About Parsing With Simple Words
Parsing is used for the automated collection and systematization of information from sites or individual pages. The main tool is special parser programs that search for data by user-defined parameters. And it’s not just about texts: the tool allows you to parse graphics, images, and other data needed for further work.
What Do You Need Parsers For?
A parser is a universal tool. After all, you can extract almost any information from the site you need with the correct setting of search parameters. And it is not surprising that parsing tools have become one of the primary “weapons” for online entrepreneurs in a few years. After all, parsing helps to:
- Monitor prices, changes in the cost of similar goods and services from competitors or suppliers for subsequent adjustments or updates of its price list;
- Search for product items. The ability to extract information according to specified criteria saves time on its manual copying;
- Extract metadata. Analysis of title, description tags, as well as parsing of keywords used by competitors, is the basis for optimization and effective promotion of your resource in search tools;
- Check the links. The ability to configure the parser to search for specific errors;
- Put your website in order. Parsing allows you to find “broken” links, identify duplicates, analyze product cards for completeness of descriptions, check the actual number of warehouse balances with indicators on the page, etc .;
- Gather a base of customers, suppliers, applicants.
You can do all this manually. However, time is money. And if you are familiar with business process optimization, you will not deny the benefits of parsing.
What Information Can Be Parsed?
With the help of parsing, you can collect any information made public. But most often, we are talking about:
- Product range;
- Text descriptions;
- Technical characteristics;
- Current prices;
- Discounts, promotions, sales;
- Photos and images.
So technically, you can “borrow” everything. However, this must be done very carefully. After all, the same parsing of copyrighted text or images can have a lot of unpleasant consequences: from lawsuits to fines.
What Is Parsing Marketing?
Despite the versatility of the tool, most professionals use it to:
- Analysis of your site to find and eliminate errors that interfere with normal work or promotion;
- Monitoring competitors or suppliers to borrow key trends, descriptions, specifications.
Parsing the goods and services of competitors allows you to gain an advantage ahead of the nearest rivals not only at the beginning but systematically. Stable niche monitoring will allow you to predict market trends and tendencies, forming the right marketing strategy for the successful development of your business. Mind it!