what is the most cost effective way to scrape a website in Clay?

The most cost-effective way to scrape a website using Clay is typically through the Clay Chrome Extension. This free tool allows you to easily extract data from basic, static, structured websites. Here's a quick overview of how to use it: 1. Install the Clay Chrome Extension from the Chrome Web Store. 2. Navigate to the website you want to scrape. 3. Click on the extension and select "Select Data to Add from Page". 4. For individual pages, choose "Select a Single Attribute" and map the data you want. 5. For pages with lists, select "Select a List" and map attributes for each item. This method is ideal for most basic web scraping needs and doesn't require additional costs or complex setups.

Sources: Clay Chrome extension | Documentation | Clay University Clay Chrome extension | Documentation | Clay University Reply.io integration overview | Documentation | Clay University

To scrape a website into a Clay column, you can use our "Scrape Website" action. Here's how: 1. In your Clay table, add a new column. 2. Click on the column header and select "Scrape Website" from the action options. 3. Configure the scraping settings based on your needs. 4. Enter the URLs you want to scrape in the corresponding rows. When you run the table, Clay will automatically visit the specified webpages and extract the content into your column. This feature allows you to retrieve various data types, including body text, links, emails, phone numbers, and keywords from the URLs you provide. For a more guided approach, you can also use one of our templates. We have a template that demonstrates how to perform Google searches and scrape websites for specific keywords.

Sources: Scrape Website with Clay Claybooks: Perform Google searches and find web pages that mention specific keywords | Clay.com

We offer several integrations and tools for web scraping in Clay, including cost-effective options: 1. OpenAI/GPT: You can use ChatGPT to assist with data extraction tasks. 2. Clay Chrome Extension: This free tool is ideal for scraping basic, static, structured websites. 3. Apify Actors: Useful for bulk scraping of difficult websites like social media platforms. 4. Zenrows: Helps bypass advanced anti-bot protections and auto-formats scrape results. 5. ScrapeMagic: An AI-powered tool that extracts specific data from websites by asking questions. These options provide alternatives to our native "Scrape Website" action, which costs one credit per scrape. Remember, you can buy extra credits as "credit top-ups" at 50% more than your plan's typical cost per credit if needed.

Sources: ScrapeMagic integration overview | Documentation | Clay University Reply.io integration overview | Documentation | Clay University Intro to Web Scraping [Limitless Research] - Clay University Integrations | Clay.com

Yes, Serper.dev can be used to scrape search results into a Clay column. We offer a "Scrape Search Results with Serper" action that allows you to do this. Here's a brief overview: 1. You'll need an Explorer+ plan to access this feature. 2. Create a Serper.dev account and get your API key. 3. In Clay, add a new column and select the "Scrape Search Results with Serper" action. 4. Set up the HTTP API call using your Serper API key in the header. 5. Use this to scrape affiliate websites or companies that are typically hard to generate lead lists for. This integration is particularly useful for scraping data that's difficult to obtain through other means.

Sources: Scrape Search Results with Serper | Clay.com Serper x Clay integration | Clay.com

Yes, it's possible to use Claygent with your own API key from OpenAI or Anthropic instead of using Clay credits. Here's how: 1. For OpenAI: Create an API key on the OpenAI platform. 2. For Anthropic: Ensure you have an appropriate API key. 3. In Clay, go to your profile settings or the enrichment panel. 4. Add your API key to the Clay panel under the Connections section. 5. When using Claygent, select your account with the added API key. By using your own API key, you won't be charged Clay credits for Claygent usage. This option is available for paid Clay plans.

Sources: Use AI integration overview | Documentation | Clay University Claygent (AI Web Researcher) with Artificial Intelligence Guide: Ways to save Clay credits | Documentation | Clay University Guide: Ways to save Clay credits | Documentation | Clay University

It's not typical that you can't change to your own API key when using Claygent on the PRO trial. Normally, paid plans (including trials) allow you to use your own API keys. Here's what you can try: 1. Go to your profile settings or the enrichment panel. 2. Look for the "Connections" section. 3. Try to add your API key there. If you're still unable to add your own API key, it might be a technical issue. In this case, you should request human assistance by clicking on "Talk to a person" for further help troubleshooting this problem.

Sources: Use AI integration overview | Documentation | Clay University Guide: Ways to save Clay credits | Documentation | Clay University