How to scrape contact information from business directories using Instant Data Scraper

If you’ve ever tried to build a list of leads or contacts from a business directory, you know how soul-crushing it can be to copy-paste info one row at a time. Most people give up. Others pay for overpriced, spotty “lead lists.” This guide is for the rest of us—the folks who want to grab contact info from public websites quickly, without learning to code or fighting with complicated scraping tools.

Here’s how to use Instant Data Scraper—a free Chrome extension—to pull contact information from business directories like Yellow Pages, Yelp, and beyond. We’ll stick to what actually works, skip the fluff, and call out the headaches you might hit along the way.

What You Need

  • Google Chrome (or a Chromium-based browser)
  • Instant Data Scraper Chrome extension (free)
  • A target business directory page (Yellow Pages, Yelp, etc.)
  • A realistic sense of what’s legal and ethical (more on that later)

Step 1: Install Instant Data Scraper

  1. Go to the Chrome Web Store page for Instant Data Scraper.
  2. Click Add to Chrome.
  3. The extension installs in a few seconds. You’ll see a little blue cloud icon near your browser’s address bar.

Pro tip: If the icon is hidden, click the puzzle piece (Extensions) and pin Instant Data Scraper for easy access.

Step 2: Pick Your Directory and Page

Not every directory plays nice with scraping tools. Some are built to block bots; others are just coded in a way that confuses scrapers. Here’s what to look for:

  • Best bets: Sites with simple tables or lists (think Yellow Pages, Yelp, Google Maps business listings—though Google is tricky).
  • Avoid: Sites that require logins, use lots of pop-ups, or load info only as you scroll.
  • Test page: Open a page with a list of businesses, not just a single company’s profile.

Heads up: Scraping a single results page is easy. Scraping hundreds of pages? That’s trickier—see the “What Doesn’t Work” section later for honest limitations.

Step 3: Launch Instant Data Scraper

  1. With your target directory page open, click the Instant Data Scraper icon.
  2. A sidebar pops out. The extension scans the page and shows a preview of the data it finds—usually in table format.

What you’ll see: - A preview grid with columns like “Business Name,” “Phone,” “Address,” etc. - Controls for exporting data and tweaking what’s detected.

Didn’t work? - Sometimes, the extension grabs the wrong data (or nothing at all). Try clicking the “Try Another Table” button—Instant Data Scraper will look for a different pattern.

Step 4: Check What It’s Grabbing

Don’t just trust the preview. Look for:

  • Are all the businesses showing? If not, you may need to scroll or page through results (see Step 6).
  • Are emails, phone numbers, or websites included? Some directories only show these after you click or hover.
  • Are there weird columns or gibberish? This happens on sites with tricky layouts.

Pro tip: If you see a column called “Details” or “More Info” with links, know that you’ll probably need to scrape each business’s profile page for full contact info. Instant Data Scraper works best for info visible on the main results page.

Step 5: Export the Data

Happy with the preview? Here’s how to get your data:

  1. Click Export to CSV (or Excel, if you prefer).
  2. Save the file somewhere you’ll remember.

Now you’ve got a spreadsheet with whatever the extension could grab—no manual copying.

Step 6: Scrape Multiple Pages (the “Auto-Scroll” Trick)

Business directories usually split results across many pages. Instant Data Scraper has a basic auto-scrolling feature, but here’s the honest truth: it’s hit-or-miss, and not very smart.

If the site loads more results as you scroll:

  • Click Auto-Scroll in the Instant Data Scraper sidebar.
  • The extension will scroll down automatically, loading more businesses.
  • Once it stops, check the data preview and export.

If results are paginated (with “Next” buttons):

  • Some versions of Instant Data Scraper can click “Next” for you—look for a “Pagination” section.
  • If not, you’ll need to:
    • Scrape page 1, export.
    • Go to page 2, repeat.
    • Merge files later in Excel or Google Sheets.

It’s not glamorous. But for a few pages, it’s faster than copy-paste. For hundreds? You’ll need something more advanced (like Python scripts or a paid scraping service).

Step 7: Clean Up Your Data

The export will probably have some junk:

  • Duplicate rows: Especially if the scraper grabbed overlapping results.
  • Missing emails or phones: Many directories hide this info until you click through.
  • Weird formatting: Addresses in one column, or phone numbers with extra text.

Quick fixes:

  • Use Excel or Google Sheets’ Remove Duplicates feature.
  • Use “Text to Columns” to split up messy fields.
  • If you’re missing emails, you’ll need to visit profile pages or use enrichment tools—but that’s outside the scope of what Instant Data Scraper can do.

What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore

What Works

  • Grabbing visible info from public directory pages with simple layouts.
  • Exporting data to CSV/Excel fast, no coding required.
  • Handling sites that show all contact info up front (like basic Yellow Pages listings).

What Doesn’t

  • Scraping hidden or protected info (like emails only available after log-in or clicking).
  • Bulk scraping across hundreds of paginated pages without manual help.
  • Parsing sites with heavy JavaScript, pop-ups, or anti-scraping defenses (think Google Maps, Facebook).

What to Ignore

  • Don’t waste time fiddling with advanced settings if the preview doesn’t grab the right info. Try a different page or directory.
  • Don’t expect “one-click” scraping on every site. Some pages just aren’t built for it.
  • Avoid sites with strict terms forbidding scraping—use your judgment, and don’t break the law.

Legal and Ethical Stuff

Just because you can scrape data doesn’t mean you should:

  • Check the site’s Terms of Service. Some explicitly ban scraping.
  • Stick to public, business-related info. Avoid personal contact info.
  • Don’t spam people. Cold emailing scraped contacts is a fast way to get your domain blacklisted.

If you’re scraping for personal research or small-scale lead building, you’re usually fine. For anything bigger, check local laws and maybe talk to a lawyer. (No, this isn’t legal advice.)

Pro Tips and Workarounds

  • Try multiple directories. If one site blocks scraping or hides info, another may be wide open.
  • Batch your work. Scrape a few pages at a time, then clean up all your exports together.
  • Respect rate limits. Don’t hammer a site with hundreds of requests in a minute—your IP could get blocked.
  • For missing emails: Sometimes you can scrape websites and use tools like Hunter.io to find emails later.

Keep It Simple — and Iterate

Instant Data Scraper is the duct tape of web scraping: not fancy, but surprisingly handy. If you’re scraping a handful of business directory pages, it’s tough to beat for speed and simplicity. For huge projects or tricky sites, you’ll hit its limits—but then at least you’ll know what you need.

Start small, see what you get, and tweak your process as you go. Don’t overcomplicate it. And remember: the best scraper is the one you actually use, not the one you spend weeks setting up.

Happy scraping—and don’t forget to play nice.