Data connectivity
What is it?
The importance for marketing
Linking data with an API, web service or webhook
For: managers, marketers and database administrators
Read time: 4 minutes
Read also: 4 real-world examples with real-time connections
An API (ee-pie-ai) or webservice is a software link between two computers. Compare it to a plug. If you want to turn on a lamp at home, you don't plug the plug directly into the mains. That would be dangerous and inconvenient. You plug it into the socket. And so it "talks" to the electrical grid and the lamp gets the right power. An API does the same thing as the plug; it's an access point. But one that lets programs talk to each other to exchange the right data. Working without an API, like connecting power without a plug, can be dangerous and inconvenient. Dangerous because of unwanted access, and inconvenient because different brands of computers don't always speak each other's language. A webhook is a form of API and does the same thing, but works slightly differently. The webhook is also connected, but "waits" for an action, a trigger from, say, a customer clicking on something. Then per individual trigger, a chosen automation starts, such as a (marketing) campaign that sends an email or personalization of content on the website.
Well, as a manager, after this paragraph, you'd prefer to quit: "OK, I get the importance. Good plugs. Something for IT, take care of that". But don't give up too soon.
Why do I need to know what an API is or can do?
You, as a (marketing) organization, want the most complete picture of your customers. And also be able to respond quickly, preferably in real time, to customer signals. Then you need to link many data sources. You can, of course, put all the data into one application that can do everything, so you don't need links. Salesforce or Hubspot, for example. But you soon notice that not everything can be done. That certain customer data is still not included, or is not linked properly, or cannot be processed. Sometimes there is functionality for which better software is available in your sector. Then you prefer to keep the freedom and connect your systems flexibly with each other. With good connectors, good APIs. Even then it often goes wrong in the implementation. The standard connections are not the problem, but the connections with your customized systems are. Experience shows that these are lengthy processes. And that has direct consequences for quality, speed and thus your marketing results!
Marketing determines importance
Letting the choice depend entirely on IT colleagues can just lead to sub-optimization. The importance of marketing and IT is often different. Keeping systems operationally optimal and secure often leads to IT silos: segregated systems and processes that do perfectly what they are meant to do. With as little risk of disruption as possible. However, the interest of marketers is to correctly link the information from those systems for a unified customer view and customer approach. Both of these interests must be discussed between IT and marketing. Fortunately, technically both interests can be served. Make sure you make a good trade-off that serves the business interest, the marketing interest, and thus the customer interest.
Do you want to merge order systems, Web shop data, click and visit behavior, data from the customer contact center, talk to each other? But also external sources such as your Twitter or Facebook accounts, Chamber of Commerce data, rainfall radar? Then first sit down together as a business and describe all your needed data. Then come up with a few "use cases." What would you want to do? What processes do you want to speed up, automate? Make customers better offers? Qualify or nurture leads? Get invoices paid faster? Make enrichments happen automatically? And what data do you need to do that? What is the importance of timing: real-time or is overnight enough? Do this before you explore with IT which parties offer the best solution for you.
Find the right partner
Then go looking for a party. Armed with your "use case" and the right questions. Only then will you distinguish between a party that presents "shiny" software and parties that have the "right "plugs" and power under the hood for you. We distinguish ourselves precisely in data connectivity. We connect data efficiently. Without the need to import and export that data into existing software, as is the case with much Marketing Automation software. In that sense, we are actually a power strip ourselves. One with lots of connections. Imports and exports are not always necessary, but the right plugs are. So good APIs.
Put your business case first! Obviously work with IT for the solution, but not without first working out your "use case". And in any case, always inquire about the data connectivity credentials of the parties you're talking to. Don't settle for standard lists of apps for integrations and links, but focus on your business needs in terms of speed and flexibility. It's the difference between a reasonable improvement and a very successful solution!
So an API is a crucial part of your marketing automation
An API is hugely important for good data connectivity. A crucial part of your marketing automation. And thus for your marketing ROI. For those who want to know: it's the abbreviation for Application Programming Interface.
Data connectivity. For good automation, we consider fast and flexible data exchange with minimal impact on existing (it) processes to be one of the most important prerequisites. Managers, marketers and data specialists are therefore happy to keep us informed of important technical preconditions.
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