# Weibo Hot Search Scraper - 微博热搜 Trending Topics (`hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper`) Actor

Scrape the live Weibo hot search list (微博热搜): China's top trending topics with rank, heat score, category and 新/热/沸/爆 badge. Ads removed. No login or cookies needed.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Harish Garg](https://apify.com/hgservices) (community)
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.00 / 1,000 searched host-lists

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

Get the **live Weibo hot search list (微博热搜)**, the real-time list of trending topics in China. Each topic comes with its **rank, heat score, category, 新/热/沸/爆 badge** and the time it entered the list.

**No Weibo account, login or cookies are needed.** One run returns the full list in a few seconds. Download it as JSON, CSV or Excel, run it on a schedule to track trends over time, or ask an AI assistant such as Claude or ChatGPT what is trending on Weibo now.

### What does Weibo Hot Search Scraper do?

It reads the Weibo hot search list (微博热搜榜) at the moment of the run and saves one row for each topic:

- **The pinned topic** at the top of the list, with rank `0`
- **About 50 ranked topics**, from rank `1` down
- **Heat score:** Weibo's own number for how hot the topic is
- **Category:** Weibo's topic category, for example `民生新闻` (news), `艺人` (celebrities), `剧集` (TV series) or `体育` (sports)
- **Badge:** Weibo's badge in Chinese (新, 热, 沸, 爆) and in English (new, hot, boiling, explosive)
- **On list since:** when the topic entered the list
- **Search link:** a Weibo search URL that opens the posts about the topic

**Paid slots (广告 / 商) are removed**, so you get only the organic trends.

Because it runs on the Apify platform, you also get API access, scheduling, integrations and run monitoring.

### Why scrape the Weibo hot search list?

Weibo is one of China's largest social networks. Its hot search list is the most-watched signal of what Chinese internet users talk about right now.

- **Media and China watchers:** see the news, scandals and debates that drive Chinese public opinion today.
- **Brands and agencies:** catch a trend early for a campaign, or see a crisis about your brand before it grows.
- **Market research:** follow which celebrities, TV series, games, cars and products get attention in China.
- **Academic research:** build a time series of Chinese public attention and study how topics rise and fall.
- **AI and data teams:** feed the trending topics into dashboards, alerts, news digests or translation pipelines.

### How to scrape Weibo trending topics in Apify Console

1. Click **Start**. You do not need to give any input.
2. Wait a few seconds for the run to finish.
3. Open the **Output** tab to see the list, or export it as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML or HTML.

**Track trends over time:** save the Actor as a task and add a **Schedule**, for example every 15 or 30 minutes. All rows of one run have the same `scrapedAt` time, so you can compare runs and follow the rank and heat of a topic.

### Input

Configure the run on the **Input** tab, or send the input as JSON. All input is optional.

| Field | What it does | Default |
|-------|--------------|---------|
| **Max topics** (`maxResults`) | The most topics to save. `0` saves the full list: the pinned topic plus about 50 ranked topics. The pinned topic counts as one topic | `0` |

#### Example: the full list

```json
{}
```

#### Example: the pinned topic and the top 10

```json
{ "maxResults": 11 }
```

### Output

You get one row for each topic. Here are the first rows of a real run, the pinned topic and the topic at rank 1:

```json
[
  {
    "rank": 0,
    "keyword": "总书记对老年人的久久关怀",
    "heatScore": null,
    "category": null,
    "label": "热",
    "flag": "hot",
    "isPinned": true,
    "onListSince": null,
    "url": "https://s.weibo.com/weibo?q=%23%E6%80%BB%E4%B9%A6%E8%AE%B0%E5%AF%B9%E8%80%81%E5%B9%B4%E4%BA%BA%E7%9A%84%E4%B9%85%E4%B9%85%E5%85%B3%E6%80%80%23",
    "scrapedAt": "2026-10-18T10:01:45+00:00"
  },
  {
    "rank": 1,
    "keyword": "法国民众这次真急了",
    "heatScore": 1815675,
    "category": "国际时政",
    "label": "新",
    "flag": "new",
    "isPinned": false,
    "onListSince": "2026-10-18T16:43:20+08:00",
    "url": "https://s.weibo.com/weibo?q=%23%E6%B3%95%E5%9B%BD%E6%B0%91%E4%BC%97%E8%BF%99%E6%AC%A1%E7%9C%9F%E6%80%A5%E4%BA%86%23",
    "scrapedAt": "2026-10-18T10:01:45+00:00"
  }
]
```

The **Output** tab shows the topics in a table with the rank, topic, heat, category, badge and search link. You can download the dataset in various formats such as JSON, HTML, CSV, or Excel.

#### Data fields

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `rank` | Position on the list. `0` is the pinned topic |
| `keyword` | The topic text, as Weibo shows it |
| `heatScore` | Weibo's heat score. `null` for the pinned topic |
| `category` | Weibo's category, for example `民生新闻` or `艺人`. Some topics have two, for example `财经,互联网` |
| `label` | Weibo's badge: `新`, `热`, `沸` or `爆`, and sometimes `暖`, `荐` or `独`. `null` when the topic has no badge |
| `flag` | The badge in English: `new`, `hot`, `boiling`, `explosive`, `warm`, `recommended` or `exclusive` |
| `isPinned` | `true` for the pinned topic at the top of the list |
| `onListSince` | When the topic entered the list, ISO 8601, China time (UTC+8) |
| `url` | Weibo search link for the topic |
| `scrapedAt` | When your run read the list (UTC). The same for all rows of a run |

### How to use Weibo Hot Search Scraper

#### In Apify Console

1. Open the Actor and click **Start**. Change **Max topics** on the **Input** tab if you want fewer topics.
2. Open the **Output** tab when the run finishes.
3. Click **Save as a new task**. On the task, add a **Schedule** to save the list every 15 minutes, every hour or every day.

#### With the Apify API (HTTP)

Run the Actor and get its results in one request. Replace `YOUR_API_TOKEN` with your token from **Settings → API & Integrations** in Apify Console.

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/hgservices~weibo-hot-search-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"maxResults": 0}'
```

Add `&format=csv` or `&format=xlsx` to the URL to get CSV or Excel instead of JSON.

#### With the JavaScript client

Install the client with `npm install apify-client`, then run:

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: 'YOUR_API_TOKEN' });

const run = await client.actor('hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper').call({
    maxResults: 0,
});

const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
for (const topic of items) {
    console.log(topic.rank, topic.keyword, topic.heatScore, topic.flag);
}
```

#### With the Python client

Install the client with `pip install apify-client` (version 3.0 or later), then run:

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_API_TOKEN")

run = client.actor("hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper").call(
    run_input={"maxResults": 0}
)
if run is None:
    raise RuntimeError("The run was not found.")

for topic in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(topic["rank"], topic["keyword"], topic["heatScore"], topic["category"])
```

#### With Claude, ChatGPT and other AI assistants (MCP)

Connect your AI assistant to the **Apify MCP server**. The assistant can then run this Actor for you and answer from the results. To give the assistant this Actor as a tool, use this server URL:

```
https://mcp.apify.com?tools=hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper
```

- **Claude (claude.ai or Claude Desktop):** open **Settings → Connectors**, click **Add custom connector** and paste the URL.
- **Claude Code:** run `claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper"`.
- **Apify CLI:** run `apify mcp install claude-code --tools hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper` (also works for `cursor`, `vscode` and `codex`).
- **ChatGPT:** in **Settings → Apps & Connectors**, turn on developer mode, create a connector and paste the URL.
- **Cursor, VS Code and other MCP clients:** add the URL as a remote (HTTP) MCP server.

Sign in with your Apify account when asked. Then ask in plain language, for example:

- *"What is trending on Weibo right now? Translate the top 20 topics into English."*
- *"Get the Weibo hot search list and group the topics by category."*
- *"Which Weibo hot search topics are about cars or technology brands today?"*

#### With integrations

Send the results to **Google Sheets, Slack, email, Zapier, Make, n8n, Airbyte** or any **webhook** from the Actor's **Integrations** tab. For example, save the hot search list every hour to a Google Sheet, or send the top 10 to a Slack channel every morning.

### Tips

- **Schedule it for history.** One run gives one snapshot of the list. Run it on a schedule to see how topics rise and fall.
- **Compare runs with `scrapedAt`.** All rows of one run share the same time, so it is easy to group them by run.
- **Get the posts behind a topic.** Open the `url` of a topic to see its posts. Then give the post links to **Weibo Post Scraper** to get their full text, stats and media.

### Limits

- **The list is a snapshot.** You get the list that Weibo shows at the moment of the run, not past lists.
- **The number of topics changes.** Weibo usually shows about 50 ranked topics. After the paid slots are removed, a run can have a few fewer.
- **The pinned topic has less data.** Weibo shows no heat score, category or entry time for it, so these fields are `null`.

### Related Actors

- **Weibo Post Scraper** gets posts: full text, stats and media.
- **[Weibo Comments Scraper](https://apify.com/hgservices/weibo-comments-scraper)** gets the comments and replies of posts.
- **Weibo Profile Scraper** gets the newest posts of users, with their followers, bios and verification.
- **Weibo Video Scraper** gets the video posts of users.

### FAQ, disclaimers and support

**Do I need a Weibo account or cookies?**
No. The Actor reads only the list that Weibo shows to any visitor. It never logs in.

**Do I need a proxy?**
No. You do not need to set up a proxy.

**How fresh is the list?**
It is the live list at the moment of the run. Weibo changes the list all day, so run the Actor again to get the newest list.

**Does the list include ads?**
No. Paid slots (广告 / 商) are removed, and only organic topics are saved.

**Can I get the hot search list of a past date?**
No. Weibo shows only the current list. Run the Actor on a schedule to build your own history.

**Is it legal to scrape the Weibo hot search list?**
The Actor collects only the public list that Weibo shows to any visitor. You are responsible for using the data in line with Weibo's terms of service and the laws that apply to you.

**I found a problem or need a feature.**
Open an issue on the **Issues** tab, and we will look into it. Custom solutions for Weibo and other Chinese websites are available on request.

# Actor input Schema

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

The most topics to save. 0 saves the full list: the pinned topic plus about 50 ranked topics. The pinned topic counts as one topic.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "maxResults": 0
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "maxResults": 0
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "maxResults": 0 }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "maxResults": 0
}' |
apify call hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,hgservices/weibo-hot-search-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/jYuNYfidTTAXns0vK/builds/yfuuzu1BTvB91ZwyH/openapi.json