This video explains what a footprint is in the context of web scraping and link building, and how to create and use footprints in a tool called Scrapebox. Here’s a summary of the key points:
What is a Footprint?
A footprint is a specific pattern or identifier used to find particular types of websites or web pages. In Scrapebox, footprints are used to target specific platforms or custom-defined sites for scraping or link building purposes.
Creating Custom Footprints
To create a custom footprint in Scrapebox:
- Select “Custom Footprint” in the Harvester and Keyword section.
- Use the “site:” operator followed by the domain you want to target.
- Separate multiple variations with commas.
Example:
site:www.tumblr.com, tumblr.com, https://www.tumblr.comTypes of Footprints
- Platform-specific: Pre-programmed footprints for common platforms like Web 2.0 sites.
- Custom: User-defined footprints for specific targets.
- Redirect footprints: Used to find redirect backlinks.
Advanced Footprint Techniques
- You can create footprints based on URL patterns, such as:
video player.php?u=- Combine multiple identifiers in a single footprint:
site:tumblr.com, "powered by tumblr"- Look for specific file extensions or URL structures:
.html, .cgi, index.php?Using Footprints in Scrapebox
- Enter your custom footprint in the designated area.
- Combine with keywords to find specific types of pages.
- Use the harvester to scrape results based on your footprint.
The video emphasizes that creating effective footprints requires observation and experimentation to identify common patterns across the types of sites you’re targeting. By mastering footprints, you can more efficiently find potential link opportunities or scrape specific types of web content.
