To prevent users from unauthorized or illegal scraping, websites have multiple security measures like request limits, IP blocking, and more. So, using your original IP address for large scraping operations is a very bad idea. Instead, you can use proxies to scrape data more efficiently.
And when you use automation tools like ScrapeBox, using proxies is a must. These tools send a high volume of requests to websites that require different IP addresses.Check this to learn more about ScrapeBox proxies. In today’s guide, we will focus on why a proxy server is important for web scraping.
What Is Web Scraping?
As the name suggests, web scraping refers to scraping websites for your desired data. This can be done in two ways, manual and automatic. In manual scraping, you need to go to a website and use developer tools of the browser to explore the source code of that website. Then, you can find the necessary data from the source code and collect them in your desired format.
But when you use automated tools, they send HTTP requests to web servers and fetch the source code. Then, the tool can extract your necessary data and sort them according to your needs. The tool also exports the data in your desired formats, including CSV.
What Is a Proxy Server?
A proxy server is the middleman between your device and the target server. When you send a connection request to a web server, it generally contains various information, including your IP address. The IP address tells the target server about your physical location. If you send too many connection requests within a short period, web servers detect this as suspicious behavior.
And they block your original IP address. So, you won’t be able to scrape data from that website anymore. This is done to prevent illegal scrapers from accessing the website. Sometimes, website content can be location-specific, so users living outside the designated region are unable to access the website or scrape data from it.
In such cases, you need to use a proxy server. Your connection request will go to the proxy server first. The proxy server will mask the original IP address by assigning a new IP address to your request. When this request reaches the target server, the server can’t detect that it is coming from the same user. So, users can send multiple requests to the same web server without getting caught.
For smooth data scraping operations, you must use proxy servers that provide reliable and rotating proxies. Web servers shouldn’t be able to detect the IP addresses provided by the proxy server as proxies. Also, the connection time and quality should be good enough for efficient scraping.
What Are ScrapeBox Proxies?
ScrapeBox proxies are specialized proxies for this popular automated scraping tool. The tool can automate your scraping operations by handling multiple programmable factors. So, you can scrape more data to take your scraping business to the next level.
How to Choose the Right Proxy Server for ScrapeBox?
To get the most out of your scraping tool, you need to choose a good proxy provider. Here is how you do it.
· Look for Backconnect Proxies
Your IP address should change dynamically for each request. But if you need to do that manually, there is no point in using an automated tool. So, you must use backconnect proxies. These proxy servers rotate the proxies automatically, so you don’t have to worry about getting blocked.
· Large Proxy Pool
When the scraping operation is large, you need a lot of proxies to cope with the situation. So, you must choose a proxy server that has a large pool of proxies. As a result, the frequency of using the same proxy will be low. And it will be harder for the server to detect that the same IP address is being rotated over and over again.
· Choose the Proxy Type
Among different types of proxies, you can rely on residential proxies because they belong to real users. So, it is difficult for web servers to suspect these proxies. And you can continue your scraping operation without any issues. Datacenter proxies are also good because they provide you with a large proxy pool with higher performance.
· Check the Performance Metrics
Before choosing a proxy provider, you should check the connection stability, speed, and other relevant factors. If these aspects are satisfactory, your scraping business will be more efficient.
Conclusion
Proxies are of immense help when it comes to web scraping. Especially when you use automated tools like ScrapeBox, proxies are a lifesaver. Dedicated proxy servers for ScrapeBox will come with a large proxy pool and rotate the proxies on your behalf. Besides, they will provide the speed and stability you need for full-scale proxy businesses.
