# Google Ads UK Competitor List Generator (`kudakwashe.chinhara/companies-house-scraper`) Actor Enter the name of a business and your keywords. Get back (1) a list of all other companies in the UK in the same niche, (2) a key phrase that can be used as a phrase-match negative for each company, and (3) your keywords that would be blocked by any negatives, if any. - **URL**: https://apify.com/kudakwashe.chinhara/companies-house-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Kudakwashe Chinhara](https://apify.com/kudakwashe.chinhara) (community) - **Categories:** Lead generation, Automation, SEO tools - **Stats:** 1 total users, 1 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing Pay per usage This Actor is paid per platform usage. The Actor is free to use, and you only pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-usage ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. 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. Actors are written with capital "A". ## 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. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Companies House SIC Code Scraper This Apify actor scrapes Companies House to find companies with similar SIC codes and formats the results for use as Google Ads negative keywords. ### Features - Searches Companies House for a seed company and extracts its SIC codes - Finds other companies with the same SIC codes - Filters results by address (optional) - Cleans and formats company names for use as negative keywords - Identifies minimum negators based on dictionary words - Detects blocked keywords ### Input The actor accepts the following inputs: - **seedCompany** (required): The name of the company to search for - **addressFilter** (optional): Filter results by address (e.g., "London", "England") - **dictionary** (optional): List of dictionary words for finding minimum negators - **keywords** (optional): List of keywords to check against minimum negators - **locations** (optional): List of location names to remove from company names ### Output The actor produces two outputs: 1. **Main dataset**: Formatted results with: - `rawNameTitleCase`: Original company name in title case - `cleanedName`: Cleaned company name - `minimumNegator`: The minimum phrase needed as a negative keyword - `blockedKeywords`: Keywords that would be blocked by this negator 2. **Key-value store** (`raw-companies`): Raw company data including: - Company name, number, status, type - Address and incorporation info - SIC codes ### Example ```json { "seedCompany": "SOLOWASTE LTD", "addressFilter": "London", "dictionary": ["the", "and", "of", "in", "to", "for"], "keywords": ["waste management", "waste disposal", "recycling"], "locations": ["London", "Manchester", "Birmingham"] } ```` ### How it works 1. The actor searches Companies House for the seed company 2. Extracts all SIC codes associated with that company 3. For each SIC code, searches for other companies with the same code 4. Filters results by address if specified 5. Cleans company names by removing corporate identifiers and locations 6. Finds the minimum negator based on dictionary words 7. Identifies which keywords would be blocked by each negator # Actor input Schema ## `seedCompany` (type: `string`): The name of the company to search for and find SIC codes ## `addressFilter` (type: `string`): Optional filter for company addresses (e.g., 'London', 'England') ## `customDictionary` (type: `array`): Optional custom dictionary words to override the built-in 370k word dictionary. Leave empty to use the built-in dictionary. ## `keywords` (type: `array`): List of keywords to check against the minimum negators ## `locations` (type: `array`): List of location names to remove from company names during cleaning ## Actor input object example ```json { "seedCompany": "SOLOWASTE LTD", "addressFilter": "London", "customDictionary": [], "keywords": [], "locations": [] } ``` # 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 '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = {}; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("kudakwashe.chinhara/companies-house-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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = {} # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("kudakwashe.chinhara/companies-house-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{}' | apify call kudakwashe.chinhara/companies-house-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=kudakwashe.chinhara/companies-house-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Google Ads UK Competitor List Generator", "description": "Enter the name of a business and your keywords. Get back (1) a list of all other companies in the UK in the same niche, (2) a key phrase that can be used as a phrase-match negative for each company, and (3) your keywords that would be blocked by any negatives, if any.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "KTIVolzG0FonEiRRY" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/kudakwashe.chinhara~companies-house-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-kudakwashe.chinhara-companies-house-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/kudakwashe.chinhara~companies-house-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-kudakwashe.chinhara-companies-house-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/kudakwashe.chinhara~companies-house-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-kudakwashe.chinhara-companies-house-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "seedCompany" ], "properties": { "seedCompany": { "title": "Seed Company Name", "type": "string", "description": "The name of the company to search for and find SIC codes" }, "addressFilter": { "title": "Address Filter", "type": "string", "description": "Optional filter for company addresses (e.g., 'London', 'England')" }, "customDictionary": { "title": "Custom Dictionary (Optional)", "type": "array", "description": "Optional custom dictionary words to override the built-in 370k word dictionary. Leave empty to use the built-in dictionary.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "keywords": { "title": "Keywords", "type": "array", "description": "List of keywords to check against the minimum negators", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "locations": { "title": "Locations", "type": "array", "description": "List of location names to remove from company names during cleaning", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```