One of the significant reasons behind a company’s success is good marketing. Whether attracting new consumers or building brand awareness, marketing enables businesses to influence consumer behaviour to drive positive results. Among the pool of new marketing technologies, API services lead the way progressively, as they streamline the multiple operations behind campaigns and automate them, allowing sufficient time for creative thinking.
The current value of the global digital advertising and marketing domain stands at $667 billion, which is expected to increase to $786.2 billion by 2026. As digital marketing continues to dominate the current market, API services such as SMS gateway API, advertising API, WhatsApp API provider, and social media API services have become common practice.
API services in marketing campaigns
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are a collection of protocols, definitions, and tools that enable different software applications to exchange information with one another. They allow developers to use the functions of different systems and provide a safe passage to use the same in their project without having to understand the internal process. This saves them much time and effort to create reliable websites and applications. Due to its ease of utilisation, Slashdata reported that more than 69% of developers use third-party APIs and another 20% use private APIs to achieve better results.
Many API services in marketing campaigns integrate multiple communication channels to enable a seamless connection. For example, Airtel’s WhatsApp API provider lets businesses interact with consumers directly on their devices without going through a complex procedure. This enables users to solve queries faster and strengthen their trust in the company.
Marketing benefits of using API services
According to Tint, about 60% of consumers have confirmed discovering new products on Instagram, and 40% have successfully made purchases through Facebook. In comparison, 44.8% of users worldwide rely on social media to research brands. The growing popularity of social media platforms and how businesses utilise their features prove the importance of using API services similar to social media integration in businesses to expand marketing efforts.
Key benefits of API integration:
- Seamless communication
APIs allow businesses to interact with their consumers in real-time with the help of multiple marketing channels. This provides unified management of consumer data, whether from a website form, chatbots, or a CRM synced to collect all data for immediate decision-making.
- Task automation
APIs reduce manual errors and repetitive task management through automation, giving ample time for strategic planning. The automation allows marketers to collect valuable insights based on customer behaviour and helps them create more personalised content.
- Simplified integration
APIs are easy to integrate with different software applications or systems. This streamlines complex processes and allows developers to maintain a consistent data flow from one source to another. Multiple CRM systems, social media tools, and email platforms can be easily integrated.
API-Driven marketing case studies
Since the implementation of API services has become an integral part of businesses today, companies looking to invest in the technology may refer to some real-world examples.
Below are some popular brands that have leveraged API services and gained significant growth:
- Salesforce
Salesforce provides APIs allowing businesses to integrate CRM data with multiple applications. This enables companies to streamline their marketing efforts using various CRM data tools and lets them offer a more personalised user experience.
- Bharti Airtel
Airtel noticed the importance of traditional SMS notifications and developed the SMS gateway API to expand business communication. This gives companies a direct, cost-effective channel to connect with consumers via transactional alerts, promotions, or updates.
- Airbnb
Airbnb has been integrated with multiple payment gateways to give consumers a secure and seamless transaction process worldwide. The company also uses location-based APIs to offer personalised recommendations based on a user’s geographical preference, making the booking experience faster. These services have helped the company build trust and reliability, along with simplifying booking experiences across the globe.
Major challenges in implementing APIs
Although APIs help integrate the 1,200 cloud applications that an average enterprise uses, a few major challenges associated with API utilisation must be considered before a business investment in the technology.
Some significant concerns have been listed below:
- Data privacy and security risk
Due to API’s function of access, all sensitive data must be protected with encryption or authentication. Legal compliances like GDPR and CCPA must be placed at all times.
- System compatibility
To ensure compatibility with different systems, regular updates, versioning, and proper management of errors must be handled to achieve seamless operations.
- Affordability
High-functioning APIs incur significant expenses if not monitored. According to the current budget, frequent optimisation and changes must be done to save costs.
- Vendor lock-in
Businesses must utilise API services from alternate vendors to minimise dependencies and avoid operational risks.
- Legal compliances
APIs used in marketing must comply with all legal requirements to ensure a safe and respectful marketing campaign.
Wrapping up
As the market delves into the future of API technology, emerging trends surrounding AI and machine learning are expected to influence its further functionality significantly. According to Gartner, CMOs of leading companies will invest in more strategic creative projects to produce personalised experiences because 80% of creative talents will be using GenAI by 2026.
Moreover, the current leading trends in extended reality (XR), augmented reality (AR), and the rapid growth of social commerce place the use of APIs in good light. As more marketing trends move towards complete digitalisation, businesses are expected to adapt to modern strategies that offer better reach and engagement. APIs offering in-app payment features, clickable posts, virtual showrooms, and SMS notifications can streamline user experiences in global industries.
Airtel’s API-driven services, including SMS gateway API and WhatsApp API provider, enable businesses to stay updated with the growing market trends, ensuring that marketers receive valuable consumer insights to provide the best user experience.