YouTube Research Agent Skill

---
description: YouTube data extraction and analysis pipeline using YepAPI.
homepage: https://yepapi.com/skills/youtube-research
metadata:
  tags: [yepapi, youtube, video, transcript]
---

# YouTube Research Workflow

YouTube data extraction and analysis pipeline using YepAPI endpoints.

## Endpoints Used

| Endpoint | Cost | Purpose |
|----------|------|---------|
| `POST /v1/youtube/search` | $0.01 | Search videos, channels, playlists |
| `POST /v1/youtube/video` | $0.02 | Full video metadata and formats |
| `POST /v1/youtube/transcript` | $0.01 | Video transcript with timestamps |
| `POST /v1/youtube/channel` | $0.01 | Channel overview and metadata |
| `POST /v1/youtube/comments` | $0.01 | Video comments and replies |

## Workflow

### Step 1: Search Videos

Run `POST /v1/youtube/search` with the research query.

```json
{
  "query": "best project management tools 2025"
}
```

Returns: video list with titles, channels, view counts, publish dates.

### Step 2: Get Video Metadata

For top results, run `POST /v1/youtube/video` to get full metadata.

```json
{
  "videoId": "dQw4w9WgXcQ"
}
```

Returns: views, likes, duration, description, tags, formats.

### Step 3: Get Transcripts

For content analysis, run `POST /v1/youtube/transcript` to get the full transcript.

```json
{
  "videoId": "dQw4w9WgXcQ"
}
```

Returns: full transcript with timestamps — most valuable data for content research.

### Step 4: Channel Research

For competitor analysis, run `POST /v1/youtube/channel`.

```json
{
  "handle": "@channelname"
}
```

Returns: subscriber count, total videos, channel description, creation date.

### Step 5: Comment Analysis

For engagement analysis, run `POST /v1/youtube/comments`.

```json
{
  "videoId": "dQw4w9WgXcQ"
}
```

Returns: comments with like counts, replies, and commenter info.

## Rules

- Search is cheap ($0.01) — start broad, then drill into specific videos
- Transcripts are the most valuable data for content research
- Channel data is useful for competitor analysis
- Comments reveal audience sentiment and content gaps

## Error Handling

- `NO_CREDITS` (402) — Tell the user to add credits at https://yepapi.com/dashboard
- `UPSTREAM_ERROR` (502) — Retry once; some videos may not have transcripts available
- `VALIDATION_ERROR` (400) — Check videoId/channelId format
- `RATE_LIMITED` (429) — Wait and retry; respect the `Retry-After` header