Is there a way to programmatically access Google's search engine results?

Question

Does google offer a way to programmatically see their search engine results for a certain query?

I want to build a tracking application so that a user can see what rank on the google results their website is for certain keywords.

EDIT: The behavior of the program would be: every day the program queries Google for the desired phrases, sees what position the user's websites are, and emails the users an update of their positions for their phrases.

I want to be sure to comply with Google's terms of service too.

Answer 1

Are you thinking of something like the Google AJAX Search API?

Answer 2

Yes, Google provides a search API that you can use:

The Google AJAX Search API lets you put Google Search in your web pages with JavaScript. You can embed a simple, dynamic search box and display search results in your own web pages or use the results in innovative, programmatic ways. See the examples below for inspiration.

Don't let the name fool you, this API can be used for more than just JavaScript on a webpage.