Google Scraper API: Extract Search Results, Ads & SERP Data

Need Google search data? Rank tracking, competitor research, SERP analysis—all require extracting data from Google.

But Google actively blocks scrapers. Building your own is a constant battle. A Google scraper API handles the hard work for you.

What is a Google Scraper API?

An API that extracts data from Google search results. You send a search query, you get back structured data—organic results, ads, featured snippets, "People Also Ask," and more.

What Data Can You Extract?

Data Type	What You Get
Organic Results	Title, URL, description, position
Ads	Ad copy, advertiser, display URL
Featured Snippets	Answer box content
People Also Ask	Related questions and answers
Related Searches	Suggested queries
Local Pack	Business listings with maps
Shopping Results	Products with prices
Knowledge Panel	Entity information

Why Scrape Google?

SEO Rank Tracking

Monitor where you rank for target keywords:

• Track positions daily/weekly
• See ranking changes over time
• Compare against competitors

Competitor Research

See what's working for competitors:

• Which keywords they rank for
• What ads they're running
• Their content strategies

Content Gap Analysis

Find keywords you should target:

• See who ranks for your target terms
• Identify content opportunities
• Analyze top-ranking pages

Market Research

Understand search demand:

• What people are searching for
• Trending topics and questions
• Seasonal patterns

Ad Intelligence

Analyze Google Ads landscape:

• Who's advertising for your keywords
• Their ad copy and offers
• Landing page strategies

How to Use a Google Scraper API

Get Search Results

const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.sociavault.com/v1/scrape/google/search?q=best%20crm%20software&num=10',
  { headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' } }
);

const results = await response.json();

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "query": "best crm software",
    "total_results": "1,240,000,000",
    "organic_results": [
      {
        "position": 1,
        "title": "Best CRM Software 2026 - Forbes Advisor",
        "url": "https://forbes.com/advisor/crm/best-crm/",
        "description": "Compare the top CRM platforms..."
      },
      {
        "position": 2,
        "title": "10 Best CRM Software of 2026 - PCMag",
        "url": "https://pcmag.com/picks/best-crm",
        "description": "..."
      }
    ],
    "ads": [...],
    "people_also_ask": [
      "What is the #1 CRM software?",
      "What CRM is better than Salesforce?"
    ],
    "related_searches": [...]
  }
}

Track Rankings

async function trackRankings(keywords, yourDomain) {
  const rankings = [];
  
  for (const keyword of keywords) {
    const results = await googleSearch(keyword, 100);
    
    const yourResult = results.data.organic_results.find(r => 
      r.url.includes(yourDomain)
    );
    
    rankings.push({
      keyword,
      position: yourResult?.position || 'Not in top 100',
      url: yourResult?.url || null,
      checkedAt: new Date().toISOString()
    });
  }
  
  return rankings;
}

Analyze Competitors

async function analyzeCompetitors(keyword) {
  const results = await googleSearch(keyword, 20);
  
  // Count domain appearances
  const domains = {};
  
  for (const result of results.data.organic_results) {
    const domain = new URL(result.url).hostname;
    domains[domain] = (domains[domain] || 0) + 1;
  }
  
  return {
    keyword,
    topDomains: Object.entries(domains)
      .sort((a, b) => b[1] - a[1])
      .slice(0, 10),
    featuredSnippet: results.data.featured_snippet,
    peopleAlsoAsk: results.data.people_also_ask
  };
}

Use Cases

1. Build a Rank Tracker

Monitor your SEO progress:

async function dailyRankCheck(keywords, domain) {
  const today = new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0];
  const results = [];
  
  for (const kw of keywords) {
    const ranking = await getRanking(kw, domain);
    results.push({
      date: today,
      keyword: kw,
      position: ranking.position,
      url: ranking.url
    });
  }
  
  // Save to database
  await saveRankings(results);
  
  return results;
}

2. Find "People Also Ask" Questions

Generate content ideas from real user questions:

async function findQuestions(seedKeywords) {
  const questions = new Set();
  
  for (const keyword of seedKeywords) {
    const results = await googleSearch(keyword);
    
    results.data.people_also_ask?.forEach(q => questions.add(q));
  }
  
  return [...questions];
}

// Usage
const questions = await findQuestions(['crm software', 'sales automation']);
// Returns questions like:
// - "What is the easiest CRM to use?"
// - "Is HubSpot really free?"

3. Monitor Competitor Ads

See what ads competitors are running:

async function monitorAds(keywords) {
  const adData = [];
  
  for (const keyword of keywords) {
    const results = await googleSearch(keyword);
    
    for (const ad of results.data.ads || []) {
      adData.push({
        keyword,
        advertiser: ad.advertiser,
        headline: ad.title,
        description: ad.description,
        displayUrl: ad.display_url,
        capturedAt: new Date()
      });
    }
  }
  
  return adData;
}

Python Example

import requests

API_KEY = 'your_api_key'

def google_search(query, num_results=10):
    response = requests.get(
        'https://api.sociavault.com/v1/scrape/google/search',
        params={'q': query, 'num': num_results},
        headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {API_KEY}'}
    )
    return response.json()

# Check rankings
def check_ranking(keyword, your_domain):
    results = google_search(keyword, 100)
    
    for result in results['data']['organic_results']:
        if your_domain in result['url']:
            return result['position']
    
    return None

# Usage
position = check_ranking('social media api', 'sociavault.com')
print(f"Ranking position: {position}")

Why Use an API vs DIY Scraping?

Google aggressively blocks scrapers:

Challenge	DIY	API
IP blocking	Need hundreds of proxies	Handled
CAPTCHAs	Solve or pay solvers	Handled
Location targeting	Complex setup	Simple parameter
JavaScript rendering	Need headless browser	Handled
Cost	$300-500+/month	Pay per search

For most use cases, an API is more reliable and cost-effective.

Getting Started

1. Sign up at sociavault.com
2. Get 50 free credits
3. Copy your API key
4. Start searching

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is scraping Google legal?

Scraping publicly available search results is in a legal gray area. Google's Terms of Service prohibit automated access, but courts have generally allowed scraping of public data. Using an API shifts liability to the provider.

Can I scrape localized results?

Yes, you can specify country, language, and location parameters to get results as they appear in different regions.

How often can I check rankings?

With an API, you can check rankings as often as needed. Daily checks are common for active SEO monitoring.

Does this work for Google Ads data?

Yes, the API extracts visible ads from search results. For more detailed ad intelligence, Google's Ad Library is another option.

Can I get historical SERP data?

The API returns current results. For historical data, you'd need to store results over time in your own database.

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Related guides:

• Google SERP Scraper for SEO
• Google Ads Transparency Scraper
• Social Media Scraping API
• Best Social Media Scraping APIs