If you’re looking to gain a competitive edge and attract more people to use your applications and buy your products, APIs are exactly what you need. Firstly, though, let’s discuss what an API actually is and progress from there.
What Is an API?
An API (application programming interface) is a piece of software that allows multiple applications to “talk” with each other. Throughout your day-to-day life, you use countless APIs through your smartphone, PC, and other devices without even realizing it. In fact, it’s largely thanks to APIs that modern life is full of such connectivity and convenience.
For example, you’ve probably downloaded an app in the past that requested to connect to Google Maps, right? The reason for this will have been so that the app can extract important information about you from the Google Maps API, such as your exact location data.
Another example would be a currency API. Many businesses now use CurrencyAPI.net to integrate currency conversion into their online stores. This way, whenever international customers want to buy products, they can check what the final cost is in their own currency within a matter of seconds, which ultimately helps them to make smarter purchasing decisions.
Make sense? Great!
So, now that you’re aware of what APIs are and how they work, how can you leverage APIs for a competitive advantage? Keep on reading to find out more.
Boost Employee Productivity
Employee productivity is linked to gaining a competitive edge — and API integration is one of the most effective ways you can get your employees to work harder while being ultra-productive.
This is because API integration collects data and information together in one place, which then eliminates the need for employees to keep switching between different applications and systems. As a result, they save time and become more productive.
For instance, if you have an individual employee working in the finance department and they need specific information about a sales representative, they wouldn’t need to log directly into your CRM system to find this information, as it would already be synced with your ERP system.
Integrate with Third-Party Applications
By using an API as the central hub for all of your data, you can allow third-party applications to connect with your application and pull data from it. This helps to create seamless communication and data exchanges, which end users greatly benefit from.
Time and Cost Savings
Another key benefit of APIs is that they provide developers with the luxury of not having to start every single new project from scratch. This is because APIs are reusable, so developers aren’t required to create as much new code. Ultimately, developers can focus on what matters the most: the end-user experience.
Conclusion
Over the coming decades, you can give your business a major competitive edge by leveraging APIs. According to Business Wire, 98% of enterprise leaders believe that APIs are a key part of their digital transformation, so it’s important that you don’t allow your business to fall behind the times by not leveraging APIs. Instead, start using them to your advantage and experience the benefits that come with it.
