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This repository was archived by the owner on Aug 12, 2025. It is now read-only.
This repository was archived by the owner on Aug 12, 2025. It is now read-only.

Search List - Keyword Phrases Returning Less Results #248

@adam-hurwitz

Description

@adam-hurwitz

Expected

Adding a keyword phrase with the OR operator | in the YouTube API v3 search list request should return more results than without a keyword phrase because OR is inclusive.

ie: cryptocurrency|DigitalCash|digital+cash|dash is passed via the q parameter, and is expected to return at least the same or larger size JSON response of videos compared to the search without the keyword phrase such as cryptocurrency|DigitalCash|dash.

Documentation

The YouTube Search: list documentation does not mention keyword phrases explicitly for the q parameter.

Your request can also use the Boolean NOT (-) and OR (|) operators to exclude videos or to find videos that are associated with one of several search terms. For example, to search for videos matching either "boating" or "sailing", set the q parameter value to boating|sailing. Similarly, to search for videos matching either "boating" or "sailing" but not "fishing", set the q parameter value to boating|sailing -fishing. Note that the pipe character must be URL-escaped when it is sent in your API request. The URL-escaped value for the pipe character is %7C.

Implementation: Search Requests documentation mentions keyword phrases with the skateboarding+dog example, which is the syntax followed below using + in between keyword phrases' words.

Observed

No Keyword Phrases

Results in 40 - 43 videos after multiple tests.

Request where q parameter equals: Cryptocurrency|crypto|blockchain|digitalcurrency|bitcoin|BTC|ethereum|ETH|Dash|DashNews|DigitalCash|LLMQs|ChainLocks|DAPI|MakerDao|MKR|DAI|Tezos|XTZ|ETC|Ripple|XRP|BCH|EOS|Stellar|XLM|Litecoin|LTC|Cardano|ADA|IOTA|Monero|XMR|Zcash|Tether|USDT|ChanLink|LINK|BAT|0x|ZRX|omisego|OMG|Tron|TRX|Coinbase|Binance

Request: https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3/search?part=snippet&maxResults=50&order=viewCount&publishedAfter=2019-05-22T23%3A30%3A04.334000000Z&q=Cryptocurrency%7Ccrypto%7Cblockchain%7Cdigitalcurrency%7Cbitcoin%7CBTC%7Cethereum%7CETH%7CDash%7CDashNews%7CDigitalCash%7CLLMQs%7CChainLocks%7CDAPI%7CMakerDao%7CMKR%7CDAI%7CTezos%7CXTZ%7CETC%7CRipple%7CXRP%7CBCH%7CEOS%7CStellar%7CXLM%7CLitecoin%7CLTC%7CCardano%7CADA%7CIOTA%7CMonero%7CXMR%7CZcash%7CTether%7CUSDT%7CChanLink%7CLINK%7CBAT%7C0x%7CZRX%7Comisego%7COMG%7CTron%7CTRX%7CCoinbase%7CBinance&safeSearch=none&type=video&pageToken=&key={yourApiKey}

Keyword Phrases

Results in 8 videos after multiple tests.

Request where q parameter equals: Cryptocurrency|crypto|blockchain|DigitalCurrency|digital+currency|bitcoin|BTC|ethereum|ETH|Dash|DashNews|Dash+News|DigitalCash|Digital+Cash|LLMQs|ChainLock|DAPI|MakerDao|MKR|DAI|Tezos|XTZ|ETC|Ripple|XRP|BCH|EOS|Stellar|XLM|Litecoin|LTC|Cardano|ADA|IOTA|Monero|XMR|Zcash|Tether|USDT|ChainLink|LINK|BAT|0x|ZRX|omisego|OMG|Tron|TRX|Coinbase|Binance

Request: https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3/search?part=snippet&maxResults=50&order=viewCount&publishedAfter=2019-05-23T00%3A02%3A57.853000000Z&q=Cryptocurrency%7Ccrypto%7Cblockchain%7CDigitalCurrency%7Cdigital%2Bcurrency%7Cbitcoin%7CBTC%7Cethereum%7CETH%7CDash%7CDashNews%7CDash%2BNews%7CDigitalCash%7CDigital%2BCash%7CLLMQs%7CChainLock%7CDAPI%7CMakerDao%7CMKR%7CDAI%7CTezos%7CXTZ%7CETC%7CRipple%7CXRP%7CBCH%7CEOS%7CStellar%7CXLM%7CLitecoin%7CLTC%7CCardano%7CADA%7CIOTA%7CMonero%7CXMR%7CZcash%7CTether%7CUSDT%7CChainLink%7CLINK%7CBAT%7C0x%7CZRX%7Comisego%7COMG%7CTron%7CTRX%7CCoinbase%7CBinance&safeSearch=none&type=video&pageToken=&key={yourApiKey}

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