Even though the name of Twitter is shortened to X, the discussions there never really subside. As the only text-focused social giant, X has always been the information treasure hub luring businesses to get any valuable intelligence.

However, the legality of web scraping X.com has been unclear except that you adopt the X official API which only provides write-only use cases for free. Other accesses from the basic start at 100$ to 500$ per month with different limitations, such as how back in the past you could pull data and how many tweets you can pull in a minute.

So you may start wondering, is there any legal way to scrape X data at a lower cost? For those who are experienced with coding, building a framework with Python Playwright can be a good solution. But for those non-coders, they can reach out to web scraping tools. Most of the web scraping tools scrape only the publicly available data from X without any log-in, which is allowed by Twitter (now X).

What data can you get exactly?

  • Keywords/hashtags: scraping info such as hashtags can give you insights about how certain campaigns perform and how people react towards them. While keyword scraping enables brands to stay alert about their public image and reputation and act fast when sniffing something abnormal.
  • Tweets: tweet content can be a significantly important text source for any sentiment analysis or AI training as they contain rich contextual information. Users can also get post performance metrics like likes, views, reposts, and replies to measure campaign influence or monitor competitor’s strategies on social media. Some web scrapers can even download media like pictures and videos.
  • Profiles: bios, and followers details can come in handy when expanding your professional network.

Octoparse Twitter Scraper for No Coders

Octoparse Twitter scraper enables scraping history tweets and their respective performance metrics such as likes, views, reposts, and replies. You can choose to scrape by keywords/hashtags or URLs to get the data.

Or you can scrape followers’ data by using its Twitter Follower List Scraper and scrape comments information by using Tweets & Comments Scraper (by Tweet URL).

Other Features:

  • Cloud scraping and storing service
  • API supported
  • Integration supported via API
  • Octoparse AI workflow automation
  • Connect to Zapier, Google Sheets, different databases
  • Export to all formats (Excel, HTML, XML, JSON, CSV)
  • 24/7 high responsive support
  • 14-day free trial
  • Anti-blocking techniques
  • Proxies services, IP rotation

Top 3 Business Use Cases of Twitter Data

We’ve gathered the latest business use cases for 2024 straight from Twitter’s website, complete with real-world examples. But don’t put all your eggs in one basket; there are plenty of web scraping opportunities to explore from platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn, which can spark new ideas when combined with Twitter data.

Brand Monitoring

  1. Keeping a finger on the pulse of your brand’s online presence is crucial to catch any signs of copyright violations, fraud, or misinformation that could tarnish your reputation. By monitoring brand mentions and relevant hashtags on Twitter, you can nip potential issues in the bud before they snowball.
  2.   For instance, Brandwatch leveraged Twitter data to monitor keywords and built a live feed into their crisis management process, turning the tide in their favor.

Financial Insights

  1. Twitter isn’t just a platform for chatter; it’s a goldmine for spotting trends. Financial institutions have increasingly turned to web data as a treasure trove of insights, allowing them to identify emerging startups and fluctuations in the market or political landscape.
  2.   While news and search engine data also play a role, social media offers a more organic way to gauge public sentiment about financial trends—like investments in cryptocurrencies or pivotal decisions made by industry leaders. For example, Likefolio integrated Twitter data into their investment decision-making process, striking while the iron is hot.

Consumer Research

  1. The Marketing Science Institute calls web scraping the gold standard in consumer research. Social media data creates a continuous stream of insights for capturing the voice of the customer and conducting social listening studies that are always up to date.
  2.   A case in point is how Audiense utilized Twitter data for social listening and personalized engagement. Just remember, when tapping into any social media platform for consumer research, it’s vital to know your audience. In 2021, most Twitter users were under 35, which may not align with every business’s target demographic.

Conclusion

In conclusion, scraping X (formerly Twitter) opens up a wealth of opportunities for businesses looking to harness real-time insights from one of the most vibrant social platforms. While navigating the legal landscape may pose challenges, utilizing tools like Octoparse allows non-coders to access valuable data efficiently and affordably. From monitoring brand reputation and gaining financial insights to conducting comprehensive consumer research, the potential applications of Twitter data are vast. As businesses continue to adapt to an ever-evolving digital landscape, leveraging these insights will be essential for maintaining a competitive edge and responding swiftly to market changes.