As cybersecurity becomes the primary concern of all internet users, different proxy versions have become the go-to solutions for most people who want to continue browsing the internet but also want to protect their identity and security online.
Although numerous types of proxies are available today, residential proxy servers are undoubtedly among the most popular ones.
You’re just where you need to be if you’ve been wondering what proxies do and how residential ones are different from others you can find on the market. Here, we look closely at residential proxy servers and their top seven use cases. Without further ado, let’s jump straight into it!
What are residential proxies?
Residential proxies are IP addresses associated with an actual physical location of an internet user, typically a home or a business.
When using a residential proxy, your IP address is linked to an ISP (Internet Service Provider). It provides a more reliable and secure connection than other proxy types. That’s mainly because these proxies are less likely to get an IP block than different types of proxy servers, which use IP addresses that are associated with servers in data centers.
Residential proxy servers are ideal when individual internet users or small businesses require additional anonymity and safety levels. They are primarily helpful for web scraping, market research, content unlocking, and bypassing geo-restrictions, among other activities.
The top 7 applications for residential proxies
It’s safe to say you can use residential proxy servers for numerous purposes, considering they have multiple use cases. Nevertheless, we’ve decided to include only their most common applications. You can learn more about each one of them below.
1. Web scraping
One of the most common uses of residential proxy servers includes web scraping. Essentially, you can use them to gather data from websites without them detecting and blocking you.
These proxies can mask the user’s IP address and make it appear like their HTTP requests are coming from a different location, which can help avoid detection by website owners or anti-scraping tools. Note that you should get your proxies from a popular residential proxies store to ensure excellent performance and safety.
2. Online market research
Businesses can use residential proxy servers to access competitors’ websites and gather information on prices, products, and other details that might come in handy when assessing the competition.
Doing so helps companies remain competitive and make informed pricing, marketing, and product development decisions. Since maintaining a competitive advantage is becoming more difficult every year, using these proxies is an ideal solution.
3. SEO analysis
You can also use a residential proxy to check website rankings and visibility in different locations. That can help businesses understand how their website performs in various regions and make adjustments to improve visibility and search engine rankings.
The result is significantly better SEO and improved reach in locations you thought it was impossible to build a presence.
4. Social media management
A residential proxy can help manage multiple social media accounts from different locations without risking IP bans. Since IP bans are commonplace among users who visit a specific web page too frequently, a proxy can come in handy.
It can help businesses and individuals create and manage multiple social media accounts with different IP addresses and focus on creating valuable content.
5. Online advertising
Businesses can use residential proxy servers to test and optimize online advertising campaigns in different locations. As a result, businesses can better understand how their ads are performing in other regions and make adjustments to improve their return on investment.
As you know, online advertising has countless benefits for businesses, and residential proxy servers can assist in achieving them.
6. Online gaming
Gamers can use residential proxy servers to access gaming servers in different locations or to avoid IP bans.
Since different servers restrict and separate the online gaming community, these proxies allow players to access games that aren’t available in their region and avoid getting a ban from servers for using a VPN.
7. Bypassing geo-restrictions
Finally, residential proxy servers can help access websites or online services restricted by geographical location, such as streaming services or online marketplaces. Therefore, users can easily access content unavailable in their region. For example, they can watch a TV show or movie unavailable in their country.
Businesses can also benefit from bypassing geo-restrictions. They can access restricted websites to research markets, competitors, and potential partners. They can gather valuable data to improve services, optimize prices, or penetrate new markets.
Wrapping up
Proxies are the go-to solution for anyone who wants to avoid some of the common internet restrictions and enjoy the internet without any limits. Residential proxies will equip you with much-needed online privacy and security if you’d like to scrape the web or access geo-restricted content.
Browse the internet as much as you’d like, and don’t worry about your cybersecurity not meeting the latest standards while using a residential proxy.
