LinkedIn became the sole leader of the job research and HR market. Such popularity also brings lots of points for data and valuable insights gathering. So let’s look at how to scrape LinkedIn for valuable data.
Introduction to LinkedIn Scraping
LinkedIn is one of the most popular portals for job postings, HR work, networking and any business in between these spheres. For lots of the options in this regard, LinkedIn becomes the default option and the only way to go.
So, it seems only natural that scraping of the LinkedIn pages becomes a popular source of information and insights on all of these topics. Companies use scraping of LinkedIn to collect data on the current competitor actions, market layout and insights on HR actions in different spheres.
But regardless of the popularity, any type of scraping is a complicated and hard-to-pull process. In most cases you are required to use not only the scraper itself but also a private proxy option. Plus, LinkedIn is known to have sophisticated systems to block all of the connections that can be related to automated data collection. This is why a consistent and repeatable data collection of this kind requires you to use the most of the available possibilities to get solid and consistent results. So let’s look at how to extract data from LinkedIn in detail.
Understanding LinkedIn Scraping Tools
Any type of scraping requires you to use a special set of apps, tools and technologies like residential proxies to collect data efficiently, swiftly and fast. This is why you need to approach this question with utmost care, because all of your performance will rely on the performance of the tools that you use.
Overview of Popular LinkedIn Scrapers
With these parameters in mind, let’s look at the several most popular options in terms of LinkedIn scraping capabilities.
1. Evaboot
Evabot is a sales navigator tool designed for exporting leads and emails from relevant sources. In the end you can get a table with a ready-to-be-used list of leads.
In general, you can export profiles of the companies, profiles of users and other data of this kind. Per day you can extract around 2500 leads.
2. Phantombuster
Phantombuster is a LinkedIn crawler that can help to cover most of the LinkedIn use cases. Plus, here you can target some of the data on TikTok, Instagram and other popular platforms.
The main plus here will be the option to get data in JSON format. Also, you can use this tool to send messages and enrich any of your profiles.
3. Wiza
Wiza, just like other tools, can help to get data from the Sales Navigator. Plus, you can have access to emails and user profiles.
All of these options are available through the API and in the CRM system for constant and stable access.
4. Captain Data
Captain Data is an easy-to-use platform that can help you to collect, parse and export data for any of your tasks. Here you can create automated work steps to avoid any repetitive manual labor.
Here you can collect data like leads, group members, attendees of events, comments and likes under posts. All of these also can be done with connection to your CRM system.
5. TexAu
TexAu can help to collect needed data to generate new leads in minutes. This tool is also covering lots of the platforms at the same time, but you can collect data from LinkedIn exclusively as long as you want.
So, for LinkedIn specifically, you can export search lists, group members, attendees of meetups, and commenters on posts. The main benefit here overall will be a wide variety of options for automation.
6. Dux-Soup
Dux-Soup, on the other hand, was created specifically for the automation of actions in LinkedIn. With this tool you will be able to collect data from LinkedIn searches, profiles and messages. Here you can also find options for API integration, customer support and help on the setup process.
7. Linked Helper
Linked Helper is a longtime player on the market with main options targeted on automation. This tool can help you to send requests for connections, send messages and mail, and provide options for basic scraping.
The main benefit lies in the tool’s ability to provide strong protection from possible blocks and ability to simulate real user interaction with the LinkedIn portal. To secure some of these risks, you can use static residential proxies or other types of servers to increase the overall protection of your connection.
8. Lemlist
Lemlist is a tool that will help you to configure the automation for the outreach and other spheres. Here you can manage and scale almost any type of cold email outreach campaign to increase your response rates.
As for the main benefits, Lemlist can be integrated into existing CRM tools. This way you can still have all of the needed connections to the cold email management and scraping.
9. Waalaxy
Waalaxy is an outreach tool that can also be used for scraping needs. The basic functionality of the tools allows you to automate the massaging option. The same option can be used for sending emails, email finder integration and scraping.
Plus, you have the option for synchronization with the CRM systems and management of several accounts at the same time. Keep in mind that the risks of being flagged by LinkedIn in this case remain relatively high.
10. Surfe
This Chrome extension can help to add contacts and synchronize the LinkedIn and Sales Navigator data into one CRM. This way, Surfe can be a handy tool for the basic scraping tasks. So, you have access to the options for the scraping, data enrichment, fast CRM integration, Messaging Templates etc.
Types of LinkedIn Scraping
Let’s look at the main configurations and types of scrapers that you can find on the current market.
1. Cloud-Based LinkedIn Scraping
Scraping LinkedIn through the solutions based on the cloud can be considered as one of the most simple and straightforward options for accessing basic tools for your projects. This type of scraping solution will be good for situations when you need to collect a portion of the data a single time. For any other cases, you need to make a careful calculation to understand if this method will align with your budget, because cloud-based solutions tend to be on the more expensive end.
Pros and Cons
As for the pros and cons, you probably already get them. So, the main benefit here lies in the possibility to set up and start collecting needed information without a long and tiring process of setting up. Usually you just need to specify the needed resources and start collecting information from them.
The downside here lies in the price and flexibility of the setup. Large-scale projects that are powered by cloud-based solutions can easily exceed your expectations in terms of the price. In the same way, it will be hard to change the project parameters on the go to adapt it for the new targets.
2. Browser-Based LinkedIn Scraping
The current market can also offer LinkedIn data extraction services that can work on the browser base. These options are a bit cheaper and more flexible than previous options but still lack overall functionality.
Pros and Cons
The main pro of this type of scraping is related to the ability to get the needed results fast and clean without an additional hustle. So, for example, if you need to get the list of emails related to some of the pages, you can get them in a matter of minutes and continue your work. So, if you just need fractions of data from time to time, this option can be truly useful.
The con here is that most of the browser solutions are targeted at specific types of data or sources, so big and comprehensive scraping with these tools is almost impossible.
3. Desktop-Based LinkedIn Scraping
Desktop-based tools are the most flexible and comfortable to use from a long-term perspective. Here you adapt all of the tools to your liking and get all of the needed data right when you need it. This type of tool is also more useful in terms of LinkedIn proxy or similar tool integration.
Pros and Cons
The benefit of desktop-based solutions lies in flexibility and usually lower price points on the options that you might want to use. This is especially important for the larger-scale projects that may require you to constantly and for a long time scrape for performance.
But at the same time, you need to spend way more time setting up this type of tool to your liking. So in the end, part of your comfort comes at a price of the time initially for the setup.
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Legal and Ethical Considerations
When scraping the LinkedIn platform, you inevitably will face lots of different problems in legal and ethical fields that need to have a consideration beforehand. So, let’s look at the main thing that you need to think about when starting your scraping.
Is Scraping Illegal on LinkedIn?
This is a tricky question, and the answer here depends on many different parameters. For the basics, scraping of publicly accessible data is legal in almost any situation. Generally, you need to double-check the basics of the laws that can control such actions regarding data. Any other types of information can be collected for personal use only if you have legitimate access. So, before going deep into data collection, you need to conduct analysis and understand what the exact parameters are for you in this situation.
Best Practices for Ethical Scraping
Let’s look at the collection of the practices that can help you to conduct the legally acceptable scraping on LinkedIn.
Check Terms of Service Updates
Before starting the actual data collection, it is best to double-check the current active Terms of Service on LinkedIn. It is best to spend some time in advance beforehand each time you launch the project, then find out that you violated the rules in the process or after you are done with your work.
Vary User Agents, Proxies, and IPs
It is overall best if you can use special tools like datacenter rotating proxies or special options for automated user agents and other identifying data rotation. This way, chances for you to be tracked or spied on are heavily going down. In other words, LinkedIn will spend much more time and resources to control your connection so you can feel safe and protected.
Add Random Time Delays
To lower the possible risks of being banned or flagged, you can use time delays between your requests. If this time is randomized, you will be able to collect the data even more securely and consistently. This way, it will be way harder to find your connection among any others, because it will look like a regular one with a basic type of all the other parameters.
Focus Scraping Efforts
To achieve the best and most consistent results, you need to be focused on the scraping as in the long-term process. If you crave big amounts of data in a short period of time, there will be a high risk of bans and restrictions. Datacenter proxies or any other type of server also will be a good recommendation here to enhance the protection even more.
Practice Data Minimization
The same way it is best to target only the small amounts of data needed to you at the moment. With the full-scale collection of all available information, you will also face bans and possible troubles rather quickly.
Be Transparent in Outreach
To make your project truly successful, make clear and transparent targets and plan for your scraping. When having a clear path of work, you can be sustainable in your project development.
Consult Legal Teams
In any of the cases, and especially if you do this for the sake of business or corporate interest, it is best to get a full-scale legal team consultation to cover any needed risks in advance.
Using LinkedIn Data for Lead Generation
One of the main targets for LinkedIn scraping practice lies in generating new leads for your projects. Let’s look at how data harvesting can help in this task.
How to Extract Qualified Leads
With targeted scraping, you can find all of the needed leads for any type of project. LinkedIn can provide a wide variety of the options for any kind of sphere and business.
Sales Navigator Lead Lists
Scraping can become one of the main sources of the quality kind of leads based on the current market state. LinkedIn allows you to target pretty narrow cohorts of users that can be turned into your clients with a little extra work.
Event Attendees
You can make a list of the most relatable events in your sphere and collect data about these options. Here you can collect data both about the events themselves and about the attendees list. This way, you can find the audience crossings, most active people in the community, and overall lists of possible leads.
Competitors’ Company Followers
In the same way, it is a wise idea to collect all of the needed data about your current competitors actions in this company’s pages and communities. You can track the job postings, active participants, followers, etc.
Group Members
Another useful source of leads can be concentrated in the interest groups. It can be a good solution to track the members actions in these groups, both with the lists of members for further possible work.
Recruiter Lists
Scraping is also useful for the cases when you need to collect the data about top recruiters in specific categories and lists. This way, you will be able to get all connections to the most active and popular recruiters available on the market.
Conclusion
LinkedIn scraping tools can bring lots of benefits for any type of business or project. With the data harvesting possibilities, you can easily collect data about active HR managers, job postings, competitors activity and the market landscape.
This practice has become an essential component of different business spheres, so the market is ready to provide a large number of options that can support your data search and collection tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read our Documentation if you have questions that are not listed below.
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What is LinkedIn scraping?
LinkedIn scraping is basically a process of automated data collection from this site. With this technique you can collect valuable insights on the market, HR practices and job openings.
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What proxies are the best to use with LinkedIn?
Depending on the situation, you can use different kinds of proxies for your tasks. Overall, you can start with the basic residential proxies to see how these servers can cover your current needs in the project.
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How proxies can help to scrape LinkedIn?
Proxies are an essential part of any scraping process. Proxy servers help to protect your connection from the risks of being blocked and flagged in the process, so basically they serve as the gates for protection of your requests.
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