F5Bot

Automating Keyword Management with F5Bot

Learn how I automated keyword management for F5Bot while ensuring responsible usage.

Lars AvatarWritten by Lars

Dec 1 2024

Managing alerts for online mentions can be a game-changer for staying updated on relevant topics, monitoring brands, or tracking industry trends. For those who use F5Bot, a free service that alerts you whenever your chosen keywords are mentioned online, managing a large set of keywords can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s where automation can help—but it’s important to do so responsibly.

The Problem: Managing Keywords at Scale

F5Bot is an amazing tool, but adding, enabling, and configuring keywords manually can become tedious as the number of keywords grows. To solve this, I built a Python script that automates keyword management. However, automation must be designed with respect for the service it interacts with.

The Solution: A Responsible Automation Script

My script, f5bot_keywords.py, reads keywords from a YAML file and submits them to F5Bot via its web interface. It includes features like enabling/disabling alerts and matching whole words. To avoid overwhelming F5Bot’s servers, I implemented a random delay (1-7 seconds) between requests. This ensures fair use and reduces server load.

Why Responsible Automation Matters

F5Bot is a free service, created and maintained by developers who generously provide it for everyone. Abusing such tools by overloading their servers or exceeding fair-use expectations can harm other users and increase maintenance costs for the creators.

My script ensures responsible usage by implementing safeguards like the random delay. By respecting these tools, we can ensure they remain available for everyone.

How to Use the Script

To get started:

  1. Clone the Repository: Download the script from my GitHub (link below).
  2. Install Dependencies: Use pip install -r req.txt to install required Python libraries.
  3. Prepare a YAML File: Define your keywords and settings.
  4. Run the Script: Execute the script with your F5Bot credentials and YAML file as input.

Here’s an example YAML configuration:

Final Thoughts

Automation is a powerful tool, but it comes with responsibility. By designing tools that respect the services they interact with, we can achieve efficiency while maintaining fairness. If you’re using F5Bot or similar tools, always ensure your actions align with their intended use. Let’s support the creators of free tools by using them ethically.

If you’d like to try the script or contribute improvements, check out the repository on GitHub.