Web scraping is the process of extracting information from a source or website which contains valuable information and scraping all of that and saving it in your system in the format you would like to view it in such as CSV file and much more.

Previously, if a company needed to extract information from a website, they would opt for the method of copy-pasting. But the drawback here was when it comes to large data the copy-pasting would consume a lot of time to conduct the action and when you copy-paste big data the website slows down alerting the owner of suspicious activity.

But with web scraping, this isn’t the case. In just a few minutes you can easily extract information without slowing down the website which is why it has grown to be popular. To conduct web scraping activities is convenient, all you need to is:

1. Select the website/source you want to scrape

2. Choose the data which you needs scraping

3. Run the web scraping code

4. Save it all in your system

Let’s understand better how web scraping can be helpful for your business.

1. SCRAPE RELEVANT DATA

The online world as mentioned earlier consists of vast data. Any information you need today, the online platform is room to provide them all. But from a business point of view especially brands like yours, not all the information that is available online will serve your purpose concerning brand growth.

Hence this is the reason why web scraping exists. The use of web scraping here helps to extract only those information which is relevant. For instance, scraping information about competitor's pricing strategies, client reviews, feedback of clients about various topics such as new product launches and so much more. All these can conduct quality actions to serve such clients more easily and quickly. 

2. CONDUCT IMPACTFUL IMPROVISATIONS QUICKER

Did you know that the quicker you assist leads, the easier it becomes to convert them into a sales lead? The competition is getting tougher, more and more competitors are joining in the race with you to capture qualified leads much quicker and if your brand is going to step down slower, don’t be surprised to witness lower lead conversion rates. The use of web scraping here is it helps to reach out to clients before the competitors can even realize.

With web scraping, extracting information such as a client's views on similar products like yours, their expectations on a particular product, what solutions they expect a product should deliver will all impact the improvisation of your current solution. When the data comes in quicker, the process to sell an exceptional solution becomes easier to cover through. 

Interesting Read : Step By Step Complete Guide to Web Scraping With Python

3. HELPS TO ACCESS COMPLETE DATA FROM VARIOUS SOURCES

Fewer brands today display their data to their audience. But despite providing such an advantage the data shown is normally not the data that a brand could benefit with. For instance, say a brand displayed its organization roots, history and achievements, how can a brand like yours benefit from it? Due to this gap, the use of web scraping can benefit here. With web scraping, you can easily extract all the other information that a brand hides from the public eye.

This would be the data that you can use to improvise and update your current solution to become the one ultimate source for leads to draw towards your brand. Since the solution created meets every lead's expectations, the conversion rate of such leads is higher. 

4. ENRICHES LEAD GENERATION ACTIVITIES

Web scraping can be very beneficial for this pointer. Tapping leads and converting them into a qualified sales lead isn’t just a tiresome task, it is tougher than it used to be. Today’s leads are more knowledgeable which is why they need to be tapped at the right time. 

With web scraping finding those leads can take the huge burden away from conducting this activity far away. Web scraping can help extract data of leads from various sources for instance, if few leads have commented on the competitor's website, leads that are showing interest in a blog relevant to what your brand to offers, a website with many followers and you believe that your solution is better than what it is offering, all of this information can be extracted with just one click. 

The benefit here is that sales agents will be able to tap them quicker since these are all the warm leads that are looking for their needs to be satisfied in unique ways. For instance, a user on your competitor's website is simply following them because the solution being offered is similar to their needs.

But since the market keeps changing needs to change, sales agents can take advantage by offering them a solution that will meet the next possible preference of that lead and win them over to their side. 

5. CONDUCTING EFFICIENT AUTOMATION ACTIVITIES

Nurturing leads is crucial because when it is nurtured well, there is a high chance that it can be converted into a qualified lead. But with so many changes, strategies and other works to focus on, how can brands conduct repetitive tasks such as daily nurturing of leads? 

The easiest way to answer is through the process of automation. With web scraping, this automation can be conducted successfully. 

With the use of web scraping, relevant data will be collected, the data will then be monitored and applied to different strategies conducted by a brand, once the data has applied a brand can conduct efficient automation for nurturing the leads where the outcome will match the expectations set by the brand. 

Interesting Read : Top 10 Web Scraping Techniques

To ensure that the automation is conducted efficiently, conducting automation for web scraping can help speed up the process and retrieve quality data whenever needed. This data can then be applied to other works that can be conducted in an automated manner hence delivering effective workflows.

You can get started with web scraping easily with the right tools.

1. DEXI.IO

Dexi.io also referred to as Cloudscape extracts data from the website without any need of downloading any of the information. With the scraping activities, the data can be easily saved in cloud-based platforms such as Google Drive. Dexi.io also supports the use of proxy servers so that to conduct anonymous accessing of data.

FEATURES:

1 . Web Scraping

2. Automation Tools

3. High scale knowledge capture

4. Data mining and much more

PRICING:

For business purposes, Standard -$119/m, Professional- $399/m and Corporate- $699/m.

RATINGS:

4.6/5

2. WEBHOSE.IO

Webhose.io conducts web scraping activities in more than 240 languages and also supports saving it in different formats such as JSON, RSS and more. It is a browser-based app where a data crawling technology has been used to crawl multiple channels with a single API.

FEATURES:

1 . Conducts Financial analysis

2. Conducts market research

3. Conducts Media and web monitoring and much more

PRICING:

API calls depend on the plans you choose for instance to receive 1000 API calls it will cost monthly $39, click here for more details.

RATINGS:

5/5

3. IMPORT.IO

Using the best technology, import.io conducts efficient web scraping activities. It conducts web scraping activities by allowing you form your datasets by importing data from a web page being selected and exporting the data you have in any format you like such as CSV file. The greatest thing about import.io is that you don’t require any coding which makes the process much easier.

FEATURES:

1 . Easy capture of data

2. Deliver high-quality web data

3. Conducts web data integration and much more

PRICING:

Need to enquire with Import.io team

RATINGS: 

3.9/5

While web scraping can help you enhance your pricing strategies better, a continuous action from its end can lead to a risk. A risk that can block your web scraping actions.

However it is easy to eliminate this.

Proxy servers stand between a user and the website it wants to access. When a user sends a request to view a restricted website the proxy server will receive the request first and then send it to the website. The reason why a proxy server receives it first is that it changes the IP address.

Many times you get blocked when viewing restricted sources of information because your IP address speaks about the location you are in. What a proxy server does is it helps to eliminate that issue by hiding your actual identity and giving another one.

When it comes to web scraping for your business activities, proxy servers are beneficial. While you continue to scrape the multiple websites, proxy servers ensure that your identity is hidden and that the scraping activity conducts quicker.