# Instagram Viral Radar — Posts & Reels ✅ (`nexascout/instagram-viral-radar`) Actor

Find Instagram posts and Reels with strong engagement relative to creator audience size. Explore niche hashtags, filter followers and engagement, and export post links, metrics and actual discovery hashtags.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/nexascout/instagram-viral-radar.md
- **Developed by:** [NexaScout](https://apify.com/nexascout) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $100.00 / 1,000 instagram page requests

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Instagram Viral Radar — Posts & Reels

Find Instagram posts and Reels with strong engagement relative to their authors' audience size. Explore niche hashtags, compare likes, available comments and views, and export a ranked shortlist with direct post and profile links.

Useful for creative research, campaign inspiration and discovering content worth reviewing in beauty, fitness, food, travel and outdoor niches.

### Pricing

This Actor charges for the work performed as well as saved results:

| Event | Price |
| --- | --- |
| Run start | $0.05 per started GB of memory; default 2 GB = $0.10 |
| Instagram page request | $0.10 per attempted hashtag, post or author-profile page |
| Post saved | $0.02 per unique post saved in the run |

Blocked requests, retry attempts and pages for posts excluded by filters are billable page requests. Browser resource files are not separate page events. The same post saved in another run is charged again. A profile read can support several posts by the same author.

For example, a default-memory run with 21 attempted pages and 10 saved posts costs **$2.40**: $0.10 + $2.10 + $0.20. This illustrates the calculation, not a guaranteed request count. A run returning no matching posts still incurs start and page-request charges.

Set **Maximum cost per run** in Apify before starting. The minimum accepted budget is $0.45; use a larger budget for useful multi-topic research. The Actor stops new page collection at its funded request allowance and reserves capacity to save results. If a budget or time limit stops collection, the run summary reports `PARTIAL` and a `stoppedReason`; the Apify run can finish successfully with the results already collected.

### Quick start

1. Enter one or more topics in `keywords`.
2. Optionally set follower and minimum engagement filters.
3. Choose an output limit and page limits, set your run budget, and start.
4. Review **Viral post shortlist**, **Engagement metrics** or **Discovery evidence**, then export JSON, CSV or Excel.

Example input:

```json
{
  "keywords": ["hiking"],
  "minFollowers": 1000,
  "maxFollowers": 1000000,
  "minEngagementRate": 0.02,
  "maxPosts": 25,
  "maxPostsPerKeyword": 12,
  "maxPostPages": 12,
  "maxProfilePages": 12,
  "maxHashtagRetries": 1,
  "maxRunSeconds": 200,
  "region": "US"
}
```

`maxPosts` is an upper bound on saved results, not a promise of that many matches or a limit on billed page requests. Higher candidate/page limits examine more material and may cost more.

### What the ranking means

- **Engagement:** likes plus available comments.
- **Engagement rate:** engagement divided by current author followers. `0.05` means 5%; `1` means 100%.
- **View ratio:** available views or plays divided by author followers.
- **Ranking:** engagement rate is the primary signal; view ratio is a fallback when an engagement rate cannot be calculated.

An engagement rate can exceed 100% because posts can reach people who do not follow the author. If Instagram does not expose comments, `commentCount` is `null`, `virality.commentCountKnown` is `false`, and engagement is a **lower bound** based on available likes. An unavailable view count also remains `null`.

This is a snapshot of performance relative to current audience size. It does not measure growth over time or compare a post against that author's historical performance. It does not predict future virality.

### Discovery and coverage

Topics are explored as hashtags. If the requested hashtag is unavailable, the Actor can retry it and try related hashtags. Each row contains `discoveredIn` for requested topics and `sourceTags` for the actual discovery hashtags. For example, a request for `skincare` can produce posts discovered through `skincaretips`.

Hashtag results are selective and may include older, promotional or loosely related posts. Hashtag presence does not confirm topic relevance; review the linked posts before using a shortlist. This is not a complete Instagram feed or historical search. Regular posts and Reels can both appear; `mediaType` and `productType` describe the available content type. A dedicated Reels-only input filter is not provided.

`region` selects the proxy connection country. It does not filter author location or audience geography. No Instagram login or customer-supplied cookies are required. Access restrictions can reduce results or prevent collection.

### Main inputs

| Input | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| `keywords` | Up to 10 niche topics / hashtags |
| `minFollowers`, `maxFollowers` | Author audience range; maximum 0 disables the upper limit |
| `minEngagementRate` | Minimum engagement/followers ratio |
| `maxPosts` | Maximum saved posts after ranking |
| `maxPostsPerKeyword` | Discovered candidates examined per topic |
| `maxPostPages`, `maxProfilePages` | Distinct post/profile page limits; retries are additional attempts |
| `maxHashtagRetries` | Extra attempts per unavailable hashtag before related hashtags |
| `maxRunSeconds` | Collection time allowance; in-flight requests and shutdown can take longer |
| `region`, `proxyConfiguration` | Connection country and proxy configuration |

### Results and run summary

Each row includes `code`, `url`, `username`, `profileUrl`, author followers/name/verification when available, likes, nullable comments and views, publication time when available, ranking metrics, requested topics, actual source hashtags and `observedAt`.

The run's `OUTPUT` record includes collected/scored/emitted counts, filter exclusions, source attempts and billing counters. Complete inability to discover or score content is reported as a failure. A genuine empty result after applying filters is successful. Partial access failures can leave fewer usable results; inspect the counters and errors in the summary.

### API and integrations

Use the stable Actor ID `HXjMCNwyb3HZJ1dLy` to run through the Apify API:

```http
POST https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/HXjMCNwyb3HZJ1dLy/runs?maxTotalChargeUsd=6
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN
Content-Type: application/json

{"keywords":["hiking"],"maxPosts":25}
```

The response returns a run ID. Poll `GET https://api.apify.com/v2/actor-runs/RUN_ID`; once finished, read `GET https://api.apify.com/v2/datasets/DATASET_ID/items`, using the run's `defaultDatasetId`. Retrieve the summary from its `defaultKeyValueStoreId`, record `OUTPUT`.

Saved Tasks provide reusable themed inputs. Use Apify schedules for repeated snapshots and webhooks or integrations to send completed datasets to your research workflow. Repeated runs are billed separately and are not a built-in historical comparison.

Only available public information is collected. Use the data responsibly and in accordance with applicable terms and requirements.

# Actor input Schema

## `keywords` (type: `array`):

Topics explored as hashtags. Related hashtags may be tried when the original is unavailable; actual sourceTags are returned.

## `minFollowers` (type: `integer`):

Exclude posts by authors below this follower count.

## `maxFollowers` (type: `integer`):

Exclude posts by authors above this follower count (0 = no max).

## `minEngagementRate` (type: `number`):

Minimum (likes + available comments) / followers ratio: 0.05 means 5%. Unknown comments make this a lower bound.

## `maxPosts` (type: `integer`):

Maximum saved posts after filtering and ranking; fewer may qualify. This is not a request budget.

## `maxPostsPerKeyword` (type: `integer`):

Maximum discovered posts examined per topic; page requests are billed separately.

## `maxPostPages` (type: `integer`):

Maximum distinct post pages scheduled. Retry attempts are additional billed page requests.

## `maxProfilePages` (type: `integer`):

Maximum distinct author profiles scheduled. A profile can support several posts; retries are billed separately.

## `maxHashtagRetries` (type: `integer`):

Additional attempts per unavailable hashtag, before trying related hashtags. Every attempted page is billed.

## `region` (type: `string`):

Proxy connection country. This does not filter where authors or their audiences are located.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Proxy settings for public page collection. The region field controls the proxy country.

## `maxRunSeconds` (type: `integer`):

Stop scheduling new work after this many seconds. An in-flight page and shutdown may take longer.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "keywords": [
    "hiking"
  ],
  "minFollowers": 0,
  "maxFollowers": 0,
  "minEngagementRate": 0,
  "maxPosts": 30,
  "maxPostsPerKeyword": 12,
  "maxPostPages": 40,
  "maxProfilePages": 30,
  "maxHashtagRetries": 2,
  "region": "US",
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ],
    "apifyProxyCountry": "US"
  },
  "maxRunSeconds": 200
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `posts` (type: `string`):

No description

## `summary` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "keywords": [
        "hiking"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("nexascout/instagram-viral-radar").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "keywords": ["hiking"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("nexascout/instagram-viral-radar").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "keywords": [
    "hiking"
  ]
}' |
apify call nexascout/instagram-viral-radar --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,nexascout/instagram-viral-radar"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/HXjMCNwyb3HZJ1dLy/builds/EVkVrkaVLXf8biGd1/openapi.json