You might ask, “What are proxies?” Think of it as mediators between different servers. They can also be the first level of security in a website. A proxy server browses the web on behalf of your device.
When using a proxy, the requested traffic flows through the server. The response then flows from the requested page, through the proxy server. Then it reaches its destination.
There are different types of proxies and your choice should depend on your use. They are:
- Datacenter proxy: They are the most common type of proxy. They’re managed and produced by data centres. These types of proxies are cheap and easy to get. They are great at improving security functions.
Websites like Twitter and Instagram ban the use of datacenter proxies. That’s because they’re linked with bot-like activity.
- Residential proxy: A rotating residential proxies uses real IP addresses from real residential areas. These proxies reduce bans because you’re seen as a connection coming from the local area and not from data centers.
- Forward proxy: When you send a request, the proxy server examines it before deciding to make a connection. A forward proxy will make sure that the data is secure before releasing it in your internal network.
- Distorting proxy: It identifies itself to a website but hides its own identity. A distorting proxy changes its IP address from time to time, making it a really hard target to track.
- Anonymous proxy: It focuses on making the internet activity untraceable. An anonymous proxy masks your identity to make your data footprint untraceable.
- High anonymity proxy: It erases information before connection to a site. It’s best for users whose anonymity is an absolute necessity.
- Transparent proxy: It provides a seamless user experience. It’s suited for companies that don’t want employees knowing they use proxies.
- Public proxy: It’s accessible to anyone. However, a public proxy isn’t as secure as a private one. It’s a server that hides the identity of the users by providing a fake IP address.
- Reverse proxy: It intercepts requests from users at the network edge of the web server. Then, it delivers the information to the original server without leaving data footprints.
All these proxies have pros and cons, but companies prefer using residential proxies. Reason being that they provide real IP addresses from ISPs from different locations. Residential proxies lead companies to a lot of opportunities.
When using a proxy server, traffic flows through it on its way to the requested address. The proxy server will then intercept the data, hiding your identity and IP from others. After securing the data, the proxy server will relay the secured data to your server.
Modern proxy servers are more improved and diverse than they were before. Now, they act as firewalls and web filters. They also provide shared network connections and cache data to speed up requests. A good proxy should be able to provide full security and anonymity while browsing the web.
How to Use Proxies
Faster Speeds and Bandwidth Savings
Proxy servers increase internet speed and save bandwidth on a network. They strip ads from websites and store away files and web pages accessed by many users. All this helps to free up bandwidth on busy networks, making it easier to access the internet.
Internet speed is important for businesses. It can affect a team’s productivity. According to experts, Amazon can lose up to £1.6 billion in sales resulting from a one-second delay in a page’s loading.
Create and Manage Many Social Media Accounts
Companies should take advantage of the increasing population on social media platforms. Most companies have already embraced this and have different social media accounts. The difficulty comes in accessing them. Companies face the likelihood of getting blocked by an internet service provider.
Another difficulty is that accounts can get deleted. Messages from many accounts can also get thrown into spam folders. Using residential proxies can help prevent all that.
A residential IP address can solve the challenges by maintaining complete anonymity online. It can also be used in gathering restricted data from your competitors and leveraging it for marketing purposes. This is when they’re promoting their client’s product or service.
Access Marketing Data, Resources, and Analytics
Residential proxies come in handy when collecting marketing data and Analytics. A lot of marketers use residential proxies to scrape data from platforms like Amazon. This helps them get better insights into competitor’s products or user activity.
Residential proxies use legitimate IP addresses, which protects marketers from getting banned. Proxies also enable marketers to gain access to websites inaccessible to their location. Marketers can even access websites blocked in their countries. All this is thanks to residential proxies.
Ad Verification
The goal of ads is usually to get large returns. So carrying out research helps with regards to traffic and visitors. Using a business proxy helps in securing all the ads.
Using proxies protects ads from ad fraud, which is on the rise. Ad fraudsters are always targeting businesses. This can cause you to spend a fortune without any returns.
Verify your ads to ensure they reach the target audience in time. The verification helps to improve performance. You’re also able to see advertisers landing pages from different locations.
Software Testing and Performance Monitoring
Residential proxies help in testing new features for mobile apps and websites. They also enable developers to know how their software works in different locations. Companies also need to test their software’s performance in high load cases. This is possible by the use of many residential IP addresses.
Proxies are also useful in performance monitoring. They help global companies to understand how fast their websites are. That way, they can gain relevant information.
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Market Intelligence
A business needs to have the right strategy to beat competitors and succeed in the market. Having the right tools can help in collecting data about your niche. But that’s not enough. Companies have secured their websites from scrapers from competitors.
Using proxies allows you to scrape websites without getting noticed. The proxy changes the company’s IP address. It then assigns you a different one, protecting your real IP address from getting exposed.
The proxy server also enables you to collect data from social media. You’re also able to review sites as well as customer reviews of your competitors. This helps you to plan and have a competitive advantage.
Carrying out Sensitive Tasks
Proxies can anonymize web traffic. This is a very important function for businesses. Security officers, whistle-blowers, and reporters can count on this function. Because they can protect themselves, their sources, companies, clients, and partners.
Current research and development receive protection. That also applies to other business activities in a company. Spys can track web traffic to find out what the company is developing. This proves a difficult task for them when the company uses proxies.
Controlling Internet Usage
A proxy server prevents employers from accessing insecure or inappropriate websites. This is why internal company networks must run on proxies. They enable network administrators to control which devices have access to it. Network administrators can also decide on the sites these devices can visit.
Companies can block undesirable content. They can also block sites employees shouldn’t use on the company’s time. Network administrators can record the content accessed for internal purposes. This enables security officers to find out about illegal activities or security breaches.
Conclusion
Business success comes with well-thought-out decisions. Companies enjoy integrating proxies into their computer networks. Proxies play a crucial role in decision-making processes. They ease web scraping.
Proxies also enable access to data. It’s an essential aspect of business intelligence. This is one of the important functions that make a company more competitive.
