Achieving supreme online anonymity in the current day and age is difficult. When you use your company’s IP address to scrape websites, manage multiple accounts, or do geo-targeting, websites can recognize it and block you from accessing further data.
This is where residential proxies come in! Let’s take a closer look at what residential proxies are, their types, and use cases:
What is a Residential Proxy?
Like all web proxies, a residential proxy uses remote IP addresses to connect users with their desired websites without exposing their own connection.
The only difference is that residential proxies use IPs assigned to real residential devices (smartphones and computers) by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). As a result, the website will see your IP address coming from a residential server rather than your own.
Your connection is less likely to be flagged and blocked, making it easy for you to perform business tasks.
Many people wonder, How are residential proxy IP addresses created? It’s pretty simple: A proxy provider partners with the owners of residential IP addresses. They fully disclose how the IP address will be used, and the owner gives consent in exchange for monetary or non-monetary compensation.
Types of Residential Proxies
Residential proxies can be categorized into four types:
Static Residential Proxy: It maintains the same IP address indefinitely. The result? Your connection looks like a regular user on the target website. There are little to no chances of IP shifts or network interruptions.
Rotating Residential Proxy: It automatically shifts to a new IP address after a set time interval or after each request. Proxy-Cheap offers Rotating Residential Proxies that automatically switch IPs to enhance anonymity and reduce the risk of being blocked or flagged.
Shared Residential Proxy: Multiple users share the same pool of IP addresses. Shared residential proxies are cost-effective and perfect for those working with a limited budget.
Dedicated Residential Proxy: It is exclusively assigned to each user. A dedicated residential proxy ensures the highest level of security and anonymous web activity.
Use Cases of Residential Proxies
Now that you know the types of residential proxies, let’s look at some ways they’re used:
Scraping Website Data: Web scraping involves automatically extracting data from websites, parsing it to include only the necessary information—all with the help of scripted bots. That said, many websites implement measures like CAPTCHAs or IP bans to restrict web scraping. A residential proxy can help you bypass such limitations. Proxy servers can also be integrated with popular scraping tools, such as Scrapy and Puppeteer.
SEO Monitoring: Scraping data from Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs) is an integral part of business SEO monitoring. Search engines like Google or Bing might deny access. A rotating residential proxy can increase the chances of successful monitoring.
Social Media Account Management: Residential proxies allow businesses to manage multiple social media accounts without triggering security flags. They are also used for numerous social media tasks, such as content scheduling and tracking user engagement.
Accessing Geo-blocked Sites and Content: Lastly, you can access geo-restricted sites and content using a residential proxy server. This could be streaming sites, news articles, or travel booking sites outside of your own area.
