Market Research

Conduct market research using Apify Actors to extract data from multiple platforms.

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: Identify market research type (select Actor)

- [ ] Step 2: Fetch Actor schema via mcpc

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

- [ ] Step 4: Run the analysis script

- [ ] Step 5: Summarize findings

Step 1: Identify Market Research Type

Select the appropriate Actor based on research needs:

User Need

Actor ID

Best For

Market density

compass/crawler-google-places

Location analysis

Geospatial analysis

compass/google-maps-extractor

Business mapping

Regional interest

apify/google-trends-scraper

Trend data

Pricing and demand

apify/facebook-marketplace-scraper

Market pricing

Event market

apify/facebook-events-scraper

Event analysis

Consumer needs

apify/facebook-groups-scraper

Group research

Market landscape

apify/facebook-pages-scraper

Business pages

Business density

apify/facebook-page-contact-information

Contact data

Cultural insights

apify/facebook-photos-scraper

Visual research

Niche targeting

apify/instagram-hashtag-scraper

Hashtag research

Hashtag stats

apify/instagram-hashtag-stats

Market sizing

Market activity

apify/instagram-reel-scraper

Activity analysis

Market intelligence

apify/instagram-scraper

Full data

Product launch research

apify/instagram-api-scraper

API access

Hospitality market

voyager/booking-scraper

Hotel data

Tourism insights

maxcopell/tripadvisor-reviews

Review analysis

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., compass/crawler-google-places).

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 Findings

After completion, report:

• Number of results found

• File location and name

• Key market insights

• Suggested next steps (deeper analysis, validation)

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