subject: Web Data Mining-using The Internet For Success [print this page] Web scraping is a process or a technique used in scraping data from different resources on the internet for the purpose of collecting information. It is also called data harvesting. The information obtained enables individuals and companies to promote their business operations that involve promotions and understanding the market dynamics. Indeed web data mining is trend that steeply growing among companies, individuals and businesses alike in order to utilize their interests.
The process of data mining or web scraping can be done in a different ways. Usually the common methods can be broadly be divided into manual and automated. For instance, if a company is looking for doctors and their contacts such emails, fax, telephone and locations it is possible to obtain the information through the process of web scraping.
The process of information collection by using data mining companies enables companies in making huge revenues by utilizing the proper use of internet in tracing business intelligence which can be used in boosting a company and in making vital business decisions.
It is important to note that before the emergence of professional data mining companies, companies and other organizations used to gather or collect information by using recorded sources. The disadvantage associated with the information sourced is the time consumed and doubting of the information. Web data mining has gained a lot of popularity through overcoming record data resources and disadvantages of the traditional methods. Nowadays this is the success basis of any business.
The information gathered through the web scraping process can be employed in gaining additional knowledge and based on the information analysis. In this way companies and organizations are able to make future predictions for the best or right approaches a business should use. The process of web scraping is not only used in gaining additional information, but also used by other business departments in making the right prediction and decisions such as work flow, development and analysis of business models.
For instance, a strategic analysis department may undermine their clients success, using the web scraping process is possible to determine the offers which need to be sent to clients and thereby getting the maximum conversion rates. For example, a company that wants to launch cotton shirts as a new product, it may use the database of their clients and customers to be in a better position to determine the number of customers who have made orders in the last one year and even the total revenue they have generated.
After the analysis, the company can make decisions regarding offers that will be ideal to their customers who have made orders and even the ones who did not. In this way the company will be heading in the right direction in the market and not making the past errors or going through trials. Predictive analytics also gives the percentage of the customers who are likely to move from your company to your competitor.
Web scraping can be outsourced to professional data mining companies. It is not only a cost effective method used in getting relevant and high quality data.
