Though they’re most frequently used for unlocking content on streaming platforms or bypassing internet censorship, proxies aren’t solely beneficial to individuals who want to have a bit more fun online. They’re indispensable to businesses that rely on data to survive.
Proxies can help you overcome numerous data-collection challenges, provide access to valuable data sources, and help you future-proof your business with the utmost ease.
Keep reading to learn what proxies are and which opportunities they create for your company.
The rising need for proxy solutions
Let’s start with the basics – what exactly are proxies, and why do business owners need them?
In a word, proxies are intermediaries that route all your internet traffic through remote servers. They sit between your device and the web, allowing you to keep your information protected while giving you access to any type of content you need.
Any information request you make goes primarily to the proxy server, which then relays your message to any site you want to visit and sends its response back to you. Your device and the site never come in direct contact, so you won’t have to worry about the site identifying you or collecting your sensitive information – such as your physical location, browsing history, email address, and more.
One of the proxies’ strongest features is IP protection. In the process of routing your traffic, the proxy hides your real IP address and provides you with a fake new one from any location of your choosing. If you want to leave the impression that your internet traffic is coming from Indonesia, let’s say all you need is an Indonesia proxy to receive a relevant IP address and start browsing under it.
This feature is what makes proxies so valuable to business owners. Businesses across niches are increasingly relying on proxies to protect their data, increase security, and ensure almost complete anonymity as they conduct research and gather data.
Top 5 business opportunities created by proxies
Now, whether you’re using an Indonesia proxy, a US proxy, or any other proxy type, you can unlock an array of lucrative business opportunities with a reliable proxy solution.
Web scraping
Web scraping involves collecting data from the internet – you can scrape anything from stock market information to customer reports, brand mentions, competitor product descriptions, and more. Considering that it would be a time-consuming and error-prone process to web scrape manually, most business owners deploy bots to automate it.
The problem with bots is that they’re easily detected, so you’ll likely find your IP address banned as soon as you start scraping.
Proxies can help you avoid this challenge. As mentioned, they hide your IP address and provide you with a new one. Most proxies even offer IP rotation, changing your IP address every few minutes. This simple process allows you to disguise your bots and collect information without encountering blocks.
Accessing geo-restricted content
Another issue that plagues businesses that rely on data to survive is geo-blocking. Many websites use geo-blocking technology to restrict access to their content to users based on their geographical location.
Some do it for copyright reasons, others because of their licensing agreements. Others still use geo-blocking to ensure that they comply with relevant laws – sports betting and gambling are illegal in countries like Qatar, for example, so some gambling sites might need to prevent Qatar residents from accessing them.
Whatever the reason for geo-blocking, it can prevent you from collecting relevant data for your business.
You can bypass any type of geo-restrictions by using proxies. The aforementioned Indonesia proxy would unlock access to any sites available solely in Indonesia, for instance. With a proxy, you can easily choose the location of your new IP address and go around geo-restrictions without much fuss. You can learn more about Indonesia proxy and how it helps bypass geo-restrictions.
Market research
As you’re likely well aware, sites don’t use your IP address solely to determine whether to block you based on your location or not. They also use it to determine the content they provide you with. That’s why you’ll notice that Amazon recommendations, for instance, will be completely different when you’re accessing the site from Spain as opposed to the US.
Presenting different types of content based on your location can prevent your business from conducting proper market research in foreign countries.
Using a relevant proxy and presenting your traffic as if coming from the country you need will allow you to conduct market research without any obstacles.
Pricing insights
If you want to stay competitive, you need to perfect your pricing. Products and services priced higher than the competitors might discourage your target markets from doing business with your brand as it’s too expensive for them. Products and services that are priced significantly lower will make it seem like they’re less valuable.
Therefore, collecting pricing insights from your competitors is critical. You can seamlessly collect competitor pricing information without detection by using a proxy that hides your IP and identity and allows you to browse anonymously.
SEO monitoring
Finally, you can rely on proxy solutions to ensure excellent SEO monitoring. Just like proxies to unlock access to geo-based content, you can use them to present geo-based content to your customers.
With the right proxy, you can ensure that customers from different geographic regions receive content tailored to them and presented in their native language and currency. You’ll find it easier to improve your SEO and connect with target markets in different locations.
Conclusion
Proxies are an indispensable tool for businesses, creating an array of lucrative opportunities to ensure success. They offer better, more accurate insights, improve your data collection methods, and empower you with the information you need to grow your business.
