Definition
SEO proxies are intermediary servers that route web requests through different IP addresses, masking the user's real identity. In SEO, they are primarily used for SERP scraping, geolocalized rank checking, competitive monitoring, and automating repetitive tasks. Residential proxies mimic real home connections and are harder to detect, while datacenter proxies offer higher speeds at lower cost. Abusive use of proxies to manipulate search engines violates Google's terms of service and can result in penalties. SEO professionals nonetheless use them legitimately to collect market data or verify rankings without personalization bias.
Key Points
- Proxies mask the real IP address to avoid blocks during scraping or position checking
- Residential proxies are more reliable but more expensive than datacenter proxies
- Abusive proxy use violates search engine terms of service
- Legitimate uses include competitive monitoring and geolocalized rank checking
Practical Examples
Frequently Asked Questions
Using proxies is not illegal per se, but massive search engine scraping generally violates their terms of service. The main risk is having your IPs blocked and, in some cases, penalties on your sites if Google detects abusive behavior.
A residential proxy uses an IP address assigned by an ISP to a real home, making it nearly undetectable. A datacenter proxy comes from a data center and is faster and cheaper but more easily identifiable and blockable by search engines.
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Last updated: 2026-02-07