Efficient Web Scraping In Nigeria

Is web scraping efficient?

Also known as web data extraction and web harvesting, web scraping is the process of extracting data from a website. While you can do this manually, when projects require extracted data from hundreds or even thousands of web pages, automated web scraping tools can do the job more quickly and efficiently.

Why is API better than scraping?

With API, data extraction is usually from only one website (unless it is some aggregator), and through web scraping, data is accessible from multiple websites. Further, API lets you obtain only a specific set of data. When it comes to web scraping, there is reliance on proxy servers which is not the case with API.

The rapid exchange of information governs the modern internet. Thanks to the web and IT solutions that surround it, individuals around the world bend and manipulate data in ways our ancestors could never imagine.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth a thousand pictures but we have so much more: streaming platforms, tons of free educational material, and instant communication with friends and loved ones.

But the advancements in computer science and telecommunications have created new, weird challenges. The average internet user today has all the resources to create or contribute to the next great invention, but with so much available information, and the pool constantly growing, problems arise: how can you utilize the potential of data if going through it would take multiple lifetimes? Even if we manage to get a metaphorical magnifying glass and focus on the most important parts, the amount would still be overwhelming! What makes matters worse, even perfect manual analysis is too slow because information gets quickly outdated.

Fortunately, we have a solution that helps us automate the extraction and filtering of data – web scraping. In this article we will teach to mobilize publicly available, legitimate information with automated bots. We will discuss how scraping works, what are the personal and commercial benefits, and the essential tools for the fluidity of the process. For example, most companies and business-oriented individuals cannot collect public data from desired targets because automated software gets recognized and banned.

With proxy servers, you can hide your IP address, and with your identity concealed, web scrapers are no longer dangerous. With a Brazil proxy, you will be able to scrape data off of pages only available for native users.

Brazil proxies are a popular choice for users in South America who look for a relatively close server and do not want to sacrifice internet speed. Check out Smartproxy, a great proxy provider to get yourself a Brazil proxy, and learn more about their use from informative blog articles. But more about these intermediary servers later: for now, let’s focus on web scraping bots.

How web scrapers collect data

While very influential, web scraping is a pretty straightforward process that is easy to automate. More power, and with it – the need for human intervention comes from creation and customization of parsers that filter and sort information into understandable sets of data.

Web scraping can be used to discover specific information from all available websites or track retailers that keep changing products, prices, and discount deals. On the other side, automated extraction helps with client outreach through social media networks and their top personalities. The satisfactory results from getting more accurate data faster than competitors, but an average web user has many ways to benefit from scraping too.

Collect information for personal goals

The availability of data creates many opportunities for smaller businesses to shine and big companies to utilize their power and outfox their competitors and clients. Such trends can be observed in dealings of travel tickets: as we search for affordable flights, travel tickets and booking, top businesses can charge more as they reach more clients.

Another common practice involves price changes based on the visitor’s location – countries with higher average pay are less likely to reconsider the purchase if it makes up a small percentage of their income, while buying the same services from a different region may be cheaper, as companies try to earn money in every location.

Web scraping can help an average user find all the available offers and save money by discovering the most affordable option. With good proxy providers, every geolocation can be scanned to find the best deal possible.

Bots and proxies – an unbreakable bond

Proxies are intermediary servers that change the profile data in the data packets sent by your device to communicate on the internet. Each computer or gadget gets its identity – an IP address. If we try to scrape the internet without hiding it, one ban will hurt your online privacy and forbid entrance to the site.

The stakes are much higher in the digital business environment, where market competitors keep extracting data from each over at a pretty intensive pace, proxy servers are protective of everyone, and with enough addresses, companies can amp up the efficiency or use multiple scrapers at the same. Among the top providers, we have deals for all users and premium proxies for big clients.

With proxy servers, web scrapers don’t have to be delicate: Residential IPs hide bots with addresses from real devices, making the entire data extraction machine look like connections from real users around the world.

If you encounter a geo-blocked website, your trustworthy proxy provider saves the day again! Most of them have residential addresses in all countries, allowing you to enjoy the entirety of the web and collect information without interruptions.

Is web scraping easy?

Web scraping is easy! Anyone even without any knowledge of coding can scrape data if they are given the right tool. Programming doesn’t have to be the reason you are not scraping the data you need. There are various tools, such as Octoparse, designed to help non-programmers scrape websites for relevant data.

What do people use web scraping for?

Web scraping is the process of collecting structured web data in an automated fashion. It’s also called web data extraction. Some of the main use cases of web scraping include price monitoring, price intelligence, news monitoring, lead generation, and market research among many others.