How to Get Instagram Business Followers Count with Meta API

To fetch Instagram Business account followers count using the Meta Graph API, you need to use the Business Discovery endpoint rather than trying to access followers_count directly on the Facebook Page. The error you’re encountering occurs because the Facebook Page object doesn’t have a followers_count field - Instagram metrics require a different approach.

Contents

• Business Discovery API Endpoint
• Required Permissions and Setup
• Step-by-Step Implementation
• Field Changes and Considerations
• Error Troubleshooting
• Complete Example

Business Discovery API Endpoint

The correct endpoint for fetching Instagram Business account followers count uses the Business Discovery API. According to the official Meta documentation, you need to structure your request as follows:

https://graph.facebook.com/v17.0/{instagram_business_account_id}?fields=business_discovery.username({instagram_username}){followers_count,media_count}

Key points:

• Replace {instagram_business_account_id} with your Instagram Business Account ID
• Replace {instagram_username} with the target Instagram username
• The business_discovery field allows you to query external Instagram Business accounts
• You can specify multiple fields like followers_count, media_count, etc.

Required Permissions and Setup

Yes, you need specific permissions and setup:

1. Access Token Requirements:

   • Your access token must have the pages_show_list permission
   • You need instagram_basic permission for Instagram-specific access
   • The token should be generated by a user with Business Manager access

2. Account Linking:

   • Your Facebook Page must be linked to the Instagram Business account
   • You need to be a business admin of the associated Facebook Page

3. Token Validation:

   • Access tokens expire (typically 60 days)
   • You need to validate the token has the required scopes

Step-by-Step Implementation

Step 1: Get Instagram Business Account ID from Facebook Page

First, retrieve the Instagram Business Account ID from your linked Facebook Page:

https://graph.facebook.com/v17.0/{page_id}?fields=instagram_business_account&access_token={ACCESS_TOKEN}

Step 2: Use Business Discovery API

Once you have the Instagram Business Account ID, use it to query the target Instagram account:

https://graph.facebook.com/v17.0/{instagram_business_account_id}?fields=business_discovery.username({target_username}){followers_count,media_count}&access_token={ACCESS_TOKEN}

Step 3: Parse the Response

The successful response will include:

{
  "business_discovery": {
    "followers_count": 267793,
    "media_count": 1205,
    "id": "17841401441775531"
  },
  "id": "17841405309211844"
}

Field Changes and Considerations

Important Field Name Changes:

• As Meta has updated their API, field names have been standardized:
  • follow_count → follows_count
  • followed_by_count → followers_count
  • profile_pic → profile_picture_url

Account Type Limitations:

• The Instagram Graph API only works with Business and Creator accounts
• Consumer (personal) Instagram accounts cannot be accessed via this API
• You must have the target account’s username to use Business Discovery

Error Troubleshooting

Common Errors and Solutions:

1. (#100) Tried accessing nonexisting field (followers_count)

   • Cause: Trying to access followers_count directly on Facebook Page object
   • Solution: Use Business Discovery API instead

2. (#200) The user hasn't authorized the application to perform this action

   • Cause: Missing required permissions
   • Solution: Ensure your access token has pages_show_list and instagram_basic permissions

3. (#100) Invalid Instagram Business Account ID

   • Cause: Incorrect Instagram Business Account ID
   • Solution: Verify the ID by querying your Facebook Page first

4. (#100) Invalid parameter

   • Cause: Malformed username in business_discovery field
   • Solution: Ensure username doesn’t include @ symbol and is case-insensitive

Complete Example

Here’s a complete working example:

Step 1: Get Instagram Business Account ID

GET https://graph.facebook.com/v17.0/YOUR_PAGE_ID?fields=instagram_business_account&access_token=YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN

Step 2: Fetch Instagram Followers Count

GET https://graph.facebook.com/v17.0/YOUR_INSTAGRAM_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT_ID?fields=business_discovery.username(target_instagram_username){followers_count,media_count}&access_token=YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN

Response:

{
  "business_discovery": {
    "followers_count": 123456,
    "media_count": 789,
    "id": "INSTAGRAM_ACCOUNT_ID"
  },
  "id": "YOUR_INSTAGRAM_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT_ID"
}

Alternative Approach - Using Page ID Directly:
You can also combine these steps into a single request by using your Page ID directly:

GET https://graph.facebook.com/v17.0/YOUR_PAGE_ID?fields=instagram_business_account{business_discovery.username(target_username){followers_count,media_count}}&access_token=YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN

This approach eliminates the need for a separate API call to get the Instagram Business Account ID first.

Remember to replace all placeholders with your actual values and ensure your access token has the required permissions before making the API calls.

Sources

1. Official Facebook Developer Documentation - Business Discovery API
2. Ficode - Using Instagram Graph API to access business account followers
3. Meta simplifies Instagram and marketing API integrations
4. Stack Overflow - Instagram Graph API get followers
5. Jamie Maguire - Instagram Graph API Insights
6. GitHub - Meta API Get Instagram Data

Conclusion

To successfully retrieve Instagram Business account followers count using the Meta Graph API:

1. Use the Business Discovery API endpoint with the correct structure: business_discovery.username({username}){followers_count}
2. Ensure you have proper permissions including pages_show_list and instagram_basic for your access token
3. First retrieve the Instagram Business Account ID from your linked Facebook Page, then use it in the Business Discovery API call

The key is understanding that Instagram metrics are accessed through the Business Discovery endpoint rather than directly through the Facebook Page object. This approach allows you to fetch follower counts, media counts, and other Instagram-specific metrics for Business and Creator accounts.

For ongoing monitoring, consider implementing token refresh logic since access tokens typically expire every 60 days, and build proper error handling for API rate limits and permission issues.