Most of us have had to deal with geo-restrictions at some point. Seeing a new series, you’re eager to watch on Netflix only to find it’s unavailable in your location. You may also try to access a new website or platform only to be hit with a notice that the services aren’t available in your country. Both are examples of geo-restrictions in action. But these limitations don’t only affect our personal lives. They can also hurt your business.
In this article, we look at geo-restrictions and how they affect businesses. We’ll also look at some solutions, such as a residential proxy or VPN and how good they are at overcoming this challenge.
What Are Geo-Restrictions?
Ge-restrictions or geo-blocking is a process that restricts your access to online information in other countries. Geo-restrictions are like borders for the internet. This means that while you’re in one location, you’ll have access to data within that area but not others.
You may be wondering how search engines even know what locations to restrict. It all comes down to your IP address. When an internet service provider assigns you an IP address, it’s directly linked to your location. This information is also readily available to search engines whenever you make a request.
Geo-restrictions are in place for several reasons. Governments can put them in place to protect their citizens from harmful content, such as anything containing excessive violence, pornography, or anti-government messages. Governments might also put them in place to protect their informational resources.
Alternatively, content may also be restricted based on location for things such as licensing and trademarks. This is most notably the case when it comes to series, movies, and other streaming entertainment. In order to show a certain movie or series in a location, the streaming service has to pay a licensing fee. This fee varies based on numerous components and can be quite expensive in certain locations. The streaming service might choose not to pay the licensing fee, and geo-restrictions will keep it from being available in that area.
Why Do Businesses Want To Overcome Geo-Restrictions?
Geo-blocking can have a very limiting effect on businesses. If your business is still in the beginning stages, you might not notice these restrictions. However, as your business grows and expands, they may become more apparent.
Firstly, geo-blocks can restrict your business to a single location or country. This will make it increasingly difficult if you decide to expand to new markets. In most cases, you’ll have to set up an office in the new location and employ staff to oversee its running. This is cost and time-intensive.
Additionally, geo-restrictions can hamper your data collection efforts. Since these restrictions limit access to certain information, you may be losing out on vital data that could significantly alter your strategies. Even using automation tools such as a web scraper alone won’t be able to bypass these restrictions.
Geo-restrictions can also make it difficult to verify digital ads when targeting a new market. Ad verification is essential to ensure you don’t become the victim of ad fraud. Part of the process is evaluating your ads independently to ensure they work the way they should. If you’re targeting a new audience in a different location, then verifying your ads can be challenging due to restrictions.
Most Options To Overcome Geo-Restrictions
The best way to overcome these limitations is to change your IP address. Luckily, there are paid tools available that enable you to do this safely and efficiently. We’re talking about a residential proxy and VPNs. Let’s take a closer look at these options below.
VPN
A VPN or virtual private network masks users’ IP addresses and encrypts their connection. It can be used for activities where you need online anonymity or when you need to access geo-restricted content. They’re an affordable solution if you’re looking for online anonymity and overcoming basic geo-restrictions. However, VPNs can be detected and blocked.
VPNs are great for personal users who value their online anonymity and want full access to information online without any geo-restrictions. They can be more limited when it comes to business use as a VPN can slow down browsing and cause lags.
Pros and Cons
Let’s look at the pros and cons of using a VPN specifically for bypassing geo-restrictions.
Pros:
- Online Privacy
- Data encryption
- Bypasses geo-restrictions
Cons:
- Can slow down browsing speed
- Can increase ping or latency
- Account blocks are possible
Residential Proxies
Residential proxies are servers that exist between you and the internet. Any request you make is routed through the proxy where the IP is changed. The assigned IP addresses come from real devices, which makes them nearly impossible to detect and block. Residential proxies are well suited to business operations that require anonymity or overcoming geo-restrictions without getting blocked.
Despite the name, a residential proxy is a good option for businesses. Not only do they provide online anonymity, but they also offer additional security for your connections. They’re also superior in bypassing geo-restrictions since they’re less likely to be blocked. Using a proxy has also been shown to increase browsing performance and reduce lag.
Pros and Cons
Let’s look at the pros and cons of using a residential proxy specifically for bypassing geo-restrictions.
Pros:
- Online anonymity
- Enhances online security
- Improves browsing performance
- Bypasses geo-restrictions
Cons:
- Free proxies can pose a security threat
Overcome Geographic Limitations for Your Business
Despite the vastness of the internet, geo-restrictions can still be a challenge to growing a global presence for your business. These restrictions make it difficult to expand your business, gather relevant data and market information, and verify your digital ads. However, tools such as a residential proxy and VPN can help you overcome these hurdles when used correctly.
