Meta Graph API: the Good, the Bad, and Alternatives

Without big data, you are blind and deaf and in the middle of a freeway

Geoffrey Moore.

In the modern world, data is a new currency. This is why APIs have become a fundamental tool in every professional toolkit. But users can often get lost in an endless number of third-party and official providers such as Meta Graph API, which we are about to discover in this article. Whether you are here to investigate the Graph API’s features, learn about its complexities, or explore some worthy alternative to never become the next dev who will comment “Why the Graph API is so annoying?” (yes, that’s a common practice), you are very welcome to read this first. 

Your perfect API decision is waiting. Let’s explore all the ins and outs with Data365.co!

Meta Graph API Basics: Short Intro for Newcomers 

Meta Graph API is Facebook's official instrument for extracting information from both Facebook and Instagram platforms. As with any other API, it serves as a bridge for apps to access the data located throughout social networks.

The Graph API functions as a mathematical tool that implements principles of graph theory to operate. Graph theory presents itself as a mathematical field that investigates the relationship between interconnected objects. The Graph API organizes information into two main structural elements called nodes and edges which depict entities and their relationships respectively. A node exists with individual fields that store both standard data features such as user profile pictures as well as unique content like posts. The collection of needed data occurs through developer traversal of both nodes and edges.

What to Choose: Graph APIs or Rest APIs

If we have already mentioned the GRAPH principles on which the Meta Graph API functions, it is also worth discovering its opponent – the REST concept, which is the core for most third-party APIs, including Social Media API from Data365.co. So now it’s the best time to compare those two and figure out which is better to choose.

Having this table as your guide, you can make a precise decision, suitable for your business needs in the best possible way. If having any questions, feel free to contact us by filling in a short form.

What Developers Want to Know About Meta Graph API: Pricing, Restrictions, and Many Others

It is no surprise that probably the main audience who search for API solutions most of the time are developers. This is why, if you’re a dev, marketer or just wandering by in search of responses, we have surfed popular forums like Quora, Reddit, etc, to find the most asked questions about Meta Graph API and answer them here. 

Why is it so hard to get approved by Meta Graph API?

The company instituted strict approval protocols after multiple privacy-related controversial situations. Application reviews by Meta require developers to prepare complete documentation explaining purposes and data policies which may additionally need video demonstrations. According to developers' reports, they need to wait several weeks or months while they undergo frequent approval rejections whose explanations remain ambiguous. Meta faces an approval difficulty because it must establish the right balance between developer platform access and user data protection yet devs accuse them of an overloaded bureaucracy.

Why does Graph API return "permission errors"?

Permission errors represent one of the main difficulties users experience when using Meta Graph API. These occur for several reasons:

1. Your application does not hold the needed permission that Meta requires.
2. The user lacks permission approval for the required actions.
3. The current token has reached its expiration date.
4. Your application remains in its development stage.
5. Meta modified its permissions parameters without sufficient notification for its users.
6. Endpoints you are requesting are no longer available in the current version of Graph API.

The permission system of Meta requires multiple layers of access and experiences frequent changes without sufficient documentation updates as a feature of their developer-friendly API.

Is Meta's Graph API free to use?

Basic usage of the Meta Graph API is technically available for free but it comes with several limitations that require payment to overcome. Free access to Meta Graph API involves usage limitations with rate restrictions and data permissions as well as functional restrictions. If you’re ready to purchase extra features of Meta Graph API, pricing isn’t publicly available and requires consultation with Facebook Marketing Partner to agree on the details, which often takes from a few weeks to months.

Which is better: Graph API or self-build?

Meta Graph API enables developers to access their data but many prefer building their own solutions because of better reliability and control features. Self-built solutions allow you to:

• Receive all necessary capabilities thanks to precise feature development.
• Get all API functionality without facing any unexpected changes.
• Keep your data under your complete control.
• Save up on buying extra features.
• Avoid facing recurrent frustrations from the approval procedures.

While Meta Graph API might seem to be good for basic social integration, developers often seek custom solutions because these ones operate independently from third-party approval demands and service term modifications.

What is Meta Marketing API and how can businesses use it?

The Meta Marketing API functions as a distinguished segment of Graph API that allows programmatic control over advertising operations. The API system allows businesses to automate their campaign responsibilities including planning, audience reach, price adjustment, and analytical data management. The system proves powerful for major advertising clients yet demands formal business verification procedures and particular authorization permissions.

But if you don’t want to do “mumbo jumbo” to get the needed information for your product, Data365 has got you. Our Social Media API offers maximum convenience and outreach with minimum stress and struggle. High scalability, clear documentation, customizable solutions, and many others – we have gathered all the best features for your sleek data retrieval experience. This way, you can get the same publicly available and real-time data faster, easier, and with less hussle, skipping any complexities and getting straight to the insights.

What to do? Simply go through a short questionnaire and get a call with our expert for further information.

Meta Graph API Version 22: Short Overview and Evaluation

To stay up to date with the current possibilities opened for clients from Facebook, it will be quite helpful to talk about the current version of Meta Graph API. Version 22 is the latest update which now comes with major modifications like the elimination of Instagram User, Instagram Media, Instagram Carousel, and Instagram Comment endpoints through the introduction of updated endpoints named IG User, IG Media, and IG Comment. In such a turn, developers need to implement new development strategies as the discontinued endpoints cannot be accessed anymore. 

In version 22 the API deprecated four metrics that measured data such as plays, clips_replays_count, ig_reels_aggregated_all_plays_count, and impressions for reels. Future versions of the Instagram API may introduce instability because of its constant evolution which requires developers to update their code frequently to maintain access to metrics that might change or disappear from newer versions.

But to be honest – does the Graph API of any latest version really deserve your attention?  Developer forums are replete with feedback highlighting the challenges work with Meta’s APIs. The outrageous comments like “Why is it so annoying?”,  “Working with it is so hard”, “It’s one of the worst things I’ve worked with”, and so on are typical narratives among users.

One might hope that limited accessibility would at least be balanced by helpful support. However, the following comment illustrates a different reality:

Is Meta about to do something with all these pitfalls? Doesn’t look so. From version to version, the Graph API only tightens the screws, making the daily routines of developers, marketers, and other users more struggling. In the next section, we will share our approximate thoughts on what to expect from Meta.

Predictions on Graph API: Meta Tendencies You Should Be Ready For 

Talking exclusively about predictions on Graph API, Meta most possibly will be evoking earlier access to some endpoints with each update due to the rising concerns related to users’ privacy. Which areas will be impacted next? Which endpoints will stop working with the next update? We guess even Meta’s creators are not totally sure of it. But what we know for real is that evolving restrictions and unexpected deprecations can negatively affect your business processes, and let’s see how.

Impact on Marketing Processes

The tightened regulations limit the ability to acquire detailed insights which results in poor analytical outcomes and weak decision-making processes. Depict a day of a social media manager when he has found out that their previously reachable data points now require payment to access which disrupts reporting objectives and optimization needs. Or imagine you have to create a strategy based on detailed audience demographic data used in campaigns. With spontaneous endpoint deprecation, all your work can become useless, as you will no longer have access to data required for evaluation. Sounds like a scene from a horror movie, right?

Impact on Development

Developers must repeatedly update their systems because of the Graph API changes. That means that the current development processes of specific API endpoint-dependent features which usually take multiple weeks can become a waste of time if finding out about sudden endpoint deprecation. This also forces extensive code rewriting of which your development team will definitely not be thankful. It’s like building a house on an unstable foundation – there is no evidence that the construction will not ruin at any time.

The question remains – how to avoid that? It’s simple. Social Media API from Data365 provides users with an advanced solution to optimize process efficiency while delivering fast and effective results. Our platform provides:

• The highest speed for your large-scale projects: Thanks to horizontal autoscaling, our API can retrieve information of any volume while still maintaining the best quality and formatting. We also can accept up to 100 calls in a second and process them in parallel, so you can proceed to data analysis quickly instead of waiting for needed info. 
• Sleek documentation and stable data access: You can implement our API into your app without any struggles, as our experts will take care that it totally represents your request. We also offer all publicly available data retrieval from 4 biggest social media platforms. 
• Clear pricing and customization available: We have our pricing plans established on our website so you can freely familiarize yourself with it and choose the most suitable option for your needs. Our team can also offer you an individual solution of our API so you can get the most out of our product for your business.
• Live customer support and free trial: Have some questions on the API? Our support team is here for your needs 5 days a week to help you figure out all the ins and outs. We also offer our clients a 14-day free trial to make sure of the tool’s efficiency and reliability.

Stop worrying about unpredictable API changes. Streamline your workflows and focus on results. Explore Data365's Social Media API now by booking a short call with our team.