If you want to get information from a website, cutting and pasting is the go-to method for extracting a few lines or a full page of text. However, if you need more extensive retrieval of content, web scraping is the right method. Web scraping is similar to cutting pasting but is less time-consuming. Modern technology allows you to lift the HTML code to easily extract a large amount of information.
Automation allows you to lift millions of data points from websites to improve marketing and product development. The first stage of web scraping is web crawling, which browses the internet to locate pages with the information you need and provides links to scraping texts. Once you have the links you need, the next phase is web scraping.
What Is a Web Scraper?
A web scraper is a tool that is designed to retrieve texts from web pages. Some companies provide a web scraping service and charge by the page. Alternatively, you can purchase tools that can scrape pages. If you have the technical knowledge, you can scrape pages yourself.
Some tools are simple to use and allow you to point and click on items you want to extract simply. There are also browser extension web scraping tools that can conveniently extract pages as you browse the internet. You can also use a proxy for web scraping.
Rather than purchase a web scraping tool, some may choose to design their own. There is no need to write scraping code yourself when there are programs such as Scrapy, BeautifulSoup, or Selenium, which is usually used for web testing. Still, it can also run Javascript while extracting texts from a website.
How to Use a Web Scraper
Once you have decided what kind of scraper to use and have identified what content you want to scrape, you can begin the process. The data is retrieved in HTML, and then it is parsed to extract the real data from the extraneous material around it. Once the data is parsed, it is stored in the format you need for the project.
When the information you have scraped is stored, you can use it for a variety of purposes:
1. Market Analysis
In a tightly competitive market, web scraping is essential to keep your edge. Looking at actual texts from websites can keep you informed about specific products and the market in general. Predicting where current trends are headed requires large amounts of information for analysis, and scraping is the best way to retrieve significant data points.
Information required for thorough market analysis includes industry size, revenue by geography, and obstacles that may hinder performance. Securing data on growth areas and sales avenues are also essential for understanding your market. Looking at the revenue growth of competitors and the market in general, as well as forecasts, will give you a full picture of your company’s prospects.
2. Price Comparison
Price is one of the main factors that influence consumers’ purchasing decisions. Competitors can dramatically lower prices without your realizing it unless you have regular web scraping tactics in place. Analyzing costs means getting exact numbers correct, and copying texts from sites provide a snapshot of the real price points. Also, downloading prices and promotions over time can show patterns that may indicate future price changes.
Live web scraping is the only way to track prices on hundreds of rival web sites and product pages on eCommerce platforms. Promotions can offer lower prices for a short-term period. If you are unaware that this is happening, you may not be able to account for a drop in sales during that period. Live scraping of price fluctuations will give you more information about your market and competitors, as well as what may be affecting your sales.
3. Competition Monitoring
Excelling in eCommerce means staying aware of what the competition is doing. Measuring your own data is essential, but it may not be enough to get the full picture of your performance. Part of your company’s success means grabbing market share from your rivals. Analyzing what your competitors are doing can give you clues about new products and marketing techniques that are working for them as well as the kind of customers who purchase their products.
Looking at the text of your competitors’ website and product pages can yield information on their SEO strategy and placement for keywords, pricing history, and product lines. Also, you can scrape reviews of competitors’ products and comments on social media about rival companies. It is also useful to scrap social media pages to get an idea of their strategies.
Web scraping is a simple way to extract data from the web that is essential for your brand. There are several tools and methods for web scraping, from services that charge a fee to web browsers that can extract data in a few simple steps. Once recovered, the data can provide accurate information that makes market analysis, price comparison, and competition monitoring easier.
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