Search engines present millions of answers to any question you may have in seconds – depending on your internet speed. So, it is no wonder that statistics show that these crucial platforms are responsible for driving more than 90% of traffic to websites. This undeniable influence of search engines shows why businesses need to exploit them fully. They can do this through search engine results page (SERP) scraping or by using a SERP scraper.
What is a SERP?
Search engines are essentially websites, meaning they are also made up of webpages. If you type the name of your preferred search engine on a browser and hit enter, your screen will display the site’s home page. Now, if you key in a query on the search bar and similarly hit enter, your browser will load what we refer to as a search engine results page(SERP).
At its core, a SERP is a search engines web page on which results, ranked in the descending order of relevancy, are displayed. Like any site, the search engine’s webpage contains tabs, including All, Images, Video, and News (on most search engines). And as we are about to find out, each of these tabs contains vital data that provide compelling reasons why you need to scrape SERPs.
SERP Data
As stated, search engines’ algorithms rank websites based on a criterion that has always been kept secret. That said, some best practices have been identified. Collectively, these practices are referred to as search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, which are used by websites the world over to help improve their ranking in relation to specific search terms. Some of these SEO techniques, including keywords, are easily retrievable with the right tools in a process known as SERP scraping.
SERP scraping is a specialized type of web data extraction that mainly focuses on retrieving SERP data. Using a sophisticated SERP scraper, you can collect the following forms of data:
- Keywords
- Image metadata
- Reviews of locations from maps
- Product data such as prices and reviews
- Emerging developments from news SERPs
Top 3 Reasons Why You Need SERP Scraping
There are three main reasons why companies should embrace and undertake SERP scraping. These include:
- SEO and Marketing
- Competitor Monitoring
- Market Research
SEO and Marketing
By extracting data on keywords, you can establish how some of your competitors, whose websites rank higher for certain words, have implemented their SEO strategies. Similarly, collecting image metadata helps you identify ways to optimize your site’s image-based content to rank on search engines.
Consequently, if you implement the working strategies, you can help improve your site’s ranking on search engines. Statistics show that most users click the results shown on the first SERP. Thus, getting several of your site’s web pages on this first page is bound to lead to more page visits, which could translate to more sales.
At the same time, SERP scraping offers insight into the search intent. More often than not, users use certain phrases with a specific motive in mind. For instance, when they wish to learn more about something, they are more likely to begin their search with how, why, what, etc. (informational intent). On the other hand, if they intend to purchase or lease an item, they are likely to use words such as cost, price, how much, etc. (transaction intent).
Against this background, search engine algorithms have associated certain keywords with particular search intent. And given that you cannot rank for different intents simultaneously, SERP scraping lets you know what is right for your business.
Competitor Monitoring
Search engines are responsible for driving the most web traffic. Thus, they are the gateway to different websites, including your competitors. Through SERP scraping, you can identify your immediate competitors. As well, you can use the extracted data to piece together their supply chain and the prices at which they have priced their products. You can also use SERP scraping to monitor their marketing and SEO strategies.
Market Research
You can learn a great deal about a market by simply SERP scraping. This is especially so if you wish to enter a new market. Search engines will offer data such as customer reviews, market reports, and news articles that, when combined, generate accurate and real-time insight into entire segments, including niche categories.
It is worth noting that you can improve the SERP scraping experience by using a SERP Scraper API. With this sophisticated tool, you need not worry about hurdles that could potentially arise, such as IP blocks, CAPTCHAs, and geo-specific content. Typically, a SERP Scraper API is equipped with resources such as a proxy rotator that guarantees successful SERP scraping. Learn more about this scraper by clicking here.
Conclusion
SERP scraping offers numerous benefits that your business can capitalize on to stay ahead of the competition. For instance, you can collect vital information to help improve your marketing strategies, enter new markets, or monitor your rivals. For 100% success, however, you also need to use a SERP scraper API
Interesting Related Article: “Why Is Marketing Research Important?“