Tutorial · curl
How to scrape TikTok search results with curl (2026)
A curl walkthrough for GET /v1/tiktok/search. Copy the snippet, run it, then read the JSON.
GET /v1/tiktok/search · 1 credit per successful request.
In this tutorial
You'll search TikTok for a phrase and see the results you get back.
Example job: find TikTok results for a phrase, then open the URLs you keep.
Step 1
Get ready
Get a Social Fetch API key and a curl environment ready. New accounts include 100 free credits.
API key. Create a Social Fetch account and copy an API key. New accounts include 100 free credits.
curl setup. Any shell with curl. Export SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY before you run the sample.
When you're done, SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY is set in your shell.
Step 2
Make the request
Copy the curl snippet, set SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY, and call GET /v1/tiktok/search with the x-api-key header. Example: /v1/tiktok/search?query=product+launch.
You should see a JSON body on stdout. Use curl -sS so HTTP errors still print on stderr.
Step 3
Read the response
JSON with data (the search results) and meta (creditsCharged, requestId). Sample below is illustrative — field docs live on the endpoint page. Credits charge on completed lookups, not transport failures.
Check data.lookupStatus when present. Keep meta.requestId if a row looks wrong.
Watch out
keep query, datePosted, and sortBy stable when paginating with cursor. Empty first page isn't an HTTP failure. Fan out to transcript or comments only for URLs you keep.
Step 4
You finished
Same path and credits in playground, docs, and production. Pick a next step below.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need an official TikTok developer account?
No. Social Fetch authenticates with your Social Fetch API key. You call GET /v1/tiktok/search and we handle upstream access. You still need to follow each platform's terms for how you use public data.
What does the tiktok search endpoint return?
A JSON envelope with data (the search results) and meta (creditsCharged, requestId). Shape details and field docs live on the endpoint page and in the OpenAPI docs.
TikTok keyword search vs hashtag search vs user search?
Use this route for free-text phrases and date/sort filters. Use GET /v1/tiktok/search/hashtags for tag-led campaigns (#launchweek). Use GET /v1/tiktok/users/search to find accounts, not videos.
Is an empty TikTok search page a failed request?
No. An empty videos page with hasMore false is a completed empty result. Check transport errors separately (non-2xx). Keep filters unchanged across cursor pages.
How much does a successful request cost?
1 credit per successful request.
Is this okay for production?
Yes — same production API as everywhere else: typed errors, requestId on every response, credits charged only on completed lookups. New accounts get 100 free credits.
Any curl-specific tips for this request?
Yes. Pass the key with -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY", and wrap the full URL in double quotes so the shell does not split on & in query strings. Prefer curl -sS so HTTP errors still surface on stderr.
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