Based on review comments

Author: hansthen

folium/plugins/search.py

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from folium.elements import JSCSSMixin
 from folium.features import FeatureGroup, GeoJson, TopoJson
+from folium.folium import Map
 from folium.plugins import MarkerCluster
 from folium.template import Template
 from folium.utilities import remove_empty
@@ -123,9 +124,16 @@ def __init__(
         self.collapsed = collapsed
         self.options = remove_empty(**kwargs)
 
-    def render(self, **kwargs):
-        super().render(**kwargs)
+    def test_params(self, keys):
+        if keys is not None and self.search_label is not None:
+            assert self.search_label in keys, (
+                f"The label '{self.search_label}' was not " f"available in {keys}" ""
+            )
+        assert isinstance(
+            self._parent, Map
+        ), "Search can only be added to folium Map objects."
 
+    def render(self, **kwargs):
         if isinstance(self.layer, GeoJson):
             keys = tuple(self.layer.data["features"][0]["properties"].keys())
         elif isinstance(self.layer, TopoJson):
@@ -137,8 +145,6 @@ def render(self, **kwargs):
             )  # noqa
         else:
             keys = None
+        self.test_params(keys=keys)
 
-        if keys is not None and self.search_label is not None:
-            assert self.search_label in keys, (
-                f"The label '{self.search_label}' was not " f"available in {keys}" ""
-            )
+        super().render(**kwargs)