count']);
}

function getMedias() {
  return fetch(instagram_base_url + medias)['data']['user']['edge_owner_to_timeline_media'];
}

function getEngagement(medias, followers) {
  var totalComments = 0,
    totalLikes = 0;
  for (var i = 0; i < 12; i++) {
    totalComments += parseInt(medias.edges[i].node.edge_media_to_comment.count);
  };
  for (var l = 0; l < 12; l++) {
    totalLikes += parseInt(medias.edges[l].node.edge_media_preview_like.count);
  };
  var engagementRatio = (((totalLikes + totalComments)) / followers) / 12;
  return {
    mediaCount: parseInt(medias.count),
    totalComments: totalComments,
    totalLikes: totalLikes,
    EngagementRatio: engagementRatio
  }
}

function fetch(url) {
  var ignoreError = {
    "muteHttpExcecptions": true
  };
  var source = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, ignoreError).getContentText();
  var data = JSON.parse(source);
  return data;
}

@syrinx32123 Check the video how to get your cookie value
https://streamable.com/ze9ktm

@syrinx32123 I have found solution. I'm not sure how long it will be working BUT it works now)

1. Login to the instagram via browser (i'm using my usual everyday usage browser)
2. Go to the API endpoint that you need via browser (example https://www.instagram.com/graphql/query/?query_hash=.....)
3. Open browser console (in google chrome click F12) and go to the tab "Network"
4. Reload the page with URL from step #2
5. In the Network tab open request info and in the tab "Headers" you should find dropdown menu "Request headers", click on it and copy value from cookie section
6. Go to your Google Script and modify function fetch(url)

function fetch(url) {
  var cookie = 'cookieValueFromTheStep#5';
  var header = {'Cookie':cookie};
  var opt = {
    muteHttpExcecptions: true,
    "headers":header
  };
  var source = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, opt).getContentText();
  var data = JSON.parse(source);
  return data;
}

1. Run script and be happy 🎉

If it was helpful, please subscribe to my IG account https://www.instagram.com/bbakalov/

Can you make a screen recording of your process and share it here? I lost you on step 2. And in the Network Console there is not tab called "headers"

You can just type document.cookie on console, it will print the cookie value. 😉

@syrinx32123 Check the video how to get your cookie value
https://streamable.com/ze9ktm

works like a charm! great work

@syrinx32123 , @aquelepablo, @bbakalov , @nickboyce
Any idea how to get the usernames of your followers?

@syrinx32123 Check the video how to get your cookie value
https://streamable.com/ze9ktm

works like a charm! great work

@syrinx32123 , @aquelepablo, @bbakalov , @nickboyce
Any idea how to get the usernames of your followers?

I followed it exactly step by step but my screen looks different. It didn't work for me.

Is this still working? I am getting errors...

No it’s not working

…

On Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 11:02 AM zarasafdari ***@***.***> wrote: ***@***.**** commented on this gist. ------------------------------ Is this still working? I am getting errors... — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <https://gist.github.com/06c0ff48a2892311bd9a6601baed55b0#gistcomment-3600433>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ANAHGXMP5IKPS2M65UOAWALS22S2RANCNFSM4IPUSEZA> .

No it’s not working
…
On Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 11:02 AM zarasafdari @.> wrote: @.* commented on this gist. ------------------------------ Is this still working? I am getting errors... — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://gist.github.com/06c0ff48a2892311bd9a6601baed55b0#gistcomment-3600433, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ANAHGXMP5IKPS2M65UOAWALS22S2RANCNFSM4IPUSEZA .

are there new solutions?

In fetch(), there's a typo, muteHttpExcecptions is misspelled. The rest of the script isn't working for me, but still I thought it might be worth pointing that out if people are copy pasting snippets like I am.

I have found solution how to get correct "cookie" value, for the request.
Here is an article: https://thomas-strosse.medium.com/how-to-automatically-create-instagram-analytics-with-a-google-sheets-scripts-325ee5fa8e7e
Over there paragraph start from words "To get the cookie data, do the following:" steps 1-5

It was useful for me. Maybe it helps someone.

@syrinx32123 I have found solution. I'm not sure how long it will be working BUT it works now)

1. Login to the instagram via browser (i'm using my usual everyday usage browser)
2. Go to the API endpoint that you need via browser (example https://www.instagram.com/graphql/query/?query_hash=.....)
3. Open browser console (in google chrome click F12) and go to the tab "Network"
4. Reload the page with URL from step #2
5. In the Network tab open request info and in the tab "Headers" you should find dropdown menu "Request headers", click on it and copy value from cookie section
6. Go to your Google Script and modify function fetch(url)

function fetch(url) {
  var cookie = 'cookieValueFromTheStep#5';
  var header = {'Cookie':cookie};
  var opt = {
    muteHttpExcecptions: true,
    "headers":header
  };
  var source = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, opt).getContentText();
  var data = JSON.parse(source);
  return data;
}

1. Run script and be happy 🎉

If it was helpful, please subscribe to my IG account https://www.instagram.com/bbakalov/

Oh as a follow up, I ended up just using one of the many instagram APIs available from RapidAPI. Someone else already did the dirty work, figured this stuff out, and then gave an even easier to use API for us. Many of them have a free tier that was totally adequate for my needs.

Oh as a follow up, I ended up just using one of the many instagram APIs available from RapidAPI. Someone else already did the dirty work, figured this stuff out, and then gave an even easier to use API for us. Many of them have a free tier that was totally adequate for my needs.

Thanks for the info. But, how does it work? I have 0 skills as a programmer, lol.