It can be said without a doubt that technological advancement has changed the world around us completely and provided us with endless business possibilities. Gone are the days when we had to wait outside our client's office or depend upon slow-paced traditional mediums to reach our audience and business partners. With the introduction of applications, websites, and other web solutions, life has become more accessible. Today, even startups can compete with big players by entering the digital marketplace and gaining the attention of potential customers.
However, though the applications and web solutions are essential for business growth, their development requires skilled staffing, time, and money. While some businesses might afford those resources in developing high-quality solutions, small businesses and startups might find it difficult to proceed with such initiatives due to limited budget and time. Herein comes the importance of third-party integration.
What is Third-Party Integration?
Big players often develop powerful software in-house. However, as not all businesses can afford such a huge investment, they can use third-party APIs (Application Program Interfaces) to power their interaction with the applications and web solutions of others. For example, when we use Google's API to integrate Google Ads on our websites, it is third-party integration.
The third-party APIs allow you to build high-quality business solutions in a much shorter span and with less budget. With these interfaces, you can use already existing components instead of creating new ones from scratch. So, while creating an app, you can use available APIs and integrate them into your solutions for the best results.
Third-party integration is becoming highly popular among businesses of all niches for good reason. To sustain the tough competition, a company must respond to market demands quickly and efficiently. So, suppose you are running out of resources and waiting for the right time to develop an application of your own. In that case, you might be losing out on an opportunity to connect with your audience at the right time. Here, third-party integration might help you add relevant features to your web services and run your business process smoothly. Some of the apparent benefits of this integration process are as follows:
- Quick Production- As mentioned above, third-party integrations help you to save time. The process uses already existing APIs to develop a web solution and thus, reduce the days spent on coding. With this, you can focus on the core development cycle and produce the final product more quickly.
- Lower Budget- Running out of budget? Do not worry. The third-party integration can cut down your expenses on staffing. It saves you money to use later for adding some unique features to your application. Thus, even if you are a startup, you can effectively do a more significant project with a limited budget.
- Best Features- Use the third-party integration to add unique yet functional features to your web services. Look for third parties that are real experts in the field of your project demands. Using impeccable APIs will help you to avoid unnecessary hassles during the app production process.
Types of Applications
Third-party integration can help you out to process various applications. Some of the standard applications that require integration are as follows:
- Consumer Experience Applications- Today, user experience is the key to business success and growth. So, to attain success, work on web solutions or applications that can effectively enhance your user experience. Ensure that the website or the application you develop offers additional tools and features and makes the navigation process easy and convenient. Some of the common consumer experience applications are as follows:
- Alternative Payment Processing
- Sophisticated Site Search and Recommendations
- Imaging & 3D Visualization Tools
- Online Merchandising & Product Catalog Tools
- Marketing, Analytics, and Performance Measurement Applications- To create a competitive edge, businesses need to invest in tools that ease their marketing process. Apart from marketing, companies should focus on tracking the performance of the campaigns for betterment. Today, there are various applications and web services to assist you in marketing and performance tracking. From consumer transactions to your website's performance, these applications can help you to improve your marketing approaches. Some of these solutions include:
- Email Marketing Solutions
- Website Analytics Services
- Business Intelligence Services
- Website Performance Management Solutions
- Innovative Point Of Sale (POS) Solutions
- Business Operations Management Applications- To run your business smoothly, investing in back-office or operation management solutions is essential. Whether you want to make your customer relationship smooth or supply chain management more effective, you first need to strengthen your back office to enhance the performance of your overall business. Thus, consider investing in Business Operations Management Applications to achieve your business goals and make back-office operations convenient. Some of these applications include:
- Administrative and Reporting Applications
- Inventory Management Applications
- Warehousing & Fulfillment Solutions
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems
- Accounting Applications
- Supply Chain Management Applications
What Should You Consider with Third-party Integrations?
Third-party integration is an appealing application development process for businesses. The third-party APIs can be integrated to boost the production of different applications. However, while using these APIs, developers need to be cautious about a few points. Too many third-party integrations might degrade the performance of your application. So, while choosing a third-party API, you want to consider the following points:
- Know Your Customers- While adding a third-party API to your app, learn who your ideal customers are. For example, for B2B users, choose web services like Slack, Dropbox, Mailchimp, etc., that they are already using. On the other hand, B2C customers essentially select apps relevant to their lifestyle like social media apps, music apps, messaging and payment apps, etc. This will help you understand their preferences and choose the API most valuable to their needs. This will also help you to enhance the user experience.
- Ask Your Audience- If you are unsure about your audience's preference, do not hesitate to ask them. Do social surveys to learn about the applications and their features that your customers are comfortable with.
- Complementing Elements and Features- There are different APIs available in the market. Apart from choosing the ones that satisfy your customer's needs, go for the ones that complement your business needs and the technology of your app. The third-party integration you choose must make sense in the context of your application. So, while choosing an API, think logically and ensure that it offers a seamless user experience.
- Find Flexible Environments- Another factor that you should consider while incorporating a third-party integration in your app is its flexibility. It is evident that with the evolving technology, you need to upgrade your app to stay competitive. Thus, check if the API you are using is flexible enough to evolve with your application.
Third-party integration is a very effective way to incorporate tools and features into your application. However, to make your web service successful, make a level-headed decision. Consider all your necessities and target audience while choosing a third-party API. After all, the time, money, and effort you are investing in enhancing the user experience.
To keep yourself updated about business technologies and incorporate them in your business plan, connect with Copper & Vine today!
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Resources:
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/third-party-api
https://www.ecommercepartners.net/services/3rd-party-application-integration
https://gbksoft.com/blog/third-party-integration/
https://www.mitel.com/features-benefits/third-party-integrations
https://www.koombea.com/blog/right-third-party-integrations/
