Instagram’s Explore page is a goldmine for content inspiration and growth opportunities. It introduces users to new creators, viral trends, and relevant topics based on Instagram’s complex algorithm. For brands and influencers trying to reach a broader audience, understanding what shows up on Explore is key to refining content strategy. But scraping Explore data—using bots or scripts to automatically extract information—is against Instagram’s Terms of Service and may result in serious consequences. So how can one track Explore page trends legally?
This article offers an ethical and effective roadmap for analyzing Explore trends and gaining valuable insights—without breaking any rules.
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How to scrape instagram explore page
The Explore page is where discovery happens. While your main feed is made up of content from people you follow, Explore shows content you might like, even from accounts you’ve never interacted with. This includes:
Viral Reels
Trending posts
Popular Stories
Location-based content
Niche interests based on your behavior
Being featured on the Explore page can lead to exponential visibility and engagement. That’s why so many content creators, digital marketers, and businesses are eager to study it.
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The Problem with Scraping
Scraping refers to using automated tools or scripts to extract data from websites. While it might sound efficient, scraping Instagram—especially the Explore page—is strictly prohibited. Here’s why:
Violates Instagram’s Terms of Use
Can lead to permanent account bans
Legal implications under data protection laws
Unethical use of user-generated content without consent
Instead of scraping, there are legitimate ways to study and track what’s happening on Explore and apply it to your strategy.
Ethical and Legal Methods to Track Explore Page Trends
- Create Sample User Profiles One effective way to see what appears on the Explore page is by maintaining multiple Instagram accounts tailored to different interests. For example:
One account interacts with travel content
Another focuses on tech and gadgets
A third likes fashion and beauty posts
By observing the Explore feed on each profile over time, you can start to identify content patterns, such as:
Common hashtags
Post formats (Reels vs. photos)
Engagement strategies
Visual styles
This method simulates how the algorithm works for different user types—without violating Instagram’s policies.
- Use Instagram Insights If you have a Business or Creator account, Instagram provides built-in analytics. Under the “Discovery” section of post analytics, you can see:
How many users discovered your content
Whether it came from the Explore page
What actions they took after seeing it (e.g., following or sharing)
By analyzing which of your posts reached Explore and why, you can begin to optimize future content for similar performance.
- Use Hashtag and Content Trend Tools Although these tools don’t give you direct access to the Explore page, they can help you uncover trending themes:
Hashtagify – Discover related hashtags and track popularity.
RiteTag (by RiteKit) – Analyze hashtag performance in real time.
Later – Offers Instagram scheduling with analytics on engagement.
BuzzSumo – Useful for finding viral content across platforms.
Social Blade – Helps track follower growth and engagement stats.
These platforms provide indirect indicators of what kind of content might be showing up on Explore.
- Track Competitor and Influencer Content Regularly audit accounts that appear to frequently land on Explore. Pay attention to:
Posting times
Hashtag usage
Caption format
Story strategies
Engagement tactics (e.g., polls, CTAs, comments)
While you can’t scrape their Explore data, studying their success gives you insight into what the algorithm may be favoring.
What to Watch For on Explore
When manually tracking or analyzing content, focus on the following characteristics:
Format: Reels are often prioritized over static images.
Theme: Seasonal content, memes, and challenges trend quickly.
Audio: Trending music plays a large role in Reel visibility.
Design: Posts with clean visuals or text overlays often gain more engagement.
Engagement Signals: High shares, saves, and comments are indicators of viral potential.
The key is to observe and log your findings regularly. Keep a spreadsheet or use a tool like Notion to organize:
Post links
Caption keywords
Hashtag usage
Visual layout
Engagement metrics
Over time, patterns will become clearer, allowing you to tailor your content to align with what’s working.
Conclusion
The Instagram Explore page remains a highly influential feature for driving discovery and engagement. While scraping it may seem like a shortcut, it’s not worth the risk. Thankfully, there are several legal, ethical, and creative ways to understand Explore trends and use that insight to grow your own presence on the platform. By observing user behavior, leveraging insights, and tracking content patterns manually, you can stay ahead of the curve—and do it responsibly.
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