Instagram Likes Extractor (Rich Metadata) ## Overview This actor performs a deep extraction of Instagram post engagement data with enriched demographic and temporal metadata. The extraction pipeline captures like metrics, user demographics, and technical telemetry to provide a comprehensive view of content performance. All outputs are validated against schema definitions to ensure data integrity and consistency across batch operations. ## Data Dictionary | Field Name | Data Type | Definition | |------------|-----------|------------| | extraction_id | String | Unique identifier for the extraction operation, prefixed with "LS_" | | scraped_at | String (ISO 8601) | UTC timestamp indicating when the data extraction was performed | | platform | String | Source platform identifier (constant: "instagram") | | data_type | String | Classification of extracted data (constant: "like_metrics") | | external_id | String | Composite identifier combining platform, post ID, and extraction date | | post_details.post_id | String | Instagram's internal post identifier | | post_details.post_type | String | Content format classification (e.g., "carousel", "single", "reel") | | post_details.creation_timestamp | String (ISO 8601) | UTC timestamp of original post publication | | post_details.language_code | String | ISO 639-1 language code with region variant | | engagement_metrics.total_likes | Integer | Cumulative count of likes at extraction time | | engagement_metrics.like_velocity | Float | Average likes per hour since publication | | engagement_metrics.peak_hour_likes | Integer | Maximum likes received within a single hour window | | engagement_metrics.unique_likers | Integer | Deduplicated count of accounts that liked the post | | demographic_data.geo_distribution | Object | Percentage distribution of liker locations by country code | | demographic_data.age_groups | Object | Percentage distribution of likers across age brackets | | technical_metadata.api_version | String | Semantic version of the extraction API used | | technical_metadata.rate_limited | Boolean | Flag indicating if extraction encountered rate limiting | | technical_metadata.processing_time_ms | Integer | Milliseconds elapsed during extraction operation | | technical_metadata.checksum | String | Hash value for data integrity verification | | is_verified_content | Boolean | Indicates if the post originates from a verified account | | sentiment_score | Float | Normalized sentiment score (0.0 to 1.0) derived from engagement patterns | | batch_id | String | Identifier linking this extraction to a batch processing job | ## Sample Dataset Below is a sample of the high-fidelity JSON output: json { "extraction_id": "LS_2025121945821", "scraped_at": "2025-12-19T14:22:33Z", "platform": "instagram", "data_type": "like_metrics", "external_id": "ig_897654321_likes_20251219", "post_details": { "post_id": "897654321", "post_type": "carousel", "creation_timestamp": "2025-12-18T08:15:00Z", "language_code": "en_US" }, "engagement_metrics": { "total_likes": 3467, "like_velocity": 42.8, "peak_hour_likes": 892, "unique_likers": 3455 }, "demographic_data": { "geo_distribution": { "us": 45.2, "uk": 12.8, "ca": 8.5, "other": 33.5 }, "age_groups": { "18_24": 35, "25_34": 42, "35_44": 15, "45_plus": 8 } }, "technical_metadata": { "api_version": "2.8.1", "rate_limited": false, "processing_time_ms": 234, "checksum": "a7c83f591e" }, "is_verified_content": true, "sentiment_score": 0.78, "batch_id": "BATCH_20251219_L4K2" } ## Configuration Parameters To ensure optimal data depth, configure the following: | Parameter | Field Name | Data Type | Required | Example | |-----------|------------|-----------|----------|---------| | Post Identifier | postCode | String | Yes | https://www.instagram.com/p/DSZ1428iHtf/ | Accepted Formats: - Full Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/{shortcode}/ - Post shortcode: DSZ1428iHtf - Numeric post ID: 897654321 ## Analytical Use Cases Engagement Pattern Analysis: Researchers can leverage like_velocity and peak_hour_likes to identify optimal posting windows and content lifecycle patterns across different audience segments. Demographic Segmentation: The demographic_data object enables cohort analysis by geography and age group, supporting targeted content strategy development and audience profiling for brand partnerships. Sentiment Correlation Studies: Cross-referencing sentiment_score with engagement metrics provides insights into the relationship between perceived content quality and quantitative performance indicators. Longitudinal Performance Tracking: The extraction_id and scraped_at fields facilitate time-series analysis of post performance degradation or viral growth patterns over extended observation periods. Data Quality Auditing: Technical metadata fields (checksum, processing_time_ms, rate_limited) enable data engineers to monitor extraction reliability and identify potential data quality issues in production pipelines. ## Technical Limitations Important Considerations: - Rate Limiting: Instagram's API enforces rate limits of approximately 200 requests per hour per IP address. The rate_limited flag indicates when throttling has occurred. - Demographic Data Availability: Age and geographic distribution data is estimated based on publicly available signals and may not reflect actual user demographics with 100% accuracy. - Data Freshness: Engagement metrics represent a point-in-time snapshot. Like counts may increase after extraction, requiring periodic re-scraping for longitudinal studies. - Private Account Restrictions: Extraction is limited to public posts. Private accounts return null values for all engagement metrics. - Historical Data Retention: Instagram's API provides access to posts up to 2 years old. Older content may return incomplete metadata. - Checksum Validation: The checksum field uses a truncated hash (10 characters). For cryptographic verification, implement full SHA-256 hashing on the client side. --- Keywords & Tags: This specification supports workflows involving instagram scraper, instagram likes scraper, export instagram likes, instagram data extraction, instagram analytics API, social media scraping tool, and collect instagram engagement data operations for research and analytics applications.