Scraping content (aka web scraping, web harvesting, web data mining etc.) is the procedure for copying data from a website. The "scrapers" (wipers) content are the people or software that copy the data. Web scraping is not a bad thing.

In fact, all web browsers are basically content scrapers. There are many legitimate purposes for doing content scraping, such as web indexing for search engines, for example.

See our article on How to stop Google from indexing your WordPress blog

The real concern is whether the scrapers of content on your website are harmful or not. Competitors may want to steal your content and publish it as belonging to them. If you can tell legitimate users from bad guys, you have a better chance of protecting yourself. This article explains the basics of web scraping, as well as some methods to get rid of it (or at least reduce their importance).

But before, if you have never installed WordPress discover How to install a WordPress blog in 7 steps et How to search, install and activate a WordPress theme on your blog 

Then back to why we are here.

Types of content scrapers

There are many different ways for content scrapers to download data. It is important to know the different methods and the technology they use. The methods range from low technology (A person manually copying and sticking content) to sophisticated robots (automated software capable of simulating human activity in a browser). Here's a summary of what you might have to do:

  • Spiders: Web crawling is a big part of how content scrapers work. A spider like Googlebot will start by picking up a single web page, and go from link to link to download web pages.
  • Shell Scripts: You can use Linux Shell to create content scrapers with scripts like GNU Wget to download content.
  • HTML scraper: they are similar to shell scripts. This type of scraper is very common. It works by getting the HTML structure of a website to find data.
  • Screens of view: A screen wiper is a program that captures data from a website by mimicking the behavior of a human user who uses a computer to browse the Internet.
  • Human Copy: This is where a person manually copies content from your website. If you've ever posted online, you may have noticed that plagiarism is rife. After the initial flattery wears off, the reality that someone is profiting from your job fits.

There are several ways to do the same. The categories of scrapers listed above is not an exhaustive list. In addition, there is a lot of overlap between the categories.

Read also our article on How and why conduct a qualitative audit of your content

How to protect your blog

Protect a blog from content scrapers

1. Rate limitation and blocking

You can fight off a lot of bots by detecting the problem first. It is typical for an automated robot to spam your server with an exceptionally high number of requests. Rate throttling, as the name suggests, limits server requests from an individual client by setting a rule.

You can do things like measure the milliseconds between requests. If the interaction with your website is too fast then you know it's a bot. Thereafter block this IP address. You can block IP addresses based on a number of criteria, including their country of origin.

2. Registration and connection

Registration and login are a popular way to keep content away from prying eyes. You can hinder the progress of the robots. All you need to do is make access to your content conditional on a connection. The basics of connection security apply here. Keep in mind that pages requiring registration and login will not be indexed by search engines.

3. Honeypots and false data

In computer science, "honeypots" are virtual sting operations. You round up potential attackers by setting traps with a honeypot, to detect traffic from content scrapers. There are an endless number of ways to do this.

For example, you can add an invisible link on your web page. Next, create an algorithm that blocks the IP address of the client who clicked on the link. More sophisticated honeypots can be difficult to set up and maintain. The good news is that there are a lot of open source Honeypot projects out there. Check out this great list of awesome honeypots on github.

4. Use a CAPTCHA

Captcha means " Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart basically, a test to tell the difference between humans and robots. Captchas can be boring, but they are also useful. You can use a to block areas you think a bot may want to target, like an email button on your Contact form. There are many good Captcha plugins available on WordPress, including the “ Captcha From Jetpack.

Discover also some premium WordPress plugins  

You can use other WordPress plugins to give a modern appearance and to optimize the handling of your blog or website.

We offer you here some premium WordPress plugins that will help you do that.

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Read also our article on How to use Stripe on WooCommerce and Easy Digital Download

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It is compatible with the latest versions of WordPress and fits perfectly with the Visual Composer plugin.

So much to see... 8 WordPress plugins to customize the look of your website

Thanks to Interactive World Maps, you will be able to display several types of regions such as: a map of the whole world, a continent or a subcontinent, a country and much more.

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Other recommended resources

We also invite you to consult the resources below to go further in the grip and control of your website and blog.

Conclusion

Here! That's all for this tutorial, I hope it will help you set up a practical to-do list to effectively protect your WordPress blogFeel free to share the tip with your friends on your social networks.

However, you will also be able to consult our resources, if you need more elements to carry out your projects of creation of Internet sites, by consulting our guide on the WordPress blog creation.

But, in the meantime, tell us about your Comments and suggestions in the dedicated section.

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