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An API (Application Programming Interface) allows two completely seperate systems/applications/websites to communicate with each other and exchange information. API’s can be used by social media platforms, for example Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc. so that separate applications owned by other organisations can interact with them. A form of agreement is established between two software providers which allows the communication of information between for example two websites, or a website and an SMS system. When a website or app requests you to ‘Log in via Facebook’ it is doing so through Facebook’s API, and clicking the button and logging in may share your list of friends or liked pages for use by the app. The app may for example display your Facebook Friends as a list of contacts – so it is essentially communicating information between Facebook’s servers and another website or application.

API and SMS

As more people are spending longer on social media and their mobile phones, mobile marketing is an ever-growing force. However, there are aspects of mobile marketing which can be difficult due to the amount of management required to deliver the correct messages to the right group of people and monitor data, in turn altering messages where and when appropriate in order to better engage customers. One benefit API provides businesses is the ability to incorporate SMS automation in order to save time on their SMS deliveries, send out exclusive promotions or discount codes such as birthday specials, without having to do much work at all. This automated solution has even run educational campaigns entirely via pre-calculated rules and settings. Below are some particularly practical uses of SMS automation which businesses can easily incorporate to increase the success of their SMS campaigns. For almost any business, combining the information it has surrounding its customers with an SMS API, provides limitless opportunities for creating sophisticated, personalised SMS interactions which can greatly improve customer aquisition and loyalty. 

#1 Offer Birthday Discounts

As mentioned above, API enables businesses to set up an automated process which sends out a birthday SMS message to their clients who have chosen to opt-in. They then receive a special promotion specific to them in particular, therefore they will feel valued as a customer and also increases the odds of them visiting your website or shop and making a purchase.

#2 Send Out Educational Campaigns

Vendors for mobile phone companies for instance, sell dozens of phones, varying in models and brands. Although each of these phones provide alongside it a manual, customers would like to start playing with their new piece of technology immediately. For this reason, they often abandon the manual, and subsequently get annoyed when they can’t find something they’re looking for. However, SMS automation means that upon purchasing a new phone, vendors can offer their customers the option to sign up for a point form summary of the phone’s features and a system where they are able to text a feature title back, for step by step instructions or a roadmap, which leads them to the settings for that particular feature or application. This eliminates the hassle of having to sift through an entire manual to find one specific aspect of the technology. In any business where new customers can benefit from instantly accessible, highly relevant information, SMS API integration can work wonders. 

#3 Perform Mobile Data Gathering

Providing customers with the option to take part in SMS surveys allows businesses to track data they may not have accessed otherwise. This is as email surveys frequently are left unopened and people rarely have the time nor patience to take part in telephone call surveys. The more data a business collects, the more information they have to direct their business and guide it to success. It is crucial for businesses to use a medium which people are almost always connected to in order to increase their numbers of survey participants.