Scraping Instagram followers can be a great way to study industry trends, see what content gets the most attention, or even peek at your competitors’ performance. But, due to Instagram’s strict anti-scraping policy, the process may not be as easy as it seems.
There are several ways to scrape Instagram followers with varying requirements, speeds, and results. To zero in on the best one, our team consulted sales experts who rely on daily scraping massive amounts of data and compared their inputs with the experiences of users who scrape on a small scale.
Based on that, this article discusses three methods in-depth and teaches you how to scrape followers on Instagram most effectively.
Scraping Instagram Followers—Three Methods To Try
While collecting public data that anyone can access is legal, Instagram still has a strict anti-scraping policy that prohibits automated scraping—whether the data is publicly available or not. With that in mind, ethically scraping may not lead to any legal repercussions but may still get your account blocked.
Based on these considerations, there are three methods of scraping Instagram followers:
- Manually scraping
- Outsourcing scraping providers
- Using web scraping tools
While the first way may be the only foolproof scraping method that won’t get you banned, it’s impractical and ineffective in most cases.
Let’s see why. 👇
Manual Scraping
Manual scraping is a straightforward approach requiring no special tools or skills. All you need to do is:
→ Open a public Instagram profile
→ Collect the list of the profiles following them
→ Paste it into a spreadsheet
Instagram has no means of knowing if users manually copy-paste data and, therefore, cannot prevent it.
That said, manually scraping Instagram followers isn’t practical if you’re collecting data from more than a couple of profiles. Large- or even medium-scale scraping would take months and a whole team of people.
Even without the time and effort considered, manual scraping still risks introducing human errors like typos and inconsistencies. ⚠️
💡 Bonus read: Check out these guides on scraping emails from Instagram and Facebook.
Outsourced Scraping
If you want to avoid managing your Instagram scraping projects, you can outsource the task to specialized web scraping service providers.
Outsourcing may be easier than in-house scraping because it requires no effort on your part and lets you focus on other tasks. It also frees up internal resources and improves scalability since most providers can accommodate growing scraping demands without compromising performance. 📈
That said, a drawback to consider is the risk of sharing sensitive or proprietary information with a third party, which is not everyone’s cup of tea.
You’ll also have limited control over the scraping methods and quality of the results. Most likely, you’ll need to pay for the data even if you’re not satisfied with what you got—which can turn into a wasted investment. 🚨
Web Scraping Tools
One of the most efficient methods is using specialized web scrapers to extract and export data from an online source. These tools can obtain information from thousands of profiles in minutes, making them ideal for large scraping projects.
Using a web scraper can be cost-effective as you don't need an entire team to run it. This gives you full control over data quality and guarantees security by keeping all sensitive and proprietary data in-house. 🔒
Some web scrapers come with built-in features to avoid anti-scraping measures, such as:
- IP rotation—Helps avoid detection and lets you collect data from different sources
- Scheduling—Lets you scrape at set intervals to avoid overburdening the server
- CAPTCHA solving—Ensures scraping stays uninterrupted and the tool is undetected
As scraping tools are the most effective, scalable, and result-oriented method, we’ll offer you instructions and a tool recommendation.
💡 Note: Considering Instagram’s policy, it’s always best to first check the Terms of Use before using any of the above scraping methods and ensure to always scrape ethically.
Choosing the Best Tool for Scraping Instagram Followers
There are dozens of Instagram follower scrapers in the market with unique feature sets, so what works for others may not work for you. To make an informed decision, differentiate between the three main types of web scrapers:
- Scraping APIs—An interface for developers to build scraping bots
- Scraper-building toolkits—A set of tools to build web scrapers without coding
- Ready-made tools—Plug-and-play solutions to start scraping immediately
To choose the right type and zero in on the ideal Instagram followers scraper, consider the factors below as you evaluate your options:
If you need a scraping solution that checks all these boxes, Clay is an excellent choice. This data enrichment platform offers state-of-the-art scraping features that are easy to use and available immediately. 🎯
Clay offers both free and paid accounts and lets you do anything from:
- Data collection
- Enrichment
- Formatting
- Research and lead generation
Let’s see why users love Clay so much!
How To Use Clay To Scrape Instagram Followers
Clay lets you choose your preferred way of scraping Instagram followers as it comes packed with both scraping and enrichment capabilities. For starters, you can use Clay’s:
Scrape Using Instagram Integration
To use Clay’s Instagram integration, all you need to do is provide a public profile URL, full name, or company domain. The platform will deliver you with data points like:
- Number of followers
- Number of followed profiles
- Username
- Bio
- Verification status
Clay offers over 60+ data scraping solutions and 100+ integrations, so you can combine your results and use other available ways to extract data from Instagram. Here’s a peek at a few of them:
Use Clay’s AI Web Scraper
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Claygent is an AI web scraper that can search any corner of the internet with a simple prompt or question. Using it is simple:
- Log into Clay and create a new table
- Add a list of people or companies you want to research
- Click Enrich Data and then search for Claygent
This will open a field for you to write your instructions using natural language—like working with ChatGPT. For example:
- Visit popular public Instagram profiles and scrape their followers
After Claygent receives its prompt, it will find and deliver the information you need in a matter of minutes. ⏩
Scraping Instagram is just one way you can use Claygent. The assistant can scrape virtually any publicly available data, making it perfect for prospecting, lead enrichment, market research, or any use case you can think of. 🤖
Scrape as You Browse With the Chrome Extension
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If you want to scrape Instagram followers as you browse, you can use the intuitive Chrome extension. It lets you extract data from any web page in four straightforward steps:
- Install the extension
- Open a public profile you want to scrape
- Run the extension
- Save data to your Clay table
The extension can automatically pick up data items and deliver ready-made results, or it can let you manually choose the points you need. All you have to do is load the followers list, and the extension will do the rest for you. ⚙️
Other Clay Features You'll Love
Robust data scraping features are merely the beginning of Clay’s story—it offers sophisticated data enrichment features to let you fill in any blank spots. 📊
With Clay, you won't have to invest in multiple data cleaning or validation tools and jump between platforms to improve the quality of your data. Clay can access over 60 data providers to enrich any company or person without having you pay separate subscriptions.
The platform uses waterfall enrichment to sequentially search each database until it finds the data you asked for. Using it is as simple as:
- Choosing the data providers you want Clay to search through
- Customizing their order
Once you scrape and enrich your data, you can use many other Clay features to play with your points:
The cherry on top is Clay’s flexible and transparent pricing. You can test its features through the free forever plan, and once you fall in love with it, opt for one of the paid plans listed below:
- Starter—$149/month
- Explorer—$349/month
- Pro—$800/month
- Enterprise—Custom
Create a Clay Account
All that’s left to do is create an account, which you can do in three steps:
- Visit the signup page 👈
- Enter your name, email, and password
- Explore Clay’s features
If you’d like to learn more about the platform, visit Clay’s University and join the Slack community of marketing and sales pros. You can also sign up for Clay’s newsletter to receive useful updates and tips. 🛎️
💡 Keep reading: Check out these articles on scraping different social media platforms, such as:
Scraping Instagram followers can be a great way to study industry trends, see what content gets the most attention, or even peek at your competitors’ performance. But, due to Instagram’s strict anti-scraping policy, the process may not be as easy as it seems.
There are several ways to scrape Instagram followers with varying requirements, speeds, and results. To zero in on the best one, our team consulted sales experts who rely on daily scraping massive amounts of data and compared their inputs with the experiences of users who scrape on a small scale.
Based on that, this article discusses three methods in-depth and teaches you how to scrape followers on Instagram most effectively.
Scraping Instagram Followers—Three Methods To Try
While collecting public data that anyone can access is legal, Instagram still has a strict anti-scraping policy that prohibits automated scraping—whether the data is publicly available or not. With that in mind, ethically scraping may not lead to any legal repercussions but may still get your account blocked.
Based on these considerations, there are three methods of scraping Instagram followers:
- Manually scraping
- Outsourcing scraping providers
- Using web scraping tools
While the first way may be the only foolproof scraping method that won’t get you banned, it’s impractical and ineffective in most cases.
Let’s see why. 👇
Manual Scraping
Manual scraping is a straightforward approach requiring no special tools or skills. All you need to do is:
→ Open a public Instagram profile
→ Collect the list of the profiles following them
→ Paste it into a spreadsheet
Instagram has no means of knowing if users manually copy-paste data and, therefore, cannot prevent it.
That said, manually scraping Instagram followers isn’t practical if you’re collecting data from more than a couple of profiles. Large- or even medium-scale scraping would take months and a whole team of people.
Even without the time and effort considered, manual scraping still risks introducing human errors like typos and inconsistencies. ⚠️
💡 Bonus read: Check out these guides on scraping emails from Instagram and Facebook.
Outsourced Scraping
If you want to avoid managing your Instagram scraping projects, you can outsource the task to specialized web scraping service providers.
Outsourcing may be easier than in-house scraping because it requires no effort on your part and lets you focus on other tasks. It also frees up internal resources and improves scalability since most providers can accommodate growing scraping demands without compromising performance. 📈
That said, a drawback to consider is the risk of sharing sensitive or proprietary information with a third party, which is not everyone’s cup of tea.
You’ll also have limited control over the scraping methods and quality of the results. Most likely, you’ll need to pay for the data even if you’re not satisfied with what you got—which can turn into a wasted investment. 🚨
Web Scraping Tools
One of the most efficient methods is using specialized web scrapers to extract and export data from an online source. These tools can obtain information from thousands of profiles in minutes, making them ideal for large scraping projects.
Using a web scraper can be cost-effective as you don't need an entire team to run it. This gives you full control over data quality and guarantees security by keeping all sensitive and proprietary data in-house. 🔒
Some web scrapers come with built-in features to avoid anti-scraping measures, such as:
- IP rotation—Helps avoid detection and lets you collect data from different sources
- Scheduling—Lets you scrape at set intervals to avoid overburdening the server
- CAPTCHA solving—Ensures scraping stays uninterrupted and the tool is undetected
As scraping tools are the most effective, scalable, and result-oriented method, we’ll offer you instructions and a tool recommendation.
💡 Note: Considering Instagram’s policy, it’s always best to first check the Terms of Use before using any of the above scraping methods and ensure to always scrape ethically.
Choosing the Best Tool for Scraping Instagram Followers
There are dozens of Instagram follower scrapers in the market with unique feature sets, so what works for others may not work for you. To make an informed decision, differentiate between the three main types of web scrapers:
- Scraping APIs—An interface for developers to build scraping bots
- Scraper-building toolkits—A set of tools to build web scrapers without coding
- Ready-made tools—Plug-and-play solutions to start scraping immediately
To choose the right type and zero in on the ideal Instagram followers scraper, consider the factors below as you evaluate your options:
If you need a scraping solution that checks all these boxes, Clay is an excellent choice. This data enrichment platform offers state-of-the-art scraping features that are easy to use and available immediately. 🎯
Clay offers both free and paid accounts and lets you do anything from:
- Data collection
- Enrichment
- Formatting
- Research and lead generation
Let’s see why users love Clay so much!
How To Use Clay To Scrape Instagram Followers
Clay lets you choose your preferred way of scraping Instagram followers as it comes packed with both scraping and enrichment capabilities. For starters, you can use Clay’s:
Scrape Using Instagram Integration
To use Clay’s Instagram integration, all you need to do is provide a public profile URL, full name, or company domain. The platform will deliver you with data points like:
- Number of followers
- Number of followed profiles
- Username
- Bio
- Verification status
Clay offers over 60+ data scraping solutions and 100+ integrations, so you can combine your results and use other available ways to extract data from Instagram. Here’s a peek at a few of them:
Use Clay’s AI Web Scraper
Claygent is an AI web scraper that can search any corner of the internet with a simple prompt or question. Using it is simple:
- Log into Clay and create a new table
- Add a list of people or companies you want to research
- Click Enrich Data and then search for Claygent
This will open a field for you to write your instructions using natural language—like working with ChatGPT. For example:
- Visit popular public Instagram profiles and scrape their followers
After Claygent receives its prompt, it will find and deliver the information you need in a matter of minutes. ⏩
Scraping Instagram is just one way you can use Claygent. The assistant can scrape virtually any publicly available data, making it perfect for prospecting, lead enrichment, market research, or any use case you can think of. 🤖
Scrape as You Browse With the Chrome Extension
If you want to scrape Instagram followers as you browse, you can use the intuitive Chrome extension. It lets you extract data from any web page in four straightforward steps:
- Install the extension
- Open a public profile you want to scrape
- Run the extension
- Save data to your Clay table
The extension can automatically pick up data items and deliver ready-made results, or it can let you manually choose the points you need. All you have to do is load the followers list, and the extension will do the rest for you. ⚙️
Other Clay Features You'll Love
Robust data scraping features are merely the beginning of Clay’s story—it offers sophisticated data enrichment features to let you fill in any blank spots. 📊
With Clay, you won't have to invest in multiple data cleaning or validation tools and jump between platforms to improve the quality of your data. Clay can access over 60 data providers to enrich any company or person without having you pay separate subscriptions.
The platform uses waterfall enrichment to sequentially search each database until it finds the data you asked for. Using it is as simple as:
- Choosing the data providers you want Clay to search through
- Customizing their order
Once you scrape and enrich your data, you can use many other Clay features to play with your points:
The cherry on top is Clay’s flexible and transparent pricing. You can test its features through the free forever plan, and once you fall in love with it, opt for one of the paid plans listed below:
- Starter—$149/month
- Explorer—$349/month
- Pro—$800/month
- Enterprise—Custom
Create a Clay Account
All that’s left to do is create an account, which you can do in three steps:
- Visit the signup page 👈
- Enter your name, email, and password
- Explore Clay’s features
If you’d like to learn more about the platform, visit Clay’s University and join the Slack community of marketing and sales pros. You can also sign up for Clay’s newsletter to receive useful updates and tips. 🛎️
💡 Keep reading: Check out these articles on scraping different social media platforms, such as:
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