Instagram Automation

1---
2name: instagram-automation
3description: "Automate Instagram tasks via Rube MCP (Composio): create posts, carousels, manage media, get insights, and publishing limits. Always search tools first for current schemas."
4requires:
5  mcp: [rube]
6---
7 
8# Instagram Automation via Rube MCP
9 
10Automate Instagram operations through Composio's Instagram toolkit via Rube MCP.
11 
12## Prerequisites
13 
14- Rube MCP must be connected (RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS available)
15- Active Instagram connection via `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `instagram`
16- Always call `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` first to get current tool schemas
17- Instagram Business or Creator account required (personal accounts not supported)
18 
19## Setup
20 
21**Get Rube MCP**: Add `https://rube.app/mcp` as an MCP server in your client configuration. No API keys needed — just add the endpoint and it works.
22 
23 
241. Verify Rube MCP is available by confirming `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` responds
252. Call `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `instagram`
263. If connection is not ACTIVE, follow the returned auth link to complete Instagram/Facebook OAuth
274. Confirm connection status shows ACTIVE before running any workflows
28 
29## Core Workflows
30 
31### 1. Create a Single Image/Video Post
32 
33**When to use**: User wants to publish a single photo or video to Instagram
34 
35**Tool sequence**:
361. `INSTAGRAM_GET_USER_INFO` - Get Instagram user ID [Prerequisite]
372. `INSTAGRAM_CREATE_MEDIA_CONTAINER` - Create a media container with the image/video URL [Required]
383. `INSTAGRAM_GET_POST_STATUS` - Check if the media container is ready [Optional]
394. `INSTAGRAM_CREATE_POST` or `INSTAGRAM_POST_IG_USER_MEDIA_PUBLISH` - Publish the container [Required]
40 
41**Key parameters**:
42- `image_url`: Public URL of the image to post
43- `video_url`: Public URL of the video to post
44- `caption`: Post caption text
45- `ig_user_id`: Instagram Business account user ID
46 
47**Pitfalls**:
48- Media URLs must be publicly accessible; private/authenticated URLs will fail
49- Video containers may take time to process; poll GET_POST_STATUS before publishing
50- Caption supports hashtags and mentions but has a 2200 character limit
51- Publishing a container that is not yet finished processing returns an error
52 
53### 2. Create a Carousel Post
54 
55**When to use**: User wants to publish multiple images/videos in a single carousel post
56 
57**Tool sequence**:
581. `INSTAGRAM_CREATE_MEDIA_CONTAINER` - Create individual containers for each media item [Required, repeat per item]
592. `INSTAGRAM_CREATE_CAROUSEL_CONTAINER` - Create the carousel container referencing all media containers [Required]
603. `INSTAGRAM_GET_POST_STATUS` - Check carousel container readiness [Optional]
614. `INSTAGRAM_POST_IG_USER_MEDIA_PUBLISH` - Publish the carousel [Required]
62 
63**Key parameters**:
64- `children`: Array of media container IDs for the carousel
65- `caption`: Carousel post caption
66- `ig_user_id`: Instagram Business account user ID
67 
68**Pitfalls**:
69- Carousels require 2-10 media items; fewer or more will fail
70- Each child container must be created individually before the carousel container
71- All child containers must be fully processed before creating the carousel
72- Mixed media (images + videos) is supported in carousels
73 
74### 3. Get Media and Insights
75 
76**When to use**: User wants to view their posts or analyze post performance
77 
78**Tool sequence**:
791. `INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_USER_MEDIA` or `INSTAGRAM_GET_USER_MEDIA` - List user's media [Required]
802. `INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_MEDIA` - Get details for a specific post [Optional]
813. `INSTAGRAM_GET_POST_INSIGHTS` or `INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_MEDIA_INSIGHTS` - Get metrics for a post [Optional]
824. `INSTAGRAM_GET_USER_INSIGHTS` - Get account-level insights [Optional]
83 
84**Key parameters**:
85- `ig_user_id`: Instagram Business account user ID
86- `media_id`: ID of the specific media post
87- `metric`: Metrics to retrieve (e.g., impressions, reach, engagement)
88- `period`: Time period for insights (e.g., day, week, lifetime)
89 
90**Pitfalls**:
91- Insights are only available for Business/Creator accounts
92- Some metrics require minimum follower counts
93- Insight data may have a delay of up to 48 hours
94- The `period` parameter must match the metric type
95 
96### 4. Check Publishing Limits
97 
98**When to use**: User wants to verify they can publish before attempting a post
99 
100**Tool sequence**:
1011. `INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_USER_CONTENT_PUBLISHING_LIMIT` - Check remaining publishing quota [Required]
102 
103**Key parameters**:
104- `ig_user_id`: Instagram Business account user ID
105 
106**Pitfalls**:
107- Instagram enforces a 25 posts per 24-hour rolling window limit
108- Publishing limit resets on a rolling basis, not at midnight
109- Check limits before bulk posting operations to avoid failures
110 
111### 5. Get Media Comments and Children
112 
113**When to use**: User wants to view comments on a post or children of a carousel
114 
115**Tool sequence**:
1161. `INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_MEDIA_COMMENTS` - List comments on a media post [Required]
1172. `INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_MEDIA_CHILDREN` - List children of a carousel post [Optional]
118 
119**Key parameters**:
120- `media_id`: ID of the media post
121- `ig_media_id`: Alternative media ID parameter
122 
123**Pitfalls**:
124- Comments may be paginated; follow pagination cursors for complete results
125- Carousel children are returned as individual media objects
126- Comment moderation settings on the account affect what is returned
127 
128## Common Patterns
129 
130### ID Resolution
131 
132**Instagram User ID**:
133```
1341. Call INSTAGRAM_GET_USER_INFO
1352. Extract ig_user_id from response
1363. Use in all subsequent API calls
137```
138 
139**Media Container Status Check**:
140```
1411. Call INSTAGRAM_CREATE_MEDIA_CONTAINER
1422. Extract container_id from response
1433. Poll INSTAGRAM_GET_POST_STATUS with container_id
1444. Wait until status is 'FINISHED' before publishing
145```
146 
147### Two-Phase Publishing
148 
149- Phase 1: Create media container(s) with content URLs
150- Phase 2: Publish the container after it finishes processing
151- Always check container status between phases for video content
152- For carousels, all children must complete Phase 1 before creating the carousel container
153 
154## Known Pitfalls
155 
156**Media URLs**:
157- All image/video URLs must be publicly accessible HTTPS URLs
158- URLs behind authentication, CDN restrictions, or that require cookies will fail
159- Temporary URLs (pre-signed S3, etc.) may expire before processing completes
160 
161**Rate Limits**:
162- 25 posts per 24-hour rolling window
163- API rate limits apply separately from publishing limits
164- Implement exponential backoff for 429 responses
165 
166**Account Requirements**:
167- Only Business or Creator Instagram accounts are supported
168- Personal accounts cannot use the Instagram Graph API
169- The account must be connected to a Facebook Page
170 
171**Response Parsing**:
172- Media IDs are numeric strings
173- Insights data may be nested under different response keys
174- Pagination uses cursor-based tokens
175 
176## Quick Reference
177 
178| Task | Tool Slug | Key Params |
179|------|-----------|------------|
180| Get user info | INSTAGRAM_GET_USER_INFO | (none) |
181| Create media container | INSTAGRAM_CREATE_MEDIA_CONTAINER | image_url/video_url, caption |
182| Create carousel | INSTAGRAM_CREATE_CAROUSEL_CONTAINER | children, caption |
183| Publish post | INSTAGRAM_CREATE_POST | ig_user_id, creation_id |
184| Publish media | INSTAGRAM_POST_IG_USER_MEDIA_PUBLISH | ig_user_id, creation_id |
185| Check post status | INSTAGRAM_GET_POST_STATUS | ig_container_id |
186| List user media | INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_USER_MEDIA | ig_user_id |
187| Get media details | INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_MEDIA | ig_media_id |
188| Get post insights | INSTAGRAM_GET_POST_INSIGHTS | media_id, metric |
189| Get user insights | INSTAGRAM_GET_USER_INSIGHTS | ig_user_id, metric, period |
190| Get publishing limit | INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_USER_CONTENT_PUBLISHING_LIMIT | ig_user_id |
191| Get media comments | INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_MEDIA_COMMENTS | ig_media_id |
192| Get carousel children | INSTAGRAM_GET_IG_MEDIA_CHILDREN | ig_media_id |
193