Tracking Instagram metrics across several accounts: phones read, an API fills the gaps, and nobody guesses a number

Description and use

Nightly Instagram metric collection using real iPhones and OCR, supplemented by public data from HikerAPI, with validation that two independent reads agree and API call limits, delivers accurate reports for multiple accounts.

Problem

Need reliable Instagram metrics for multiple accounts each morning without linking all accounts to a single Meta app.

Outcome

Accurate, transparent nightly reports for multiple IG accounts with validated metrics and controlled API usage.

Workflow

• 1. Use real iPhones driven by a remote‑automation service to open each account’s Insights at night.
• 2. Take screenshots of the Insights page and run OCR to extract private numbers (reach, 30‑day views, interactions).
• 3. For each new reel, fetch permalink, thumbnail, and publish time from HikerAPI; skip fields already provided by the phone.
• 4. Store all raw OCR data in SQLite. 5. Normalize the raw data into the spreadsheet and internal dashboard. 6. Apply the accept(a,b,tolerance) function to keep a value only if two independent reads agree; otherwise set to None. 7. Re‑run the parser on stored raw OCR when the parser is fixed to recover missing or wrong values. 8. Only trust a username variant if it has been confirmed for that account on that phone and not matched by another account on the same phone. 9. Limit API calls to new reels and only fields not available from the phone. 10. Set a nightly cap on paid API calls and stop the phase if the balance approaches the floor. 11. Generate a morning report that indicates “partial” and lists missing metrics instead of a green check.

Evidence

A small farm of iPhones, driven through a remote-automation service, opens each account's Insights, takes screenshots and runs OCR.

Source

For each new reel we fetch the permalink, thumbnail and publish time once, from HikerAPI.

Source

Keep a value only if two independent reads agree; otherwise None.

Source

Our morning message used to show a green check when an account was read "successfully" but a key number was empty. Now it says "partial, missing 30-day views", so nobody trusts a hole.

Source