Batch image search with Google Sheets

To perform a batch image search using Google Sheets, you can use the "IMAGE" function along with the "IMPORTXML" function to fetch images from Google Image Search. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this:

1. Prepare Your Spreadsheet: Create a new Google Sheets spreadsheet and enter the search queries in a column. For example, let's assume you have the search queries in column A starting from row 2 (A2, A3, A4, and so on).

2. Fetch Images using IMPORTXML: To fetch images from Google Image Search, we'll use the "IMPORTXML" function in Google Sheets. This function allows you to extract data from XML and HTML pages.

   In an empty cell (e.g., B2), enter the following formula:

   excelCopy code
   =IMPORTXML("https://www.google.com/search?q="&A2, "//img/@src")
   

   This formula concatenates the search query with the Google search URL and uses the "//img/@src" XPath expression to extract the image source URLs from the search results.

3. Drag the Formula Down: After entering the formula in cell B2, drag it down to apply the formula to the entire column. This will automatically fetch images for all the search queries in column A.

4. Adjust Image Size (Optional): By default, the images fetched will be displayed in their original sizes. If you want to adjust the image size, you can use the "IMAGE" function to specify the width and height. For example:

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   =IMAGE(B2, 150, 150)
   

   This will display the image from the URL in cell B2 with a width and height of 150 pixels each.

5. Enable Iterative Calculation (Optional): Depending on the number of search queries, you might run into Google Sheets' IMPORTXML rate limit. To fetch a large number of images, you can enable iterative calculation in Google Sheets.

   Go to "File" > "Spreadsheet settings" > "Calculation" and check the box next to "Iterative calculation." Set the "Max number of iterations" to a higher value (e.g., 100). This allows Google Sheets to recalculate the formulas multiple times, effectively fetching more images.

Keep in mind that web scraping can be subject to limitations or restrictions imposed by websites. Google Sheets' IMPORTXML function may not work reliably for a large number of queries, and it's important to use web scraping responsibly and follow the terms of service of the websites you are accessing. Additionally, search engines like Google might block automated scraping, so be cautious and considerate when using this approach.