Things to Consider When

Evaluating Options for

Web Data Extraction

Data Extraction

Extracting massive amounts of data from

the web is still a major roadblock for many

companies, more so because the optimal

route is not clear. Here is a detailed

overview of different ways by which you can extract data from the web.

Different methods of Data Extraction

1. Build it In-House

2. DIY Web Scraping Tool

3. Vertical-Specific Solution

4. Data-as-a-Service

In-House Crawling

If your company is technically rich, meaning you have a good technical team that can

build and maintain a web scraping setup, it makes sense to build a crawler setup in-house.

Pros:

•Total ownership and control over the process

•Ideal for simpler requirements

Cons:

•Maintenance of crawlers is a headache

•Increased cost

•Hiring, training and managing a team might

be hectic

•Might hog on the company resources

•Could affect the core focus of the

organisation

•Infrastructure is costly

DIY Web Scraping Tool

If you don’t want to maintain a technical team that can build an in-house crawling setup and infrastructure, DIY scraping tools can be of help.

Pros:

• Full control over the process

• Prebuilt solution

• You can avail support for the tools

• Easier to configure and use

Cons:

•They get outdated often

•More noise in the data

•Less customisation options

•Learning curve can be high

•Maintenance

Vertical-Specific Solution

Vertical specific data providers can give you data that is comprehensive in nature. This also improves the overall quality of the project.

Pros:

• Comprehensive data from the industry

• Faster access to data

• No need to handle the complicated

aspects of extraction

Cons:

•Lack of customisation options

•Data is not exclusive

•Not sufficient to get a big picture of the

market

Data-as-a-Service

Getting the required data from a DaaS provider is by far the best way to extract data from the web.

Pros:

• Completely customisable for your

requirement

• Takes complete ownership of the process

• Quality checks to ensure high quality data

• Can handle dynamic and complicated

websites

• More time to focus on your core business

Cons:

•Might need to enter a long-term contract

•Slightly costlier than DIY tools

Factors to consider while choosing a

data extraction solution

Considering how crucial data is in the present

business scenario, extra care must be taken while

choosing a data extraction solution for your

organization. Following are some things to consider:

Customization options

You should consider how flexible the

solution is when it comes to

changing the data points or schema

as and when required. This is to

make sure that the solution you

choose is future-proof in case your

requirements vary depending on the focus of your business.

Cost

Cost can be associated with IT overheads,

infrastructure, paid software and

subscription to the data provider. You will

have to evaluate what option really does the trick for you at a reasonable cost.

Data delivery speed

Depending on the solution you choose,

the speed of data delivery might vary

hugely. If your business or industry

demands faster access to data, you

must choose a managed service that can meet your speed expectations.

Dedicated solution

Are you depending on a service

provider whose sole focus is data

extraction? There are companies that

venture into anything and everything to

try their luck. For example, if your data

provider is also into web designing, you

are better off staying away from them.

Reliability

Low quality data and lack of consistency

can take a toll on your data project.

When going with a data extraction

solution to serve your business

intelligence needs, it’s critical to

evaluate the reliability of the solution

you are going with.

Scalability

If your data requirements are likely to

increase over time, you should find a

solution that’s made to handle large

scale requirements. A DaaS provider is

the best option when you want a

solution that’s scalable depending on

your increasing data needs.

Got Questions? Connect

with us at:

www.promptcloud.com

sales@promptcloud.com