What is an API and how Does it Work

Most likely, you are following the social media marketing news, and you most probably have read several stories about APIs, mostly with third-party applications.

Thus, if you are not a programmer, you may not understand exactly what an API is, and how it is related to digital marketing systems. To provide you with some insight on this, the Salesforce team created an infographic, which takes a broader look at the various ways in which APIs can be used. Also, it could help you better contextualize more API-related discussions.

To begin with, let’s have a look at What is an API according to Mulesoft. API in essence can be defined as “a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other.”

For instance, when you ask a travel app for a list of available flights in your favorite destination on specific travel dates, the app has to find that information. It does this by using APIs. Behind the scenes, the app queries each airline’s website and asks for relevant flights during these travel dates. The APIs are then built into each travel website to answer and provide the information. The app then takes that information and feeds it back into a list of available flights that you can sort. This process happens in a matter of seconds. So, API is like a messenger that pulls information from one place and feeds it to another. APIs are everywhere and have many different faces and capabilities.

Now, let’s have a look at why APIs can make your company better. APIs’ primary value is that it allows a company to access information or software capabilities from another source, providing greater value without an additional investment of time, money, and resources.

For instance, take as an example that you own a fleet of food trucks. Customers need to know where your trucks are, so you commission a team of developers to create an app that lets users see where the nearest trucks are based on their location. By using APIs that can incorporate Google Maps into the tracking app. In this way, you will save money and developer time, and your customers will benefit from interacting with one of the best mapping applications ever made, and one they’re likely already familiar with. The API allows for a great customer experience, which a key for a company to thrive.

In addition, there are dozens of other ways your company could use APIs to make the user experience better for customers. For example, an API can aggregate positive Yelp reviews on your site or even let users post reviews to Yelp without leaving your site. Further, APIs not only can help you go beyond making better customer experiences but also, they can improve internal processes.

If you are looking for innovative ways to grow your business, APIs should be part of the conversation, as they will only continue to grow.

You can learn more about APIs and find more details about the infographic here

Source: Social Media Today & Salesforce

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