Summary This source did not publish a separate summary. Review SKILL.md before using the skill.
Trend Analysis
Discover and track emerging trends using Apify Actors to extract data from multiple platforms.
Prerequisites
(No need to check it upfront)
.env file with APIFY_TOKENNode.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 trend 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 Trend Type
Select the appropriate Actor based on research needs:
User Need Actor ID Best For Search trends apify/google-trends-scraperGoogle Trends data Hashtag tracking apify/instagram-hashtag-scraperHashtag content Hashtag metrics apify/instagram-hashtag-statsPerformance stats Visual trends apify/instagram-post-scraperPost analysis Trending discovery apify/instagram-search-scraperSearch trends Comprehensive tracking apify/instagram-scraperFull data API-based trends apify/instagram-api-scraperAPI access Engagement trends apify/export-instagram-comments-postsComment tracking Product trends apify/facebook-marketplace-scraper
Visual analysis apify/facebook-photos-scraperPhoto trends
Community trends apify/facebook-groups-scraperGroup monitoring
YouTube Shorts streamers/youtube-shorts-scraperShort-form trends
YouTube hashtags streamers/youtube-video-scraper-by-hashtagHashtag videos
TikTok hashtags clockworks/tiktok-hashtag-scraperHashtag content
Trending sounds clockworks/tiktok-sound-scraperAudio trends
TikTok ads clockworks/tiktok-ads-scraperAd trends
Discover page clockworks/tiktok-discover-scraperDiscover trends
Explore trends clockworks/tiktok-explore-scraperExplore content
Trending content clockworks/tiktok-trends-scraperViral content
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., apify/google-trends-scraper).
Actor description and README
Required and optional input parameters
Output fields (if available)
Step 3: Ask User Preferences
Output format :
Quick answer - Display top few results in chat (no file saved)CSV - Full export with all fieldsJSON - 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'
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
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 trend insights
Suggested next steps (deeper analysis, content opportunities)
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
When to Use Use this skill when tackling tasks related to its primary domain or functionality as described above.
Limitations
Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
