Instagram Automation with n8n and Playwright

🚀 Overview

This tutorial will guide you through setting up a powerful Instagram automation system using n8n workflows and Playwright browser automation. With this system, you can automate profile analysis, send personalized messages, and capture screenshots without writing a single line of code.

📋 Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• Docker installed on your computer (Docker Engine for Linux/macOS or Docker Desktop for Windows)
• Basic familiarity with command-line operations
• Instagram account credentials
• Google Gemini API key (for AI-powered analysis)

🔧 Installation and Setup

Step 1: Clone the Repository

First, clone the GitHub repository to get all the necessary files:

git clone https://github.com/wangdangel/insta_n8n.git
cd insta_n8n

Step 2: Set Up the Environment

The project includes setup scripts for both Linux/macOS and Windows:

For Linux/macOS:

chmod +x setup.sh
./setup.sh

For Windows:

Double-click setup.bat or run it from Command Prompt.

These scripts will:

• Create necessary directories (playwright, screenshots, workflows)
• Copy required files to the correct locations
• Start Docker containers
• Set up the Playwright environment

Step 3: Access n8n

Once the setup is complete, you can access n8n through your browser:

http://localhost:5678

You'll be prompted to create an account or log in if you already have one.

Step 4: Import Workflows

In the n8n interface:

1. Click on "Workflows" in the left sidebar
2. Click the "Import from File" button
3. Select either basic_working_instagram_msg.json or instgram_v2 (working).json file
4. Click "Import"

🔍 Understanding the Workflow Components

The main workflow (instgram_v2 (working).json) consists of several interconnected components that handle different aspects of the automation:

1. Profile Finding

• Username Agent: Uses AI to find Instagram accounts based on names or descriptions
• Parse AI Response: Extracts valid Instagram usernames from the AI's responses

2. Profile Analysis

• Screenshot Code: Generates parameters for capturing Instagram screenshots
• Execute Instagram Automation: Interacts with Playwright to control a headless browser
• Transform Data Code: Processes the screenshots for analysis
• Image Buffer: Manages image data transfer between nodes

3. Visual Content Analysis

• Viewing Agent: AI-powered analysis of profile content, style, and themes
• View Refiner: Extracts specific insights about visual elements

4. Message Generation

• Messaging Agent: Creates personalized messages based on profile analysis
• Clean Up: Formats messages for delivery through Instagram

5. Message Delivery

• Prepare Request: Sets up the parameters for Instagram interaction
• Execute Instagram Automation: Sends the message via Instagram DM

⚙️ Configuration

Instagram Credentials

In both workflow files, you need to update the Instagram credentials node with your account information:

1. Open the workflow in n8n
2. Double-click on the "Instagram Credentials" node
3. Replace YOUR_EMAIL@YOUR_PROVIDER.COM with your Instagram email
4. Replace YOUR_PASSWORD with your Instagram password
5. Click "Save"

Google Gemini API Setup

To enable AI components, set up Google Gemini API integration:

1. Go to Google AI Studio and create an API key
2. In n8n, click on "Credentials" in the left sidebar
3. Click "Create" and select "Google Gemini(PaLM) API"
4. Enter your API key and save
5. Update each Google Gemini node in the workflow to use your credentials

🚀 Running Your First Automation

Testing Basic Functionality

To test a simple workflow without AI components:

1. Import the insta_n8n.json workflow
2. Double-click the "Input Data" node and set parameters:
   • searchTerm: Instagram username you want to target
   • targetUsername: Same as above
   • message: The message you want to send
3. Configure your Instagram credentials in the appropriate node
4. Click "Execute Workflow" to run the test

Testing AI-Powered Analysis

For the complete AI-powered workflow:

1. Import the instgram_v2 (working).json workflow
2. Make sure all Google Gemini nodes are configured with your API key
3. Update the Instagram credentials node with your account information
4. Click "Execute Workflow"
5. When prompted, enter a name or description of the Instagram account you're looking for

The workflow will:

1. Find the appropriate Instagram account
2. Take screenshots of the profile
3. Analyze the visual content and themes
4. Generate a personalized message
5. Send the message via Instagram DM

🛠️ Customizing the Workflow

Customizing AI Prompts

You can modify how the AI analyzes profiles and generates messages:

1. Open the workflow in n8n
2. Double-click on any AI Agent node (Username Agent, Viewing Agent, or Messaging Agent)
3. Edit the "Text" field to change the prompt
4. Click "Save" to apply changes

For example, in the Messaging Agent, you can adjust the prompt to emphasize different aspects of your product/service or change the messaging tone.

Adjusting Screenshot Settings

To modify how screenshots are captured:

1. Find the "Screenshot Code" node
2. Edit the code to change parameters such as:
   • numScreenshots: Number of screenshots to take (default: 3)
   • scrollPercent: How far to scroll between screenshots (default: 0.8)
   • waitTime: Milliseconds to wait between scrolls (default: 3000)

Adding New Features

The workflow is modular, so you can extend it with additional capabilities:

• Add data storage to track profiles you've interacted with
• Implement scheduling to automate messaging at specific times
• Integrate with CRM systems to track leads
• Create follow-up workflows to engage with responses

⚠️ Instagram Guidelines and Limitations

Best Practices

• Use automation responsibly and ethically
• Keep your message volume low (10-15 per day) when starting out
• Spread activities throughout the day rather than all at once
• Ensure messages are personalized and relevant
• Respond manually to replies when possible
• Use a dedicated Instagram account for testing

🧹 Cleanup and Maintenance

Stopping the Automation

When you're done using the automation, you can stop the Docker containers:

For Linux/macOS:

chmod +x cleanup.sh
./cleanup.sh

For Windows:

Double-click cleanup.bat or run it from Command Prompt.

Maintaining Your Setup

To keep your automation running smoothly:

• Regularly update your Docker images
• Check for updates to the workflow files
• Monitor Instagram for any policy changes that might affect automation
• Keep your Google Gemini API key up to date

🔍 Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

docker exec -it playwright-api bash
cd /app
npm install
npx playwright install
npx playwright install-deps

docker logs playwright-api

docker exec playwright-api bash -c "sed -i 's/\r$//' /app/*.js"

🤝 Support and Contribution

If you find this project helpful and would like to support its development:

• ⭐ Star the repository on GitHub
• 🐛 Report any issues you find
• 🤝 Contribute code or documentation
• ☕ Support the developer through the Buy Me a Coffee link

📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Get Started with Instagram Automation

Take control of your Instagram outreach with this powerful, local-first automation solution.