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Get Following

Retrieves the list of accounts that an Instagram profile is following with optional limits. Returns usernames, profile information, verification status, and engagement metrics for each followed account.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Inputs​

  • Session ID - The session identifier from the Login node.
  • Username - Instagram username to retrieve following list for (without the @ symbol).
  • Max Following - Maximum number of accounts to retrieve. Set to 0 to retrieve all accounts being followed.

Output​

  • Following - Array of profile objects for accounts being followed, each containing:

    • username - Account's Instagram username
    • user_id - Unique user identifier
    • full_name - Display name
    • is_private - Boolean indicating if account is private
    • is_verified - Boolean indicating if account is verified
    • profile_pic_url - URL to profile picture
    • followers_count - Number of followers the account has
    • following_count - Number of accounts this account follows
    • posts_count - Number of posts this account has

  • Following Count - Total number of accounts retrieved.

How It Works​

The Get Following node fetches the list of accounts that a profile follows. When executed, it:

  1. Validates the Session ID and Username
  2. Retrieves the profile using the Instagram API
  3. Iterates through the accounts the profile is following
  4. For each account, extracts profile information
  5. Stops when Max Following limit is reached or all accounts are retrieved
  6. Returns the following array and count

Requirements​

  • An active Instagram session (from Login node)
  • A valid Instagram username
  • Login is required to access following lists (even for public accounts)
  • For private profiles, you must follow the account to see who they follow

Error Handling​

The node will return specific errors in the following cases:

  • ErrInvalidArg - Username is missing or empty
  • ErrNotFound - Profile does not exist
  • ErrPermission - Profile is private and you don't follow them
  • ErrAuth - Login is required to access following lists
  • ErrRuntime - General failure to retrieve following list

Common Errors​

Profile Not Found:

Profile 'username' does not exist

Solution: Verify the username is correct.

Private Profile:

Profile 'username' is private and you don't follow them

Solution: You must follow the account to access their following list.

Login Required:

Login required to access following list

Solution: Ensure you're using a valid authenticated session.

Usage Notes​

  • Following lists are typically smaller than follower lists
  • Use Max Following to limit retrieval time for accounts following many users
  • Each profile object includes engagement metrics for analysis
  • Order may vary and is not guaranteed to be consistent
  • Private account following lists require follow relationship
  • Rate limiting may occur when retrieving large following lists

Example: Analyze Following Strategy​

Inputs:

  • Session ID: (from Login node)
  • Username: "competitor_brand"
  • Max Following: 500

Output Sample:

{
  "following": [
    {
      "username": "industry_leader",
      "user_id": "1234567890",
      "full_name": "Industry Leader Corp",
      "is_private": false,
      "is_verified": true,
      "profile_pic_url": "https://instagram.com/.../profile.jpg",
      "followers_count": 250000,
      "following_count": 150,
      "posts_count": 543
    },
    {
      "username": "influencer_partner",
      "user_id": "9876543210",
      "full_name": "Partner Influencer",
      "is_private": false,
      "is_verified": true,
      "profile_pic_url": "https://instagram.com/.../profile2.jpg",
      "followers_count": 85000,
      "following_count": 320,
      "posts_count": 1205
    }
  ],
  "following_count": 500
}

Example: Identify Strategic Partnerships​

Workflow:

Login
  ↓
Get Following (competitor, max: 1000)
  ↓
Filter accounts where:
  - is_verified == true
  - followers_count > 50000
  ↓
Categorize by followers_count:
  - Mega influencers (>500K)
  - Macro influencers (100K-500K)
  - Micro influencers (10K-100K)
  ↓
Generate partnership opportunities report
  ↓
Logout

Use Case: Discover which influencers and brands your competitors partner with.

Example: Network Analysis​

Workflow:

Get Following (target_account, max: 0)
  ↓
Analyze:
  - Percentage of verified accounts
  - Average follower count
  - Ratio of brands vs individuals
  - Private vs public accounts
  ↓
Generate network profile report

Example: Competitive Following Strategy​

Workflow:

For each competitor:
  Get Following (max: 500)
  ↓
  Extract all usernames
  ↓
Find common accounts followed by multiple competitors
  ↓
Identify industry key players

Best Practices​

  • Use reasonable Max Following limits (100-500) for most use cases
  • Analyze verified accounts to identify brand partnerships
  • Compare follower counts to assess influence level
  • Track following changes over time to identify new partnerships
  • Filter for accounts relevant to your industry or niche
  • Store following data for trend analysis
  • Handle rate limiting with appropriate delays
  • Consider the follower/following ratio for quality assessment

Tips for Effective Use​

  • Partnership Discovery: Verified accounts in following list indicate potential partnerships
  • Influencer Research: High follower counts reveal influencer relationships
  • Brand Strategy: Brands follow competitors, partners, and industry leaders
  • Trend Identification: Newly followed accounts may indicate emerging trends
  • Quality vs Quantity: Low following count suggests selective, strategic following
  • Network Mapping: Build relationship graphs by analyzing following lists
  • Competitive Intelligence: Compare your following strategy to competitors
  • Account Purpose: Brands typically follow fewer accounts than personal profiles

Common Use Cases​

  1. Competitive Analysis - Study competitor following strategies
  2. Partnership Discovery - Identify potential influencer or brand partnerships
  3. Network Mapping - Understand industry relationships and connections
  4. Influencer Research - Find relevant influencers in your niche
  5. Brand Monitoring - Track which accounts brands engage with
  6. Strategy Validation - Compare your following approach to successful accounts
  7. Lead Generation - Discover potential business connections
  8. Trend Spotting - Identify emerging accounts and trends

Following Analysis Metrics​

Key Metrics to Calculate:

Following Selectivity:

selectivity = following_count / followers_count
- Low ratio (<0.1): Very selective following (typical for brands/influencers)
- High ratio (>2): Follow-back strategy or personal account
- Ratio ≈ 1: Balanced approach

Verified Account Percentage:

verified_pct = (count of is_verified == true) / following_count * 100
- High percentage: Focuses on established accounts
- Indicates professional/business orientation

Average Follower Count of Following:

avg_influence = sum(followers_count) / following_count
- High average: Follows influential accounts
- Low average: Follows smaller, niche accounts

Example: Comprehensive Following Analysis​

Workflow:

Get Following (max: 1000)
  ↓
Categorize accounts:
  - Verified accounts (is_verified == true)
  - Mega influencers (followers > 500K)
  - Brands vs individuals
  - Private accounts
  ↓
Calculate:
  - Verified account percentage
  - Average follower count
  - Most common follower size bracket
  - Private account percentage
  ↓
Generate following strategy profile

Performance Considerations​

  • Retrieving 500 accounts typically takes 1-3 minutes
  • Accounts following thousands can take significant time
  • Use Max Following to control processing time
  • Instagram rate limits apply to following list requests
  • Cache data to minimize repeated API calls
  • Consider batch processing for multiple profiles

Following vs Followers Insights​

Strategic Differences:

Following List Reveals:

  • Interests and industry connections
  • Partnership and collaboration patterns
  • Content inspiration sources
  • Competitive landscape awareness
  • Strategic account selection

Follower List Reveals:

  • Audience demographics
  • Reach and influence
  • Brand popularity
  • Community composition
  • Growth patterns

Example: Find Mutual Interests​

Workflow:

Get Following (your_account)
  ↓
Get Following (competitor_account)
  ↓
Find intersection of usernames
  ↓
Identify commonly followed accounts
  ↓
Analyze these accounts for industry insights

Use Case: Discover industry standards and key players both you and competitors follow.

Important Notes​

  • Privacy: Private account following lists require follow relationship
  • Authentication: Login required even for public account following lists
  • Strategy Indicator: Following patterns reveal account strategy and focus
  • Verification: High percentage of verified accounts indicates professional focus
  • Selectivity: Brands typically follow fewer, more strategic accounts
  • Changes Over Time: Monitor following list changes to spot new partnerships
  • Industry Connections: Following lists map industry networks and relationships
  • Data Privacy: Handle following data responsibly and comply with privacy regulations
  • Rate Limits: Large following lists may trigger Instagram rate limiting
  • Quality Signal: Selective following (low count) often indicates curated, strategic approach