Instagram Keyword Search Scraper

Search Instagram by keywords and extract detailed post data at scale. Get usernames, captions, engagement metrics, media URLs, hashtags, mentions, location data, music info, and more for every matching post.

Perfect for market research, brand monitoring, competitor analysis, influencer discovery, and trend tracking on Instagram.

What data can you extract from Instagram keyword search?

For every post found, the scraper returns:

Field	Type	Description
username	string	Instagram username of the post author
full_name	string	Full display name of the post author
profile_url	string	URL to the author's Instagram profile
collaborators	array	List of collaborator usernames on the post
post_url	string	Direct URL to the Instagram post
pub_date	string	Publication date in ISO 8601 format
caption	string	Full caption text of the post
mentions	array	Usernames @mentioned in the caption
hashtags	array	Hashtags used in the caption
media_urls	array	Direct URLs to media files (images and videos)
thumbnail_url	string	URL of the post thumbnail image
media_type	string	Type of media: Photo, Video, Reel, IGTV, or Carousel
media_count	integer	Number of media items in the post
likes_hidden	boolean	Whether like counts are hidden on this post
like_count	integer	Number of likes (null if hidden by the author)
comment_count	integer	Number of comments on the post
location	object	Location tagged in the post (name, latitude, longitude)
music	object	Music/audio used in the post (artist and title)
search_keyword	string	The keyword that was used to find this post
scraped_at	string	Timestamp when the data was collected
status	string	"success" when a post was extracted, "No posts found" when a keyword has no results

How to use Instagram Keyword Search Scraper

1. Add your search keywords - Enter one or more keywords or phrases (e.g., "living in dubai", "travel photography")
2. Provide Instagram cookies - Paste your Instagram session cookies (required for search access)
3. Set the result limit - Choose how many posts to extract per keyword (1 to 500, default 20)
4. Run the scraper - Click Start and the scraper collects all post data automatically
5. Export your data - Download results as JSON, CSV, Excel, or connect via API

Input

Field	Type	Description	Default
keywords	string[]	List of keywords or phrases to search for on Instagram	required
maxPosts	integer	Maximum number of posts to extract per keyword (1-500)	20
cookies	string	Instagram authentication cookies in JSON format (required)	-
sessionName	string	Name for saving/loading cookies between runs	"default_session"

Example Input

{
  "keywords": ["living in dubai", "travel photography"],
  "maxPosts": 50,
  "cookies": "[{\"name\":\"sessionid\",\"value\":\"YOUR_SESSION_ID\",\"domain\":\".instagram.com\",\"path\":\"/\",\"secure\":true,\"httpOnly\":true}]",
  "sessionName": "my_session"
}

Output

Example Output

[
  {
    "username": "travel_creator",
    "full_name": "Travel Creator",
    "profile_url": "https://www.instagram.com/travel_creator/",
    "collaborators": ["co_creator"],
    "post_url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/ABC123/",
    "pub_date": "2025-11-20T15:25:01.000Z",
    "caption": "Amazing sunset in Dubai! #dubai #travel @friend",
    "mentions": ["friend"],
    "hashtags": ["dubai", "travel"],
    "media_urls": ["https://instagram.com/video.mp4"],
    "thumbnail_url": "https://instagram.com/thumbnail.jpg",
    "media_type": "Reel",
    "media_count": 1,
    "likes_hidden": false,
    "like_count": 175908,
    "comment_count": 42,
    "location": {
      "name": "Dubai, United Arab Emirates",
      "lat": 25.1994,
      "lng": 55.2741
    },
    "music": {
      "artist": "Artist Name",
      "title": "Song Title"
    },
    "search_keyword": "living in dubai",
    "scraped_at": "2025-11-21T12:28:25.052408",
    "status": "success"
  }
]

When a keyword returns no results, a single record is pushed instead:

[
  {
    "search_keyword": "very obscure query with no results",
    "status": "No posts found"
  }
]

How to get Instagram cookies

Instagram requires authentication to access keyword search results. You need to provide cookies from an active Instagram session.

Using a cookie export extension (recommended):

1. Install a cookie export extension like Cookie-Editor or EditThisCookie for your browser
2. Log in to Instagram
3. Click the extension icon and export cookies as JSON
4. Paste the entire JSON into the cookies input field

The scraper automatically converts browser cookie formats - no manual cleanup needed.

Important: Use a dedicated Instagram account for scraping. Never share your cookies. Cookies expire periodically and need to be refreshed.

Use cases

• Market research - Analyze trending topics and popular content for any niche or industry
• Brand monitoring - Track how your brand, products, or campaigns are discussed on Instagram
• Competitor analysis - Monitor competitor content, engagement rates, and posting patterns
• Influencer discovery - Find creators in specific niches by searching relevant keywords
• Trend tracking - Identify emerging trends, popular hashtags, and viral content
• Content inspiration - Discover high-performing posts for content strategy planning
• Location intelligence - Analyze posts tagged at specific locations or mentioning places

Integrations

Connect Instagram Keyword Search Scraper with your existing tools and workflows:

• Webhooks - Get notified when a scrape finishes
• API access - Integrate results directly into your application
• Scheduled runs - Set up recurring scrapes to monitor keywords over time
• Export to Google Sheets, Slack, Zapier, Make, and more

FAQ

How many posts can I scrape per keyword?

You can extract up to 500 posts per search keyword. The default is 20. Instagram's search results are limited by their algorithm, so available results may vary by keyword.

What types of posts are supported?

The scraper extracts all post types: Photos, Videos, Reels, IGTV, and Carousels. For carousel posts, all individual media URLs are included.

Does the scraper extract engagement metrics?

Yes. Like counts, comment counts, and view data are extracted for each post. If the post author has hidden like counts, the likes_hidden field will be true and like_count will be null.

Can I search for multiple keywords at once?

Yes. Pass an array of keywords and the scraper will process each one, returning all results in a single dataset. Each result includes a search_keyword field so you can filter by keyword.

Why do I need cookies?

Instagram requires authentication to access keyword search results. Without valid cookies, the search page won't load any posts. Use a cookie export extension to get your session cookies easily.

How often do cookies expire?

Instagram session cookies typically last a few weeks to a few months. If the scraper stops returning results, try refreshing your cookies. Use the sessionName field to manage cookies between runs.

What format can I export the data in?

Results can be exported as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or accessed via the Apify API. You can also connect to Google Sheets, Slack, Zapier, and other integrations.

Does it extract location and music data?

Yes. If a post is tagged with a location, the scraper returns the location name, latitude, and longitude. For Reels and videos with music, the artist name and song title are included.

Can I scrape posts from private accounts?

No. Only publicly visible posts that appear in Instagram's keyword search results can be scraped. Posts from private accounts are not accessible.

What does the status field mean?

Every record in the output includes a status field. For successfully extracted posts it's "success". When a keyword returns no results from Instagram's search, the scraper pushes a single record with status: "No posts found" so you can tell the difference between a failed run and a keyword that legitimately has no matches.