apify-market-research

SKILL.md

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