In an increasingly digitalized global economy, businesses must compete to stay on top of the game. Aside from a good product or service, companies should use high-quality tools to remain competitive. Proxy servers are advanced tools initially used for more privacy and online anonymity. However, they are an excellent choice for various business uses like testing new markets, SEO research, and accessing geo-restricted markets.
This article will review the most common use case scenarios for proxy servers. But before we jump into real-world examples, let’s look at proxy servers.
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Types of proxy servers
Knowing there is no anonymity and absolute security on the internet, there are things you can do to increase the level of privacy. One of the best tools to do it is proxies. A proxy server acts as an intermediate between your client device and the server that hosts the address you’re visiting.
Your request goes to the proxy server and then to the desired address, creating an impression that you are visiting from another IP address. Hiding your IP address and all the benefits that come from it helps you increase your anonymity. Without a proxy server, a knowledgeable administrator could extract essential information just from your IP address.
With more than one type of proxy server, it can be confusing to pick the right one. So, here is a quick recap of the most common types of proxy servers.
Residential proxies use IP addresses from real residential devices, giving them high anonymity and success rates. Because a residential proxy acts as a regular user with IP from an ISP, you can successfully hide your identity. The downside is that residential proxies have higher prices and could sometimes be slow. If you’re unsure which service to choose, consult the Proxyway list of best residential proxy servers.
On the other hand, datacenter proxies have high speeds and can offer countless IPs. While they have stability and speed, they are easier to detect as they are not associated with real users.
Mobile proxies are similar to residential but have IP addresses from mobile phones. This makes them even more advanced in terms of anonymity, and despite challenges in stability and speed, they can perform the most advanced tasks and bypass most restrictions.
How can a business use proxy servers
Cybersecurity is a significant concern for all businesses, especially in an era where all services become digitalized, and we’re seeing an unprecedented rise in cyber attacks. Taking security seriously is one of the essentials for all enterprises, regardless of their size. Along with using tools like firewalls, cloud backup, and other security solutions, you can increase security and privacy levels by using professional proxy servers. Aside from enhanced online security behind a reliable proxy, there are numerous other use cases for proxies.
Researching international markets
Because the world is globalized, and e-commerce and other forms of retail are on the rise, you can easily step into a new market and try to compete. To be effective in your push, thorough market research can help you. You can use residential proxies, browse local competitors, and analyze market trends and customer preferences. With this knowledge, you can create a more streamlined campaign and address the correct issues.
Web scraping
One of the main ways to do market research is through web scraping, a method of taking data from the source website. Because you’re sending countless requests, using a proxy server and tricks like proxy rotation can help you get the most out of scraping. Once you have extracted the data, you can use them to better understand competitors’ best practices or feel for the market you’re researching.
Going behind geo-restrictions for SEO analysis
While you can look at the competitor’s SEO data from anywhere, using proxy servers can hint at how they are performing in a local market. With in-depth knowledge of the best competitors’ performance in SEO, SERP, and other key markers, you can recognize the keywords, market tactics, and strategies.
Digital marketing campaigns
Proxy servers are invaluable marketing tools. You can launch a digital marketing campaign and use proxy servers to check its performance in the destination market. Local experience can be crucial to test whether your marketing investment is working, whether the ads are displayed correctly, and whether your landing page is up and running as it should.
Access unavailable content
While consumers can use proxies to access streaming services with geo-restrictions, companies can also utilize proxy servers to access content in other countries. If you’re producing content for a market that is restricted to your IP, you can look at the services with a proxy server and identify the local preferences, how the service works, and what people like.
Conclusion
Proxy servers are potent tools that can have countless use cases. While the basic principle of hiding IPs, which increases online privacy and security, is already a big plus, additional capabilities can truly benefit businesses.
You can circumvent geo-restrictions to gain valuable insight into target markets, services, and competitors. Accessing services unavailable in your country or in-depth analysis of competitors is also a realistic use of proxy servers. Depending on your needs, you can use residential proxies that are more expensive but offer higher reliability and anonymity, or you can rely on the speed and availability of datacenter proxies. Either way, proxies are a valuable asset for marketers and businesses.
