# Weibo Search API (https://www.socialcrawl.dev/platforms/weibo/search)

> Returns public Weibo posts matching a keyword or #topic#, newest first, up to 50 a page. since and until read a fixed period, back for years (measured to 2015). The latest, all, original and verified tabs continue with the returned cursor; top, hot and videos are ranked and give one page per time window; media and images give one page and take no time window. These are the posts Weibo's own search shows, so a search is not a census. Long posts are shortened (post.ext.text_truncated); GET /v1/weibo/post returns the full text.

TL;DR: `GET /v1/weibo/search` costs 5 credits per call and returns SocialCrawl's unified JSON schema. Single x-api-key auth, 100 free credits on signup.

## Parameters

| Parameter | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `query` | yes | A keyword or a topic wrapped in #, for example 华为 or #华为#. Chinese terms match far more posts than English ones. |
| `tab` | no | latest (default), all, original (no reposts), verified, top, hot, videos, media or images. (latest \| all \| original \| verified \| top \| hot \| videos \| media \| images) |
| `since` | no | Only posts from this time on: a date (2023-03-01, read as the start of that day in China time) or an ISO 8601 date-time. |
| `until` | no | Only posts up to this time: a date (the whole day, China time) or an ISO 8601 date-time. |
| `limit` | no | Posts to return, 1 to 50. Default 50. |
| `cursor` | no | Continuation token from a previous response's pagination block, passed back with the same parameters. Omit for the first page. |
| `max_pages` | no | 1 to 50 (default 1, or 50 when `max_items` or `max_credits` is sent). Walk up to this many pages in one call and return the rows from all of them. Each page walked is billed exactly as one call to this endpoint (a cached page is free) and counts against your rate limit; its charge and any refund are recorded under the page's own request id, listed in `data.walk.request_ids`. The walk stops early at the last page, or when the request's time budget runs low; `data.walk.stopped` says why (`end`, `max_pages`, `max_items`, `max_credits`, `time_budget`, `page_error`) and `pagination.next_cursor` continues from where it stopped. |
| `max_items` | no | 1 to 5000. Get more in one call: keep walking pages until the response holds at least this many rows, then stop with `data.walk.stopped: "max_items"`. The last page is returned whole (it was billed), so `data.items` can hold up to one page more than this, and `pagination.next_cursor` resumes right after it without skipping a row. Walks up to 50 pages unless `max_pages` says fewer; each page is billed as one call (a cached page is free). Add `max_credits` to cap the spend. A long walk can stop on the time budget first (`"time_budget"`): send the returned cursor with the same params to continue. |
| `max_credits` | no | 1 to 100000. The most this call may spend, across every page it walks. A page starts only while the credits already spent plus that page's price (or, when higher, the most any page of this walk has cost) still fit, so the call never goes past it; the walk then stops with `data.walk.stopped: "max_credits"` and the cursor to resume. Sent alone, it walks as far as the budget goes (up to 50 pages). A value below the price of one page is a free 400 whose `error.details.page_credits` names that price. Credits a row join (`include=`) adds are known only once a page has run, so page 1 is checked against its own price. |

## Code example

```bash
curl -G "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/weibo/search" \
  --data-urlencode "query=华为" \
  -H "x-api-key: sc_YOUR_API_KEY"
```

## FAQ

### How do I search Weibo posts with an API?

Call GET /v1/weibo/search with query set to a keyword or a topic wrapped in #, such as 华为 or #华为#. Posts come back newest first, up to 50 a page, and you pass the returned cursor for the next page.

### Can I search Weibo posts from a past period?

Yes. since and until read a fixed period and reach back for years, measured to 2015. Each takes a date, read as China time, or an ISO 8601 date-time.

### What do the Weibo search tabs do?

tab accepts latest (the default), all, original, verified, top, hot, videos, media or images. The latest, all, original and verified tabs continue with the cursor, top, hot and videos are ranked and give one page per time window, and media and images give one page with no time window.

### Is a Weibo search a complete census of posts?

No. These are the posts Weibo's own search shows, so a search is not a census. Chinese terms match far more posts than English ones.

### How much does this Weibo endpoint cost?

Each call costs 5 credits on the advanced tier. There is no subscription, and 100 free credits cover 20 calls.

See the full Weibo API: https://www.socialcrawl.dev/platforms/weibo

## Pricing

- Standard endpoints: 1 credit per call
- Advanced endpoints: 5 credits per call
- Premium endpoints: 10 credits per call
- 100 free credits on signup, no credit card required. Cached responses cost 0 credits. Credit packs never expire.
- Full pricing: https://www.socialcrawl.dev/pricing

## Explore with AI

Questions this API answers, phrased for an AI assistant:

- How do I search Weibo posts by keyword with an API?
- Can I search historical Weibo posts by date range?