YouTube Search API: Build Powerful Discovery Applications

Need to search YouTube programmatically? The Search API lets you find videos, channels, and playlists—perfect for content discovery and research tools.

Search Capabilities

Endpoint	Description
Search	General video/channel search
Search Hashtag	Find videos by hashtag

General Search API

Search for videos, channels, and playlists:

const response = await fetch('https://api.sociavault.com/youtube/search', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    query: 'web scraping tutorial'
  })
});

const results = await response.json();

Sample Response

{
  "results": [
    {
      "type": "video",
      "id": "abc123xyz",
      "title": "Web Scraping Tutorial 2026 - Complete Guide",
      "description": "Learn web scraping from scratch...",
      "thumbnail": "https://...",
      "views": 250000,
      "publishedAt": "2026-01-05T10:00:00Z",
      "duration": "25:30",
      "channel": {
        "name": "Tech Channel",
        "handle": "@techchannel",
        "verified": true
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "channel",
      "id": "UCxxx",
      "name": "Scraping Experts",
      "handle": "@scrapingexperts",
      "subscribers": 150000,
      "thumbnail": "https://..."
    }
  ],
  "hasMore": true
}

Hashtag Search

Find videos using a specific hashtag:

const response = await fetch('https://api.sociavault.com/youtube/search/hashtag', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    hashtag: 'shorts'
  })
});

const hashtagResults = await response.json();

Use Cases

Content Research

Find videos on a topic:

const topics = ['python tutorial', 'javascript', 'data science'];

const research = await Promise.all(
  topics.map(async query => {
    const results = await searchYouTube(query);
    return {
      topic: query,
      totalResults: results.length,
      avgViews: results
        .filter(r => r.type === 'video')
        .reduce((s, v) => s + v.views, 0) / results.filter(r => r.type === 'video').length
    };
  })
);

console.log('Topic research:', research);

Influencer Discovery

Find creators in a niche:

const results = await searchYouTube('fitness workout');

const channels = results
  .filter(r => r.type === 'channel')
  .sort((a, b) => b.subscribers - a.subscribers);

console.log('Top fitness channels:', channels.slice(0, 10));

Competitor Content Analysis

Find competing content:

const searchTerms = ['best api tool', 'scraping api review'];

for (const term of searchTerms) {
  const results = await searchYouTube(term);
  const videos = results.filter(r => r.type === 'video');
  
  console.log(`\n"${term}" - ${videos.length} videos found`);
  videos.slice(0, 5).forEach(v => {
    console.log(`- ${v.title} (${v.views.toLocaleString()} views)`);
  });
}

Hashtag Monitoring

Track content using specific hashimage: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1611162618479-ee3d24aaef0b?w=1200&h=630&fit=crop&q=80" tags:

const hashtags = ['shorts', 'tutorial', 'vlog'];

for (const tag of hashtags) {
  const results = await searchHashtag(tag);
  
  const recentVideos = results.filter(v => 
    new Date(v.publishedAt) > new Date(Date.now() - 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
  );
  
  console.log(`#${tag}: ${recentVideos.length} videos this week`);
}

Build a Content Calendar

Research what's performing to plan content:

async function researchTopics(keywords) {
  const insights = [];
  
  for (const keyword of keywords) {
    const results = await searchYouTube(keyword);
    const videos = results.filter(r => r.type === 'video');
    
    // Calculate competition
    const avgViews = videos.reduce((s, v) => s + v.views, 0) / videos.length;
    const recentVideos = videos.filter(v => 
      new Date(v.publishedAt) > new Date(Date.now() - 30 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
    ).length;
    
    insights.push({
      keyword,
      avgViews,
      competition: recentVideos,
      opportunity: avgViews / recentVideos // Higher = better opportunity
    });
  }
  
  return insights.sort((a, b) => b.opportunity - a.opportunity);
}

Related Endpoints

• YouTube Channel Scraper - Channel details
• YouTube Videos Scraper - Channel videos
• YouTube Trending Shorts - Trending content
• TikTok Search - TikTok search

Frequently Asked Questions

How many results can I get?

Each search returns up to 20 results. Use pagination for more.

Can I filter by upload date?

Results are returned by YouTube's relevance ranking. Filter by publishedAt client-side.

Are results personalized?

No, SociaVault returns non-personalized results, giving you objective search data.

Can I search for playlists?

Yes, playlists appear in general search results alongside videos and channels.

How does hashtag search work?

Hashtag search returns videos that include the specific hashtag in their title or description.

Get Started

Create your account and start searching YouTube programmatically.

Documentation: /docs/api-reference/youtube/search