Scraping websites is almost exactly how it sounds—the website content is viewed quickly, and necessary information is gathered and then put into a spreadsheet. The specific information needed is taken and then added to a database where scrapers can store the data. Companies that scrape information from websites can benefit from using this data by being able to keep up with the competition, centralizing data quickly and efficiently, and pricing analytics. The process also allows for loads of unstructured data to be arranged in a more organized way. It allows businesses to gather and analyze useful data that is out there on the internet.

In today’s online environment, there seems to be no end to the kind of websites that web developers can create. Once, developers were limited to only using Hypertext Markup Language and Cascading Style Sheets—HTML and CSS—in constructing sites. Now, however, these two elements are only considered the foundation or the “bones” of a website. The bulk of the programming work of a site or the “muscles” lies with the integration of Javascript. Developers fluent in Javascript can create amazing online content: interactive graphics, embedded videos, and reactive elements, just to name a few examples. With other design tools based in Javascript, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to website design.

In today’s business environment, one of the most important, if not the most important, advertising channels is the Internet. Getting a business’ website and its products and/or services online and into the viewing eye is crucial for profitability. To achieve this, web developers perform Search Engine Optimization—SEO for short—to raise a website’s rank on the results page of search engines.

For any business, online or otherwise, a solid marketing plan is a key factor in how successful that business is. Regardless of whether one owns a trading card store, an eBay online shop for sporting goods, or a bookstore, getting the word out about a business is critical. If customers don’t hear about a business’ unique products, services, and offerings, they will never visit the business. No customers mean no purchases, which means no profits, which ultimately means bankruptcy.

Have you ever tried to post a URL to a social media site or elsewhere and were frustrated by how long the link was? This is where a URL shortener would be helpful. There are different URL shortener tools out there on the internet to do this for you automatically, but it might not be easy to figure out which one is best. Here is a list of the top 14 URL shorteners online that you may find helpful. When using any online tool, it is important that you find the one that is right for you.