Question

Given a column of strings in Excel, is there an easy way to return the number of results from a Google search for each of the strings? I am looking for a way to convert a list of text data from Excel into Google search results.

Answer 1

Idea From here (but modified):

Public Sub ExcelGoogleSearch()

Dim searchWords As String

With Sheets("Sheet1")
RowCount = 1
Do While .Range("A" & RowCount) <> ""
searchWords = .Range("A" & RowCount).Value

' Get keywords and validate by adding + for spaces between
searchWords = Replace$(searchWords, " ", "+")

' Obtain the source code for the Google-searchterm webpage
search_url = "http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=" & searchWords & "&meta="""
Set search_http = CreateObject("MSXML2.XMLHTTP")
search_http.Open "GET", search_url, False
search_http.send
results_var = search_http.responsetext
Set search_http = Nothing

' Find the number of results and post to sheet
pos_1 = InStr(1, results_var, "resultStats>", vbTextCompare)
pos_2 = InStr(3 + pos_1, results_var, ">", vbTextCompare)
pos_3 = InStr(pos_2, results_var, "<nobr>", vbTextCompare)
NumberofResults = Mid(results_var, 1 + pos_2, (-1 + pos_3 - pos_2))
Range("B" & RowCount) = NumberofResults
RowCount = RowCount + 1
Loop
End With
End Sub

HTH