TL;DR
Web scraping helps sales teams build prospect lists 10x faster than manual research. Extract names, titles, emails, and company info from LinkedIn Sales Navigator, company websites, and B2B directories. The best tools verify emails and enrich data automatically.
Why Scrape for Lead Generation?
Manual lead research takes 4-6 hours to find 50 qualified prospects. Web scraping gets you 500 leads in 30 minutes. That's the difference between one sales rep and ten.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is the gold standard for B2B data. Users update their own profiles. Job titles are current. Company information is accurate. Scraping lets you export this data at scale.
What Data Can You Extract?
| Data Point | Source | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | LinkedIn, Company Sites | 99% |
| Job Title | 95% | |
| Company Name | LinkedIn, Directories | 99% |
| Business Email | Enrichment tools, Company sites | 70-85% |
| Phone Number | Directories, Enrichment | 50-70% |
| Company Size | LinkedIn, Crunchbase | 90% |
The Lead Generation Workflow
- Define your ICP - Industry, company size, job titles, location
- Search on LinkedIn - Use Sales Navigator filters to find prospects
- Export with scraper - Extract profile data to CSV or JSON
- Enrich with emails - Use tools like Hunter or Apollo to find emails
- Verify contacts - Check email validity before outreach
- Import to CRM - Push to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive
Popular Lead Generation Sources
LinkedIn Sales Navigator
The best source for B2B leads. Filter by job title, company size, industry, and location. Scraping limits: Stay under 2,500 contacts per day to avoid account restrictions.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator Scraper →
Google Maps
Perfect for local businesses. Extract business names, addresses, phone numbers, websites, and reviews. Great for B2B services targeting SMBs.
Company Websites
Scrape team pages and about sections to find decision-makers. Many companies list their leadership team with names and titles.
Industry Directories
Clutch, G2, Capterra, and industry-specific directories contain verified business listings with contact information.
Email Enrichment Tools
Scraped profiles often don't include emails. Use enrichment tools to find business emails:
- Hunter.io - Find and verify professional emails
- Apollo.io - B2B database with 275M+ contacts
- Snov.io - Email finder with drip campaign tools
- Dropcontact - GDPR-compliant European enrichment
Safety Limits
Important:
- LinkedIn: Max 2,500 profiles per day to avoid restrictions
- Use delays between requests (2-5 seconds)
- Rotate IPs with residential proxies
- Don't scrape logged-in-only content without permission
Cost Comparison
| Method | Cost per 1,000 Leads |
|---|---|
| Manual research | $200-400 (labor cost) |
| ZoomInfo subscription | $15-25 |
| Apify scraping + enrichment | $5-15 |
Build Your Lead List
Start scraping B2B leads today. Free tier includes 1,000 results.
Start Free Trial →FAQ
Is LinkedIn scraping legal?
Scraping public profile data is legal (see hiQ Labs v. LinkedIn ruling). However, LinkedIn's terms prohibit it. Use at your own risk and stay within reasonable limits.
How do I avoid getting my LinkedIn account banned?
Use dedicated accounts for scraping. Stay under 2,500 actions per day. Add random delays. Use residential proxies. Don't scrape during off-hours.
What's the best format for lead exports?
CSV for spreadsheets and quick analysis. JSON for CRM imports and automation. Most Apify actors support both formats.