Instagram Profile Scraper with Apify → Google Sheets

Scrape Instagram profiles from Apify and sync results to Google Sheets with n8n

This n8n workflow takes Instagram usernames from an n8n form, uses Apify’s Instagram Profile Scraper to collect public profile and recent post metrics, then upserts the results into Google Sheets—so reruns update existing rows instead of creating duplicates.

What this workflow does

• Receives usernames submitted through an n8n form (comma- or newline-separated).
• Normalizes input into a clean username list and sets run parameters (including the Apify actor and how many recent posts to analyze).
• Fetches data in one batched request to the Apify Instagram Profile Scraper API to retrieve profile details and latest post statistics.
• Handles outcomes consistently: detects valid profile data and formats records for scraped results vs. private/not-found outcomes.
• Captures failures: if Apify request errors occur, it creates an error record with a clear status and timestamp.
• Upserts into Google Sheets: merges scraped outcomes and appends/updates rows in the Profiles sheet (including fields like engagement rate and a high-profile flag).

Use cases

• Build and refresh an Instagram lead list by collecting usernames via an n8n form.
• Monitor creator/account metrics (followers, biography, verification/private status, and engagement rate) for outreach or reporting.
• Run repeatable SaaS ops workflows to keep a “Profiles” table current as new usernames are added.

Technical details

• n8n nodes: Form Trigger, set, if, merge, and HTTP Request (plus a sticky note).
• Apify integration: add your Apify API token using HTTP Header Auth (Authorization: Bearer <token>) for the Apify Instagram Profile Scraper request.
• Google Sheets: OAuth2 credential; select your spreadsheet and the Profiles sheet (or create it) with columns for logged fields (e.g., username, fullName, followersCount, followsCount, biography, profilePicUrl, externalUrl, isPrivate, isVerified, postsCount).