In the digitalized world we live in today, many businesses need to operate online to gain a competitive edge in the business world.
Whether utilizing analytics or gaining data for a higher level of learning, being proactive about how you operate online is crucial for an organization.
One of the newest and most innovative online technological methods is web scraping, or something referred to as data scraping. It is an automatic process that searches websites and extracts data, presenting it in a readable and usable format.
Data is becoming an increasingly valuable commodity, labeled as the new oil. With as many as five billion internet users, that means there is an incredible amount of data waiting to be extracted and utilized for value.
Web scraping can have so many benefits, one being pricing intelligence. Knowing what your competitors are charging as a business is fundamental when battling a market. Web scraping can get pricing data and product information from your competitor’s websites, using it as learning so you can make better decisions.
As well as pricing intelligence, web scraping is perfect for conducting online market research, getting competitor activity, market trends, and consumer decisions in one place to add to your actionable data. Whether you aim to get more lead generation, increased brand monitoring, or better business automation, web scraping is an essential technology.
It can be a very complex and challenging task, but thankfully there is a tool that makes your web scraping more proficient and protects you while you carry it out online.
What is a Static Residential IP?
One of the lesser-known forms of proxy, a static residential IP is an IP address that allows users to use a residential IP across the glove for however long they need. They are real IP addresses somewhere across the globe and are accounted for by an internet service provider (ISP). It is not just you’re ordinary residential proxy, however.
A “static” residential IP keeps you at the IPP address for longer, giving you the anonymity of a residential proxy and keeping your internet speed high.
They have so many uses for online and digital activities, and here are seven reasons why you should be using a static residential IP when you carry out web scraping:
You are Anonymous
Carrying out web scraping is a sensitive area, especially when you do it on competitors’ websites, with which you may need better relationships. If you are not anonymous when you carry out web scraping on a website, there are methods for them to track your activity back to you, which could make things ugly.
Thankfully, a static residential IP provides anonymity as you undertake web scraping, meaning that your IP address is not being shared with others and helps maintain a sense of anonymity.
It Makes Web Scraping Cheaper
You are using a static residential IP address when you web scrape makes it so much cheaper than having to use dynamic and changing IP addresses, as well as the increased internet speeds and more hardware you would need.
Therefore, working with a static residential IP while you go about your web scraping is much more financially savvy, especially if you have a specific budget for carrying out web scraping for market research, competitor analysis, or pricing intelligence.
More Websites to Scrape
The most significant aspect of web scraping is having the websites and the access to do so. Without a static residential IP, some websites will block you from scraping or restrict your overall access.
Using a static residential IP, you can get past any blocks or restrictions as you scrape data, giving you complete learning as you gain insights. Some data online is not publicly available, or other websites might block specific IPs from carrying out web scraping.
More Website Scraping Flexibility
One of the most frustrating aspects of web scraping is usually the loss of connectivity, delays during the process, and therefore having to spend time changing IPs. The benefit of a static residential IP is that you can change proxies or VPNs without suffering these delays.
When you scrape from a good number of websites, you will often find that you need to change your IP for some reason – by using a static residential IP, you get added flexibility and efficiency.
Less Stress with Added Security
Web scraping can involve getting sensitive information or personal data; to do this correctly, you need to maintain a high level of security. As you handle this material, you might get stressed at being exposed to hackers and cybercriminals.
By using a static residential IP, you assure yourself that your IP is not visible to the threats mentioned above, giving you that peace of mind and security as you keep your data secure and safe.
Faster Speeds
A critical part of successful web scraping is speed and connection. If either needs to be improved, you might find the process arduous and lengthy.
A static residential IP can bring you faster speed, less latency, and more data in less time – making it perfect for those on a short deadline or needing a lot of web scraping data.
Makes Web Scraping More Reliable
A frustrating yet sadly common occurrence is having all your hard effort in web scraping negated through an error, like having a website block your IP after the web scraping process.
Thankfully, a static residential IP stops you from getting blocked or banned as quickly. Any data you extract from web scraping then becomes far more reliable.