Market Research
Conduct market research using Apify Actors to extract data from multiple platforms.
Prerequisites
(No need to check it upfront)
.envfile withAPIFY_TOKEN- Node.js 20.6+ (for native
--env-filesupport) mcpcCLI 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