Google Maps Search API Skill

Google Maps Search Automation Skill

📖 Introduction

This skill utilizes the BrowserAct Google Maps Search API template to provide a one-stop business data collection service. It extracts structured business results directly from Google Maps search lists. Simply provide search keywords, language, and country filters to get clean, usable business data.

✨ Features

1. No Hallucinations: Pre-set workflows avoid AI generative hallucinations, ensuring stable and precise data extraction.
2. No Captcha Issues: No need to handle reCAPTCHA or other verification challenges.
3. No IP Restrictions: No need to handle regional IP restrictions or geofencing.
4. Faster Execution: Tasks execute faster compared to pure AI-driven browser automation solutions.
5. Cost-Effective: Significantly lowers data acquisition costs compared to high-token-consuming AI solutions.

🔑 API Key Setup

Before running, check the BROWSERACT_API_KEY environment variable. If not set, do not take other measures; ask and wait for the user to provide it. Agent must inform the user:

"Since you haven't configured the BrowserAct API Key, please visit the BrowserAct Console to get your Key."

🛠️ Input Parameters

When calling the script, the Agent should flexibly configure the following parameters based on user needs:

1. KeyWords

   • Type: string
   • Description: The content you want to search on Google Maps. Can be business names, categories, or specific keywords.
   • Example: coffee shop, dental clinic, coworking space

2. language

   • Type: string
   • Description: Sets the UI language and the language of returned text fields.
   • Common Values: en, de, fr, it, es, ja, zh-CN, zh-TW
   • Default: en

3. country

   • Type: string
   • Description: Sets the country or region bias for search results.
   • Example: us, gb, ca, au, de, fr, jp
   • Default: us

4. max_dates

   • Type: number
   • Description: The maximum number of places to extract from the search results list.
   • Default: 100

🚀 Usage

The Agent should execute the following independent script to achieve "one-line command result":

# Example call
python -u ./scripts/google_maps_search_api.py "search keywords" "language" "country" count

⏳ Execution Monitoring

Since this task involves automated browser operations, it may take some time (several minutes). The script will continuously output status logs with timestamps (e.g., [14:30:05] Task Status: running). Agent Instructions:

• While waiting for the script result, keep monitoring the terminal output.
• As long as the terminal is outputting new status logs, the task is running normally; do not mistake it for a deadlock or unresponsiveness.
• Only if the status remains unchanged for a long time or the script stops outputting without returning a result should you consider triggering the retry mechanism.

📊 Data Output

After successful execution, the script parses and prints results directly from the API response. Fields include:

• name: Business name
• full address: Full address
• rating: Star rating
• review count: Number of reviews
• price range: Price level
• cuisine type: Business category
• amenity tags: Features like Wi-Fi
• review snippet: Short review text
• service options: Service indicators (e.g., "Order online")

⚠️ Error Handling & Retry

If an error occurs during script execution (e.g., network fluctuations or task failure), the Agent should follow this logic:

1. Check Output Content:

   • If the output contains "Invalid authorization", it means the API Key is invalid or expired. Do not retry; guide the user to re-check and provide the correct API Key.
   • If the output does not contain "Invalid authorization" but the task failed (e.g., output starts with Error: or returns empty results), the Agent should automatically try to re-execute the script once.

2. Retry Limit:

   • Automatic retry is limited to one time. If the second attempt fails, stop retrying and report the specific error information to the user.

🌟 Typical Use Cases

1. Local Business Discovery: Find all "Italian restaurants" in Manhattan.
2. Sales Lead Generation: Extract a list of "real estate agencies" in London for prospecting.
3. Competitor Mapping: Locate all "Starbucks" branches in a specific city to map competition.
4. Market Research: Analyze "boutique hotels" in Paris, including their ratings and price ranges.
5. Contact Collection: Gather addresses and names of "dental clinics" in Sydney.
6. Service Search: Find "24-hour pharmacies" or "emergency plumbers" in a certain area.
7. Neighborhood Monitoring: Track new "gyms" or "yoga studios" opening in a community.
8. Structured Data Export: Export structured data of "car dealerships" for CRM integration.
9. Sentiment Analysis Prep: Get review snippets and ratings for "popular tourist attractions".
10. Global Search Localization: Use different language and country settings to research "tech hubs" globally.