Instagram Business Action Block

What it does: Publish content, manage comments, reply to DMs, and control your Instagram Business account directly from your workflows.

When to Use This

Use the Instagram Business action when you need to:

• ✅ Auto-publish photos or reels when triggered by a schedule or event
• ✅ Reply to comments automatically using your workflow logic
• ✅ Send direct messages to users who DM you
• ✅ Fetch your media list with pagination, post comments, or profile info for analytics
• ✅ Hide or show comments based on sentiment or keywords
• ✅ Send typing indicators and read receipts for a more human-like DM experience
• ✅ React to messages with emoji reactions

Example: When someone comments "price?" on your post, automatically reply with your pricing link and DM them a detailed product brochure.

Features

• Content Publishing: Upload photos and reels to your Instagram Business account
• Profile & Media: Retrieve your profile info, media list, and post comments
• Comment Actions: Reply to, hide, or show comments on your posts
• Direct Messages: Send text/attachment messages, reactions, typing indicators, and read receipts
• OAuth-based Auth: Uses Instagram Login for Business — no manual token hunting
• Variable Support: Use {{variables}} from trigger or previous blocks in any field

Getting Your Instagram Credentials

Instagram Business uses Instagram Login for Business (OAuth). This is different from the old Facebook Graph API flow — you do not need a Facebook Page or manually-generated tokens.

Requirements

Before you start, make sure you have:

• An Instagram Business or Creator account (personal accounts are not supported)
• A Meta Developer App with Instagram product added
• Your app must have the following permissions approved:
  • instagram_business_basic
  • instagram_business_content_publishing
  • instagram_business_manage_messages
  • instagram_business_manage_comments

Step 1 — Create a Meta Developer App

1. Go to developers.facebook.com (opens in a new tab) and log in
2. Click My Apps → Create App
3. Select Other as the use case → Business as the app type
4. Give your app a name and click Create App
5. In the app dashboard, click Add Product → add Instagram

Step 2 — Configure OAuth Redirect URI

1. In your Meta App Dashboard, go to Instagram → API Setup with Instagram Login
2. Under Valid OAuth Redirect URIs, add:

   https://yourdomain.com/api/instagram/oauth/callback
3. Save your App ID and App Secret — you will need them in the next step

Step 3 — Connect in InditeAI

1. Add the Instagram Business action block to your workflow
2. Click Select Credentials → Create New
3. Enter your App ID and App Secret from your Meta App
4. Click Connect with Instagram — a popup opens asking you to authorize the app
5. Log in with your Instagram Business account and grant the requested permissions
6. The popup closes automatically and your credentials are saved

Setup in InditeAI

1. Connect Your Account

Follow the credential steps above. Once connected, select your credentials from the dropdown in the block settings.

2. Select an Action

Choose what you want to do:

3. Configure Action Fields

Each action requires different fields. See the detailed sections below.

Content Publishing

Upload Photo

Publishes a photo to your Instagram Business account feed.

Instagram Account ID (optional): Auto-filled from credentials. Override only if needed.

Caption (optional): Post caption — supports {{variables}}

New product alert! Check out our latest drop — link in bio.
{{trigger.postCaption}}

Photo URL (required): A publicly accessible JPG URL

https://example.com/product-photo.jpg
{{mediaUpload.url}}

How it works: Instagram uses a two-step process — first creating a media container, then publishing it. This block handles both steps automatically.

Upload Reel

Publishes a video reel to your Instagram Business account.

Instagram Account ID (optional): Auto-filled from credentials.

Caption (optional): Reel caption — supports {{variables}}

Behind the scenes — {{trigger.caption}}

Video URL (required): A publicly accessible video URL

https://example.com/reel.mp4
{{videoProcessor.outputUrl}}

Profile & Media

Get Profile

Retrieves your Instagram Business account profile information.

Instagram Account ID (optional): Auto-filled from credentials.

Returns:

• id — your account ID
• username — your Instagram username
• name — display name
• biography — bio text
• followers_count — follower count
• media_count — total number of posts
• profile_picture_url — profile picture URL
• website — website URL

Get Media List

Retrieves a list of your recent posts and media, with pagination support.

Instagram Account ID (optional): Auto-filled from credentials.

Items per page (optional): How many posts to return per page. Default 10, max 100.

Fetch all pages (optional): When enabled, automatically follows pagination until all posts are fetched. Use with caution on accounts with many posts.

After cursor (optional): Pagination cursor for the next page. Use {{output.paging.cursors.after}} from a previous run to fetch the next page manually.

{{previousStep.paging.cursors.after}}

Returns:

• data — Array of media objects, each containing:
  • id, caption, media_type (IMAGE, VIDEO, CAROUSEL_ALBUM)
  • media_url, thumbnail_url, permalink
  • timestamp, like_count, comments_count
• count — Total number of media items returned
• paging.cursors.after — Cursor to pass into the next request for the next page
• hasMore — true if more posts exist beyond this page

Get Comments

Retrieves comments on a specific post or media item.

Post / Media ID (required): The ID of the post to get comments from

{{trigger.mediaId}}
17855600000000001

Returns:

• comments — Array of comment objects:
  • id — comment ID
  • text — comment text
  • username — commenter's username
  • timestamp — when the comment was posted
  • like_count — number of likes (only if app has instagram_manage_comments)
  • from — commenter's account ID and username (only if app has instagram_manage_comments)
  • replies — array of replies (only if app has instagram_manage_comments)
• count — total comment count
• mediaId — the media ID queried

Comment Actions

Reply to Comment

Posts a public reply to a specific comment on one of your posts.

Comment ID (required): The ID of the comment to reply to

{{trigger.commentId}}
17858600000000001

Reply Text (required): Your reply — supports {{variables}}

Thanks for your comment! DM us for more info.
Hey {{trigger.fromUsername}}, check your DMs!

Hide Comment

Hides a comment from public view on one of your posts. The commenter cannot tell their comment was hidden.

Comment ID (required): The comment to hide

{{trigger.commentId}}

Show Comment

Unhides a previously hidden comment, making it visible to everyone again.

Comment ID (required): The comment to show

{{trigger.commentId}}

Direct Messages

All DM actions require a Recipient ID — the Instagram-scoped user ID of the person you are messaging. Use {{trigger.from}} to reply to whoever sent you a message.

Send Message

Sends a direct message to a user.

Recipient ID (required):

{{trigger.from}}

Message Text (required for text messages):

Hi! Thanks for reaching out. Here's what you asked for: {{productLink}}
{{trigger.replyText}}

Attachment URL (optional): Include an image, video, or audio file

https://example.com/product-catalog.jpg
{{mediaStorage.url}}

Attachment Type: Select image, video, or audio when using an attachment URL.

Messaging Tag (optional): Use HUMAN_AGENT to bypass the 24-hour messaging window

Send Reaction

Sends an emoji reaction to a message.

Recipient ID (required):

{{trigger.from}}

Message ID to react to (required):

{{trigger.messageId}}

Reaction: Enter love — currently the only supported Instagram reaction emoji.

Mark as Seen

Marks a conversation as read (shows a read receipt to the sender).

Recipient ID (required):

{{trigger.from}}

Use this at the start of a DM workflow to immediately acknowledge the message was received.

Typing Indicator

Shows a "typing..." indicator in the recipient's DM thread.

Recipient ID (required):

{{trigger.from}}

Use this before Send Message to make the interaction feel more natural and human-like.

Response Mapping

Map Instagram API response data to workflow variables:

Content Publishing:

• id — Published media ID

Get Profile:

• username, name, biography
• followers_count, media_count
• profile_picture_url, website

Get Media List:

• data — Array of media objects with id, caption, media_type, media_url, timestamp
• count — number of items returned
• paging.cursors.after — cursor for next page
• hasMore — whether more pages exist

Get Comments:

• comments — Array of comment objects with id, text, username, timestamp
• count — total comment count
• Extended fields (like_count, from, replies) included if app has instagram_manage_comments

Reply to Comment:

• id — ID of the new reply comment

DM Actions (Send Message):

• message_id — ID of the sent message
• recipient_id — recipient confirmation

Common Use Cases

1. Auto-Reply to Comments with Keywords

Trigger: Instagram Business Trigger → comments event, keyword filter: "price"

Workflow:

1. Instagram Business: Reply to Comment

   Comment ID: {{trigger.commentId}}
   Reply: Hi {{trigger.fromUsername}}! DM us for pricing details.
2. Instagram Business: Send Message

   Recipient: {{trigger.from}}
   Message: Here's our full pricing: [link]

2. Lead Capture from DMs

Trigger: Instagram Business Trigger → messages event, keyword: "collab"

Workflow:

1. Instagram Business: Mark as Seen
2. Instagram Business: Typing Indicator
3. Instagram Business: Send Message

   Message: Hi {{trigger.fromUsername}}! Thanks for reaching out about a collab.
   I'll reply within 24hrs. Meanwhile, here's my media kit: [link]
4. HubSpot: Create Contact
5. Slack: Notify team

3. Scheduled Content Publishing

Trigger: Schedule Trigger (daily at 9 AM)

Workflow:

1. Airtable: Get next scheduled post
2. Instagram Business: Upload Photo

   Photo URL: {{scheduledPost.imageUrl}}
   Caption: {{scheduledPost.caption}}
3. Airtable: Mark post as published

4. Comment Moderation

Trigger: Instagram Business Trigger → comments event

Workflow:

1. AI Block: Analyze comment sentiment
2. Condition: If sentiment = positive → Reply to Comment with a thank-you
3. Condition: If sentiment = spam → Hide Comment + log for review
4. Google Sheets: Log all comments for analytics

5. Story Mention Auto-Response

Trigger: Instagram Business Trigger → mentions event

Workflow:

1. Instagram Business: Send Message

   Recipient: {{trigger.from}}
   Message: Hey {{trigger.fromUsername}}! Thanks for the mention!
2. Google Sheets: Log mention for analytics

Best Practices

Content

• ✅ Always use publicly accessible URLs for photos and videos
• ✅ Test media URLs in an incognito browser before using in workflows
• ✅ Keep captions under 2,200 characters (Instagram's limit)
• ✅ Use {{variables}} to personalize captions dynamically

Direct Messages

• ✅ Use Mark as Seen → Typing Indicator → Send Message sequence for a natural feel
• ✅ Always reply within the 24-hour window; keyword triggers help catch DMs fast
• ✅ Keep automated DMs friendly — avoid sending unsolicited bulk messages
• ✅ Use the HUMAN_AGENT tag only when genuinely needed (requires Meta approval)

Security

• ✅ Use OAuth credentials — never expose access tokens in workflow fields
• ✅ Create a dedicated Meta App for InditeAI automations
• ✅ Keep your App Secret secure — it is used for webhook verification
• ✅ Reconnect credentials if you suspect a token has been compromised

API Limits

• ✅ Instagram limits publishing to 50 posts per 24 hours per account
• ✅ Avoid polling loops — use the Instagram Business Trigger for real-time events instead
• ✅ DM sending limits depend on your account's messaging tier

Troubleshooting

"Invalid OAuth access token" (Error 190)

Cause: The token was generated for a different Meta App, or the account has not authorized your app.

Fix:

1. Delete the existing credentials and reconnect via the OAuth popup
2. Make sure you are connecting with the Instagram Business account linked to your Meta App

"This account is not a Business/Creator account"

Fix: Switch your Instagram account to Business or Creator mode in the Instagram app settings before connecting.

"Media upload failed"

Fix:

• Verify the photo/video URL is publicly accessible (test in an incognito browser)
• Check that the photo is JPG format (PNG is not supported for feed posts)
• For reels, verify the file is under 1 GB and under 15 minutes
• Ensure the URL does not require authentication or a login

"Get Comments returns empty array"

Most likely cause: Your app is in Development Mode.

In Development mode, the Instagram API only returns comments from users who have authorized your Meta app. All other users' comments are invisible.

Fix:

1. Add test users to your Meta App (they must complete the OAuth flow)
2. Or submit your app for Meta App Review to go Live
3. Verify your mediaId is a post ID (not your account ID) — account IDs always return []

"User cannot receive messages" or "Outside 24-hour window"

Fix: The 24-hour messaging window has expired. Use comment replies instead, or ask the user to send you a new message to reopen the window.

"Comment ID not found" (404)

Fix: The comment may have been deleted. Add a Condition block before the reply action to handle this gracefully.

Limitations

• Publishing rate: 50 posts per 24 hours per account
• Reel processing: Can take up to 2 minutes; the block polls automatically but may timeout on very large files
• DM 24-hour window: Can only send messages to users within 24 hours of their last interaction
• Development Mode: Most content is only accessible to/from users who authorized your app
• Comment visibility: In Development Mode, only authorized users' comments are accessible via API
• Personal accounts: Not supported — Business or Creator account required
• Stories: Publishing stories via the API is not supported in the current version
• Liking comments: Instagram's API does not support liking individual comments — use Hide/Show for comment moderation instead
• Get Comments extended fields: like_count, from, and replies require the instagram_manage_comments permission; basic fields (id, text, username, timestamp) are always returned

Example Workflow

Flow:

1. Instagram Business Trigger fires when a comment contains "price"
2. The block publicly replies to acknowledge the comment
3. A DM is sent with detailed pricing information
4. The lead is logged to your CRM automatically
5. Your team is notified in Slack

Related Blocks

• Instagram Business Trigger: Start workflows when DMs, comments, or mentions arrive
• Condition: Route logic based on message content or sentiment
• Send Email: Follow up via email after Instagram interactions
• HubSpot / Salesforce: Log Instagram leads to your CRM
• Slack / Discord: Notify your team about important Instagram events
• Schedule Trigger: Publish content on a time-based schedule
• AI Block: Analyze sentiment, generate replies, or moderate content

Need Help?

• Review Instagram Graph API documentation (opens in a new tab)
• Check Instagram Login for Business setup guide (opens in a new tab)
• Verify your app permissions in Meta App Dashboard → Instagram → Permissions