Influencer Discovery

Discover and analyze influencers across multiple platforms using Apify Actors.

Prerequisites

(No need to check it upfront)

• .env file with APIFY_TOKEN

• Node.js 20.6+ (for native --env-file support)

• mcpc CLI tool: npm install -g @apify/mcpc

Workflow

Copy this checklist and track progress:

Task Progress:

- [ ] Step 1: Determine discovery source (select Actor)

- [ ] Step 2: Fetch Actor schema via mcpc

- [ ] Step 3: Ask user preferences (format, filename)

- [ ] Step 4: Run the discovery script

- [ ] Step 5: Summarize results

Step 1: Determine Discovery Source

Select the appropriate Actor based on user needs:

User Need

Actor ID

Best For

Influencer profiles

apify/instagram-profile-scraper

Profile metrics, bio, follower counts

Find by hashtag

apify/instagram-hashtag-scraper

Discover influencers using specific hashtags

Reel engagement

apify/instagram-reel-scraper

Analyze reel performance and engagement

Discovery by niche

apify/instagram-search-scraper

Search for influencers by keyword/niche

Brand mentions

apify/instagram-tagged-scraper

Track who tags brands/products

Comprehensive data

apify/instagram-scraper

Full profile, posts, comments analysis

API-based discovery

apify/instagram-api-scraper

Fast API-based data extraction

Engagement analysis

apify/export-instagram-comments-posts

Export comments for sentiment analysis

Facebook content

apify/facebook-posts-scraper

Analyze Facebook post performance

Micro-influencers

apify/facebook-groups-scraper

Find influencers in niche groups

Influential pages

apify/facebook-search-scraper

Search for influential pages

YouTube creators

streamers/youtube-channel-scraper

Channel metrics and subscriber data

TikTok influencers

clockworks/tiktok-scraper

Comprehensive TikTok data extraction

TikTok (free)

clockworks/free-tiktok-scraper

Free TikTok data extractor

Live streamers

clockworks/tiktok-live-scraper

Discover live streaming influencers

Step 2: Fetch Actor Schema

Fetch the Actor's input schema and details dynamically using mcpc:

export $(grep APIFY_TOKEN .env | xargs) && mcpc --json mcp.apify.com --header "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" tools-call fetch-actor-details actor:="ACTOR_ID" | jq -r ".content"

Replace ACTOR_ID with the selected Actor (e.g., apify/instagram-profile-scraper).

This returns:

• Actor description and README

• Required and optional input parameters

• Output fields (if available)

Step 3: Ask User Preferences

Before running, ask:

• Output format:

• Quick answer - Display top few results in chat (no file saved)

• CSV - Full export with all fields

• JSON - Full export in JSON format

• Number of results: Based on character of use case

Step 4: Run the Script

Quick answer (display in chat, no file):

node --env-file=.env ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/reference/scripts/run_actor.js \

  --actor "ACTOR_ID" \

  --input 'JSON_INPUT'

CSV:

node --env-file=.env ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/reference/scripts/run_actor.js \

  --actor "ACTOR_ID" \

  --input 'JSON_INPUT' \

  --output YYYY-MM-DD_OUTPUT_FILE.csv \

  --format csv

JSON:

node --env-file=.env ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/reference/scripts/run_actor.js \

  --actor "ACTOR_ID" \

  --input 'JSON_INPUT' \

  --output YYYY-MM-DD_OUTPUT_FILE.json \

  --format json

Step 5: Summarize Results

After completion, report:

• Number of influencers found

• File location and name

• Key metrics available (followers, engagement rate, etc.)

• Suggested next steps (filtering, outreach, deeper analysis)

Error Handling

APIFY_TOKEN not found - Ask user to create .env with APIFY_TOKEN=your_token

mcpc not found - Ask user to install npm install -g @apify/mcpc

Actor not found - Check Actor ID spelling

Run FAILED - Ask user to check Apify console link in error output

Timeout - Reduce input size or increase --timeout