My Instagram account started off a real weird way. I wanted to cash in on the growing YouTube hype and as a result wanted to practice taking videos of me and not making a fool of myself. So, I wanted a platform where I could judge what people thought of my videos and I chose Instagram for it!
What’s the most important thing that you need when you want people to judge your shitty videos?
You guessed it!
Followers.
However, just a side note- if you want to be an influencer, Instagram is the holy-grail starting point. In fact, in this post on 7 Influencer Marketing Campaigns That Went Viral, you'll find most of the campaigns (if not all) were actually on Instagram!
As always, I found most posts on the Internet just reiterated the basics- create a bio, post nice images, and wait 150 years to get your first 1k followers.
Fortunately, I was already introduced to the world of code and bots. So, I did some digging and found a very popular bot known as Instagress, which you need to pay to use. Now, there is quite a lot of discussion on whether you should use bots or not and many people consider its use practically evil.
Also, Instagress has stopped functioning after Instagram “requested” it to close its operations (sounds more like a threatened to sue, than request, if you ask me!). Anyways, even though Instagress has stopped functioning, there are several other bots just like it with similar features.
Anyhow, what I did in Instagram has nothing to do with bots.
What’s the most important thing that you need when you want people to judge your shitty videos?
You guessed it!
Followers.
However, just a side note- if you want to be an influencer, Instagram is the holy-grail starting point. In fact, in this post on 7 Influencer Marketing Campaigns That Went Viral, you'll find most of the campaigns (if not all) were actually on Instagram!
- Related: Instagram is the best breeding ground for superstar category of entrepreneurs. Knowing what type of entrepreneur you are can help you choose the right type of business and social media platform before you start.
The Instagram Experiment of Gaining Followers and Engagement
Simple enough. I needed more followers. But the real problem was that I had no clue as to how to get it. As such began round 2 of my social media research.As always, I found most posts on the Internet just reiterated the basics- create a bio, post nice images, and wait 150 years to get your first 1k followers.
Fortunately, I was already introduced to the world of code and bots. So, I did some digging and found a very popular bot known as Instagress, which you need to pay to use. Now, there is quite a lot of discussion on whether you should use bots or not and many people consider its use practically evil.
Also, Instagress has stopped functioning after Instagram “requested” it to close its operations (sounds more like a threatened to sue, than request, if you ask me!). Anyways, even though Instagress has stopped functioning, there are several other bots just like it with similar features.
Anyhow, what I did in Instagram has nothing to do with bots.
The
reason why I mentioned bots here, is because I want to talk about their primary
functions. The main function of Instagress and the like bots are that they like
and comment on a huge number of pictures relevant to your niche all throughout
the day, even when you sleep.
Neil
Patel found that when you like 100 pictures in Instagram, you get an
average of 6 followers. So, imagine how many followers a bot would bring you
with more than 6K likes and 1000 comments every week.
Now,
as I mentioned I already had an experience of how easy a little code can make
it for you to manage your social media accounts.
As
such I Googled “Instagram liking code”, and found a result at Joeldare.com.
Here’s
the code listed at the website-
function getHeartElement() {
var knownHeartElementNames =
["coreSpriteHeartOpen", "coreSpriteLikeHeartOpen"];
var i = 0;
// Loop through the known heart
elements until one works
for (i = 0; i <
knownHeartElementNames.length; i++) {
var heartElement =
document.querySelector('.' + knownHeartElementNames[i]);
if (heartElement !=
undefined) {
break;
}
}
return heartElement;
}
function doLike() {
var likeElement =
getHeartElement();
var nextElement =
document.querySelector('.coreSpriteRightPaginationArrow');
likeCount++;
console.log('Liked ' +
likeCount);
var nextTime = Math.random() * (14000 - 4000) + 4000;
likeElement.click();
setTimeout(function()
{nextElement.click();}, 1000);
if (likeCount < 25) {
setTimeout(doLike,
nextTime);
} else {
console.log('Nice! Time for
a break.');
}
}
var likeCount = 0;
doLike();
So,
basically all you need to do is open Instagram, and search for any hashtags
relevant to your niche such as #quotes, #business, #contentmarketing and go to
the “Most Recent” section and click on an image.
Then
enter this code into Google Chrome’s developer console and hit enter. The code
will like the picture you have opened and move to the next picture and go on
till it hits its limit, which is 25 in this code.
This
basically means that you need to put in this code and hit enter after every 25
pictures. Also, the like rate in this code is rather slow. Thus, all in all, it
doesn’t look like it can lessen the time you need to put in to Instagram and
get a daily increase in your followers, does it?
Well,
I felt the same. As such I improvised on the code. I found out that the (14000 - 4000) + 4000 part of the code sets the time
interval of liking pictures one after another.
The
part within the parenthesis denotes the time until the code hits the next
button and goes to the next picture after liking the picture you are on,
currently. It is a variable time limit, in order to prevent Instagram to
understand that you are using a code and make the liking seem quite a human
action.
The
part after the “+” icon denotes the time after which the code makes Google
Chrome like the picture after arriving on the next picture.
Also,
this part - (likeCount < 25) shows how many pictures,
Google Chrome will like at one go.
Now,
since the original code is too time consuming and needs a lot of hard work, I
decided to change it.
Note- The developer of the code kept it the
way it is, so as to avoid Instagram coming to know that you are using a code,
which is against its terms and condition. Use my edited code at your own risk.
Here’s my edited code-
function getHeartElement() {
var knownHeartElementNames = ["coreSpriteHeartOpen",
"coreSpriteLikeHeartOpen"];
var i = 0;
// Loop through the known heart elements until one works
for (i = 0; i < knownHeartElementNames.length; i++) {
var heartElement = document.querySelector('.' +
knownHeartElementNames[i]);
if (heartElement != undefined) {
break;
}
}
return heartElement;
}
function doLike() {
var likeElement = getHeartElement();
var nextElement = document.querySelector('.coreSpriteRightPaginationArrow');
likeCount++;
console.log('Liked ' + likeCount);
var nextTime = Math.random() * (4000 -
1000) + 4000;
likeElement.click();
setTimeout(function() {nextElement.click();}, 1000);
if (likeCount < 1000) {
setTimeout(doLike, nextTime);
} else {
console.log('Nice! Time for a break.');
}
}
var likeCount = 0;
doLike();
Since,
I don’t want the repeated irritation of having to reset the code again and
again, I edited the code so as to like 1000 pictures at a go. Also, I set the
time variable limit at a much lesser count of 4000-1000 compared to the
previous 14000-4000.
Although
I have set the like count to 4000, you should almost never go beyond liking 1000
pictures in a day or else you risk being caught by Instagram.
Now,
there are a few more problems and securities in place by Instagram, in place,
which I will discuss as well as their solutions.
How Instagram Manages to Slow You Down From Attaining Your Goals!
In Instagram, the process of gaining more followers and engagement is somewhat more difficult than that of Twitter.
This is because, Instagram has much more restriction on using these hacks-
- (However, I got a cheat-sheet on boosting your Twitter follower count and making money via Twitter, made by experts, themselves!)
This is because, Instagram has much more restriction on using these hacks-
- You can’t follow more than 19 people at one go. After following 19 people, you need to wait for sometime and then you can follow again, which is a very time consuming process. As such following others to increase your own followers is a strategy which can be thrown out of the window.
- When you like a picture in Instagram, you need to open it and then like it. You can’t make the code like several pictures and get it over with at one go because each picture is hosted at a different URL and so, a different URL loads everytime you click the next button.
- Sometimes, when the code loads the next images, Instagram creates an error which directs you to a page which says “Sorry, this page isn’t available”. During these times, you need to again repeat the process. This can piss you off if it keeps on happening.
As such, when you try this code at Instagram, it may look like a time-consuming strategy. But, take it from me- it isn’t.
I open Instagram and run this code in the background, whenever I am doing something on my PC. Sometimes, I check on the code whether the error page has turned up or not. If it has, then I just repeat this process, which hardly takes some seconds and get back to my work.
A Word of Warning
When you use the modified code in Instagram, do not like
more than 1000 images. It is dangerous and Instagram may lock you out from
liking pictures for one or two days. Using the code within the limit is well
and good; however, if you try to overuse it and fasten the process, Instagram
may lock you out from liking pictures for some days.
Also don’t try the trick of opening this code on several
browsers and liking several hashtags at the same time using this code, as a way
to fasten this process.
This will get you a one-way ticket to getting shadow-banned
or banned from liking anymore pictures. I tried this strategy, so believe me
when I say, Instagram will notice it.
Conclusion
A lot of people frown upon the use of bots and codes.
However what I did was a conclusive experiment, on how you can build your
follower base rapidly without spending much time on social media.
I have tried to experiment on the various risks and hurdles
of using codes in social media, so that you don’t have to face them and can
rise to have thousands of followers very fast.
I started this experiment several weeks ago and by spending
just 5 minutes everyday on my social media accounts I made around 1200 followers
in Instagram in just 9 weeks.
However, after the experiment got over I deleted my account and have created a new account which I will use for another experiment. So follow my new Instagram account for details on the experiment which I shall upload soon enough.
- Must Read: - 70 Uncommonly Common Blunders Your Startup May Make And Tips On How To Avoid Them (Mega List!)
Now it’s your turn. Which is your favorite bot in social
media? Do you know of any other codes to rock social media? If so, share it in
the comments!
Thanks for sharing this useful tips. It will help me lot. But, I want to buy instagram likes for my business profile. Can you help me about that?
ReplyDeleteBetter not sail down that road Barry
Delete