🎯 How to Get Unlimited Free Leads: Build an AI-Powered Google Maps Scraper That Works for You

Introduction: Why Google Maps is a Goldmine for Leads

Let’s face it—Google Maps isn’t just for finding the best pizza in town. It’s a goldmine for anyone in the B2B world looking to scrape leads like a pro. With a little know-how and a trusty Google Maps scraper, you can turn that giant map into your personal lead machine. Yep, you heard me right.

Now, think about this: almost every local business, from hairdressers to plumbers, is hanging out on Google Maps, waiting for you to scoop up their info. It’s like the ultimate business buffet, and you’ve got an all-access pass!

Here’s the fun part: with the right Google Maps scraper, you can grab unlimited leads for free. Yes, free! No more expensive subscriptions or complicated processes. Just a simple, fast method to get those leads into your hands, and all you need is a bit of tech magic.

So, are you ready to become a Google Maps lead-scavenging wizard? Let’s get started!

I. Setting Up the Google Maps Scraper in Make.com

So, you're ready to set up your Google Maps scraper? Great! This guide will break down every step, make it simple, and maybe even fun. No rocket science here, just a straightforward path to scraping those leads.

Step 1: Access Google Maps and Find Your Target

1. Go to Google Maps.

   • If you didn’t already know, this is where every local business lives.

     

2. Search for your desired location.

   • Example: New York, Tokyo, or wherever your target clients are.

3. Enter the business type you want to scrape leads from.

   • Examples:

     • Hairdressers

     • Dentists

     • Restaurants

   • Notice how the URL in your browser bar changes with each new search.
     This is going to be important, trust me.

Step 2: Copy That URL

1. Once you’ve searched for the business type and location, copy the URL from the address bar.

   • This URL is like the secret sauce for your Google Maps scraper.

2. Example URL:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/[email protected],-74.0441722,11z/data=!3m1!4b1?entry=ttu

• That’s your ticket to grabbing the business info you want!

Step 3: Set Up Make.com (Let’s Build Something!)

1. Log into Make.com.

   • If you haven’t signed up yet, you’ll need to do that first. Don’t worry, it’s painless.

2. Create a new scenario by clicking the “+” icon.

   • You’ll see a blank canvas. Don’t worry, we’ll fill that up in no time!

3. Add the HTTP Module:

   • On the blank canvas, click the “+” button and type in HTTP to find the module.

   • Select "Make a Request".

     

4. Paste the copied Google Maps URL from Step 2 into the HTTP module.

5. Set the method to GET.

   • Why? Because we want to "get" the data from that URL.

6. Enable the "Parse Response" option.

   • This is important for extracting data later on.

7. Save your scenario and rename it something memorable, like:
   "Google Maps Scraper Scenario".

   • It helps to keep things organized!

Step 4: Test the HTTP Module

1. Run the HTTP Module to make sure everything is working:

   • Right-click on the HTTP module and select "Run this module only."

2. Check the response:

   • You should see a bunch of HTML data being returned from Google Maps.

     

   • If it works, celebrate for a second. If not, recheck the URL.

Step 5: Filter the Returned Data with RegEx

1. Why RegEx?

   • We’re going to use Regular Expressions (RegEx) to sift through all that HTML and pull out just the URLs we need.

2. Ask ChatGPT (or any tool) to generate the correct RegEx for extracting URLs.

   • No need to know how to code. Just ask ChatGPT something like:
     “Give me a RegEx to extract URLs from HTML.”

     

(https:\/\/www\.|http:\/\/www\.|https:\/\/|http:\/\/)?[a-zA-Z]{2,}(\.[a-zA-Z]{2,})?\.com\/?[a-zA-Z0-9]{0,}((https:\/\/www\.|http:\/\/www\.|https:\/\/|http:\/\/)?[a-zA-Z]{2,}(\.[a-zA-Z]{2,})?\.com)?|(https:\/\/www\.|http:\/\/www\.|https:\/\/|http:\/\/)?[a-zA-Z0-9]{2,}\.[a-zA-Z0-9]{2,}\.[a-zA-Z0-9]{2,}(\.[a-zA-Z0-9]{2,})?\.com

3. Add a Text Parser:

• On your Make.com scenario, add a Text Parser module.

  

4. Set the Parser to use the RegEx pattern for URLs.

• Make sure to configure the parser to apply the Global Match and Multi-Line settings.

  • These settings will ensure that all URLs are captured, not just the first one.

5. Test the Parser:

• Run the parser and confirm it’s returning the correct URLs.

  

  • You should now have a clean list of URLs from Google Maps.

Step 6: Aggregate the URLs into an Array

1. Why an Array?

   • We need an array to store all the URLs for further processing.

   • Think of it as a folder holding a stack of papers (each paper is a URL).

2. Add the Array Aggregator Module:

   • On Make.com, search for "Array Aggregator" in the module list.

     

3. Set the output from the Text Parser (from Step 5) as the input for the array.

   • This ensures all the URLs are bundled up.

4. Save the scenario and ensure the array is capturing all the URLs properly.

   • If it’s working, you’ll see a nice clean list of URLs.

Step 7: Loop Through and Process Each URL

1. Why Looping?

   • We’re going to check each URL to see if it’s relevant. If it’s not (like if it contains "google.com" or "gstatic"), we’ll ignore it. Otherwise, we’ll use it!

2. Add the Repeater Module:

   • This module will loop through each URL in the array.

3. Set the Repeater to run based on the length of the array:

   • This means the Repeater will go through every URL in your list, one by one.

     

4. Test the Loop:

   • Run the scenario and check if it processes the URLs correctly.

   • If everything looks good, congrats! You’ve built a fully functioning Google Maps scraper. 🎉

II. Extracting Email Addresses and Automating Outreach

Alright, now that you’ve got your Google Maps scraper set up, it’s time to roll up those sleeves and extract email addresses from the scraped URLs. Then, of course, we’re going to automate the outreach process like pros. This is where the real magic happens. 🎩✨

1. Filtering Out Unwanted URLs

Before you go running off into the wild with all those URLs, let’s trim the fat. We don’t want to waste time on URLs like google.com or gstatic.com. Here’s what you’ll do:

• Add a filter to your scenario in Make.com to automatically exclude URLs with keywords like “Google” or “Gstatic.”

• This is where your text operator skills come in handy: set up the filter to exclude URLs “that do not contain” those pesky keywords.

Imagine it like filtering out spam from your inbox, but way cooler.

2. Extracting Email Addresses from Valid URLs

Now for the main course: grabbing those sweet email addresses. 🍬

1. Use the HTTP module (again) to visit each valid URL.

   • Yep, we’re sending Make.com to knock on the doors of all those potential leads.

   • For each valid URL, the HTTP module will fetch the website’s HTML data.

2. Text Parser + RegEx = Win

• Time to call in the Text Parser and flex your RegEx skills (don’t worry, you can just copy and paste).

  

• RegEx Pattern:

\b[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@(?:[A-Z0-9-]+\.)+[A-Z]{2,63}\b

3. Run the Parser to check it’s grabbing the email addresses you need.

• If it works, pat yourself on the back. If not, blame the internet and tweak the settings.

3. Storing Extracted Data

Now that you have the email addresses, you need to decide what to do with them. Here are a few options:

• Option 1: Google Sheets

  • Create a Google Sheet with two columns: URLs and Email Addresses.

    

  • In Make.com, set up the scenario to add rows to the Google Sheet as new leads roll in.

    

  • Think of this as your digital Rolodex (but cooler, because it's automated).

• Option 2: Direct Email Outreach

  • Want to reach out to these leads ASAP? Use the Gmail module in Make.com to send them emails directly.

  • “Hi there, I just happened to find your email (don’t ask how 😜), and I have something awesome for you…”

    

  • Write your message once, and Make.com will handle the rest.

• Option 3: CRM Integration

  • If you’re using a CRM like GoHighLevel, you can automate the whole follow-up process.

    

  • Just integrate the leads into your CRM and let the system handle your email sequences.

    

  • It’s like setting up a robot to chase down clients while you sip coffee.

III. Enhancing the Automation: Making Your Google Maps Scraper Work Harder

Alright, you’ve set up your Google Maps scraper and it’s doing a pretty sweet job. But why stop there? Let’s level up and automate the scraping on a schedule, add some cool features, and make sure everything runs like a well-oiled machine. Because who doesn’t love a robot that works while you sleep? 😏

1. Scheduling Regular Scraping

If you’re like me, you don’t want to be manually triggering your scraper every single day. Nope. Let’s have it do the work for us—on autopilot. Here’s how:

1. Set up automatic runs

   • Modify your scenario in Make.com to run at a specific time each day. Think of it like setting an alarm clock for your scraper.

     

   • It’s as easy as adding a time trigger that kicks off the scraping daily. You’ll wake up to fresh leads every morning—without lifting a finger. ⏰

2. Trigger scraping based on new rows in Google Sheets

   • Maybe you’re adding new search locations to a Google Sheet (why not? It’s simple).

   • Set up Make.com to watch for new rows in your Google Sheet. Every time you add a new row, the scraper kicks off and grabs the latest leads from Google Maps.

2. Testing and Finalizing the Automation

Before we call it a day, let’s make sure everything is running smoothly. No one likes a broken scraper, right?

1. Run a final test

   • Trigger the whole scenario and check for any bumps in the road.

   • Double-check that the scraper is grabbing the right URLs, that emails are being extracted, and everything’s landing where it should—Google Sheets, CRM, or wherever you’re storing those juicy leads.

     

2. Add error handlers

   • Let’s be real: not all URLs are gonna behave. Sometimes you’ll get weird results or broken pages.

   • Add error handlers in Make.com to gracefully skip over any problematic URLs. This way, your scraper doesn’t throw a tantrum every time it encounters a bad link. It just skips to the next one like a pro. 💨

Conclusion

You've just mastered the art of setting up a Google Maps scraper with Make.com, and honestly, it’s like you’ve built your own lead-generating robot. From grabbing URLs off Google Maps, filtering out the unnecessary clutter (goodbye, gstatic!), to extracting email addresses with ease, you've automated the whole process like a pro. You’ve set up your system to store those juicy leads in a Google Sheet, or, if you’re feeling extra smooth, you’ve even set up automated email outreach or a CRM integration to keep things rolling while you sleep. Why is this awesome? Because you’re saving time, cutting out the manual work, and making your outreach as effortless as possible. It’s like having a personal assistant who loves spreadsheets and emails—except this one works for free! 😎

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