Case Study: Journalist & Media Contact Data Scraping from PressHunt
The Challenge
Our client, a PR and marketing intelligence agency, needed to extract journalist and media outlet data from PressHunt, including names, publications, contact details, topics covered, and social media links. The goal was to build a custom media outreach database to improve campaign targeting and influencer engagement. Manual export or lookup was not feasible due to the platform’s scale and frequent data changes.
Hurdles We Faced
- Login & Authentication: PressHunt required secure login access before displaying journalist profiles.
- Dynamic Data Loading: Profiles and search results loaded via API-driven components, not static HTML.
- Rate Limits & Bot Detection: Repeated queries risked temporary IP bans.
- Nested Data Fields: Each journalist profile contained multiple contact points and publication associations.
Our Step-by-Step Approach
Requirement Analysis:
Defined key fields – journalist name, publication, beat/topic, contact info, email, and social media profiles.
Authentication & Session Handling:
Built a custom login automation module to securely log in and maintain session continuity during data extraction.
API Reverse Engineering:
Mapped and utilized internal API calls to retrieve structured data efficiently.
Proxy & Anti-Bot Management:
Implemented rotating proxies, request delays, and randomized user agents to maintain uninterrupted access.
Data Cleaning & Structuring:
Processed extracted data into a clean, searchable format compatible with CRM and email marketing tools.
Automation & Scheduling:
Configured scheduled scripts to update journalist and publication data regularly for the latest insights.
Results & Impact
- Extracted thousands of journalist and media outlet profiles from PressHunt.
- Delivered structured datasets enabling precise media targeting and influencer outreach.
- Reduced manual research time while maintaining up-to-date press contact lists.
Our Services & Expertise
At Ascendance Solutions, we specialize in:
- Authenticated Platform Data Scraping
- Media & Influencer Data Aggregation
- Proxy & Session Management for Secure Sites
- Automation for PR & Marketing Intelligence
📧 Connect with us at connect@ascendancesolutions.com to automate journalist and media data extraction from platforms like PressHunt.
