Proxies are great for online privacy, but also bring other surprising benefits. Here’s a quick look at why residential proxies are so popular, and how to choose a perfect proxy service.
Proxies are an important part of high-level marketing and internet security because they allow you to browse the web and utilize web-connected software anonymously, safely, and uninhibited by geographical or account-related restrictions.
Basically, it works like this: you pay for access to proxies, then you use those proxy details in the proxy settings of your browser or software. Any site you visit or app you use will see the proxy server’s information instead of your device’s actual IP address.
What are residential proxies?
Residential proxies are essentially proxy servers that contain one or more IP addresses, which have been provisioned by a regional Internet Service Provider (ISP). Residential proxies are, therefore, more genuine-looking than other proxy types because your IP address will appear similar to that of a normal residential user.
Top residential proxies benefits
With that said, here are some of the top reasons residential proxies are used:
1. You’re anonymous online
Since residential proxies are fully legitimate IP addresses that come from actual ISPs, they’re the best for anonymous browsing because there’s no indication that you’re even using a proxy.
2. You’re less likely to get blocked
Likewise, since residential proxies display authentic regional IP addresses, they tend to get blocked far less than other proxy types.
3. Better security
Using residential proxies is safer than using shared proxies because shared proxy networks are often abused and can, therefore, link you to hackers, spammers, and malicious websites.
4. Fast web surfing
High-quality residential proxies work quickly and smoothly because they rarely experience connection errors, timeouts, or blocks in comparison to cheaper proxy types.
5. Local travel deals
Many travel booking sites will display geo-targeted deals that are meant for customers in specific regions. The only way to view these deals is to visit the site from an IP address within the specified region. Residential proxies make this an easy feat to accomplish because you can log into a proxy server located anywhere in the world and then access the travel site.
6. First dibs on new shoes
Just as travel sites offer exclusive deals to customers based on location, many shoe brands also make early sneaker releases available to specific markets (i.e. Paris, L.A., New York, London, etc.). Once again, residential proxies can be used to access these deals from the appropriate regional IP address.
7. Unblock geo-blocked content
Just as we mentioned accessing geo-blocked shoe deals and travel fares, residential proxies are also useful for getting around any kind of geo-locked content. This can be helpful in areas where the internet is censored or on sites where certain content is only shown to users in specific regions.
8. Switch between many Instagram accounts
Instagram allows you to switch between five accounts per device, but that’s not really a lot when you consider the fact that there are more than one billion active accounts on Instagram, and many marketers have dozens to hundreds of accounts. With a proxy service, you can switch between any number of Instagram accounts.
9. Great for marketing data
Most marketers prefer to use residential proxies for scraping data from platforms like Amazon because these legitimate IP addresses are rarely denied access or flagged.
10. Ad campaign verification
If you’re running an ad campaign that will display ads dynamically based on the viewer’s geographical location, you can use residential proxies to preview and verify your ads from different regions.
How to choose the right proxy service
As you can see, there are many reasons to use residential proxies, which is why choosing the right provider is an important step that every business, marketer, or savvy internet user should take. Before deciding on a proxy service, it’s best to check reviews on blogs like ProxyWay.com. Also, here are some key factors to consider during your comparison:
Pool size
Proxy providers with larger IP pools (more IP addresses to offer) are generally more reliable and established. More proxies mean a lower likelihood of using a proxy that has already been banned.
Traffic
Some proxy providers allow you to send an unlimited amount of traffic through your proxy while others will charge you based on the amount of bandwidth you need to use.
Customer support
Last but certainly not least, never underestimate the importance of responsive customer support from proxy providers.
But not all proxy providers are great
With so many reasons to use residential proxies, the real question is “why don’t people compare proxy providers more carefully?” Choosing the wrong proxy service could mean having your accounts banned or limited, so be sure to take your time and consider all the above factors.
