What is web scraping and its benefits
If you run e-commerce, one of your needs to analyze your competitors is to do Web Scrapping. So, how to develop a business with web scrapping? Well, in this article Masterweb wants to share the benefits of web scrapping with you before discussing web scrapping techniques which could be discussed in other articles. However, knowing the benefits better is also very important.
What is web scraping?
But, before discussing the advantages of web scrapping, we need to know what web scrapping is? Well, web scrapping refers to the creation or use of computer software to collect data from all competitor websites or from several competitor website pages.
Even when web scrapping, you can download all pages of the website and also things related to the main aspects of a competitor’s website such as tags (headlines) or content of articles on the website for further analysis needs. .
Web scrapping techniques
Now everything has been simplified, doing your web scrapping has been facilitated by the existence of an extension in the browser and also in the application. However, the results are not as good as the manual method and the use of coding. Well, in this article, we will briefly discuss web scrapping techniques and there are more or less six commonly used web scrapping techniques, including:
Obtain the data manually
This is one of the simplest techniques where you can get other website data manually. This technique is time-consuming, because you have to retrieve and also store the information that was obtained one by one.
Regular expression technique
One of the benefits of using this technique is syntax consistency across various programming languages. This technique is a flexible technique. Also, using this technique, you can get data by type such as price, product name and email address.
HTML analysis techniques
This method is done by sending an HTTP request to the server that stores the website data. By using this technique, you are not just doing web scrapping on websites of a static nature.
You can also get large amounts of data, but the downside is that this technique can be prevented with a website protection. In fact, you can even get blocked from certain sites when you frequently use this technique.
Techniques for using Google Sheets
We know it as a Google application used to create spreadsheet files. Apparently, not just for these needs. You can also use Google Sheets to do web scrapping very easily.
In addition to Google Sheets, you also need a browser with the feature of element inspection. Then, simply copy the XPath expression from the website page element you want to insert data into an IMPORTXML command which is usually already available in Google Sheets.
Advantages of Web Scrapping
Also, after learning what web scrapping is and the techniques that are often used, below are 5 benefits you can achieve with web scrapping:
Competitor monitoring
Indonesia’s e-commerce market has really made a big spike, especially during the current pandemic and this digital retail market will continue to grow as digital devices can be increasingly integrated into our real life and can change the behavior of consumers. consumers in purchases.
The reference market is increasingly easier to reach, but the competition is becoming increasingly fierce and not a few feel that the digital space is shrinking for new entrants. Is there a way to make the company survive? So you have to study your competitors, as one of the ancient Chinese generals we often know him with Sun Tzu said that “If you know your enemy and yourself, then you will never be defeated by him.” business.
You can get data and also get to know competitors so that you can make changes, particularly using web scrapping techniques. As explained above, web scrapping is a technique for obtaining information from products on competitor’s websites / e-commerce sites, so with this data you can determine new strategies so that you don’t lose out against competitors.
In addition to products, you can also get advertising data for competing products in the form of budget information and so on. In fact, you can even get data in the form of forecasts on product trends.
Price optimization
If you are a business owner who has a hard time setting prices, you can get price optimization from web scrapping techniques and this is very helpful. The problem with optimization is that we can’t balance the point where we can’t increase profits without losing customers.
Remember the principle that customers are willing to pay more for a product with more value. While in digital retailing, it’s important to improve your services where your competitors don’t exist and this is where web scrapping plays a role.
With web scarpping you can get customer information, so you can find out how to get more customer satisfaction with your offer, one way is to refine your marketing strategy.
Even with web scrapping you can set up a dynamic pricing strategy. The digital business market is not static and you have to keep up with all the price changes that occur to maximize a service and a profit. Web Scraping allows you to monitor changes in market prices and strategies for proper promotion.
Personally targeted
Web scrapping can make it easier for you to define personal goals based on potential customer data, so you can determine how to promote them. Usually the data you can get from web scraping is in the form of training prospects, companies, their locations, gender, and much more.
With this data you can determine campaign strategies and you can also determine relevant niches to implement campaigns and send newsletters in bulk. However, make sure you always send information that is relevant to your customers’ interests.
Investment decision
Web scrapping in the investment world is no longer rare. In fact, from time to time, many people have used web scrapping techniques to collect alternative data to avoid the risk of bankruptcy and this can help detect unexpected risks and greater potential opportunities.
Investment decisions are complex, because they usually involve a series of processes before deciding the right step in preparing an investment decision. The most effective way to test past investments is through historical data analysis. This can show you the causes of failure and success in investing in the past.
As a result, web scrapping can extract historical data more effectively where data can be put into a database. So that investment firms, using the data obtained, can improve the accuracy of their analysis results by using this large data to increase the accuracy of their analysis results in making better decisions.
Product optimization
It makes sense for anyone looking for online reviews of a product before making a purchase. These reviews can deterministically influence a potential customer’s purchase decision about our product. Therefore, we can analyze what our potential customers think of us to meet their expectations.
Let’s say your product team is about to launch an assisted product. However, you are very concerned about this new product and wonder if your latest product can make a breakthrough and help generate money for your business or not. Well, it is important to collect customer feedback to check your product and make an improvement if a defect is found.
You can use sentiment analysis techniques more broadly to analyze the attitude of our customers, regardless of whether it can have a positive, neutral or even negative impact. However, this analysis requires a large amount of data. So, so that the process of collecting this big data becomes faster and you save a lot of time and energy, you can use web scrapping.
Conclusion
How can you imagine what web scrapping is and what techniques are used for web scrapping? The above 5 benefits are only a small part of what web scrapping can achieve. You can collect data and get these benefits from the references we describe or you also have your own ideas in the implementation process so that you get other benefits that are not mentioned in this article.
Don’t underestimate the power of web scrapping. Because it’s the best solution for businesses to get great information on a regular basis. No less important when running a business website other than implementing web scrapping into business ideas and strategies to compete with competitors, a fast website to support SEO requires proper hosting.
So, ask hosting you can entrust it to Masterweb, why? Why hosting ssd from Masterweb supported by LiteSpeed Server and Brotli compression technology for Rp only. 13,900 / month. Save up to 79%.
