4 Ways a Custom API Integration Will Benefit Your Business’ Website or Web App

1. Automation

For business tasks that occur like clockwork, a custom API will help you accomplish tasks without giving them constant attention. APIs easily automate processes in connection with CRMs, e-commerce systems, ERPs and project management software and share data effectively. Automation saves time and energy on recurring processes like email marketing campaigns, team workflow management and customer support services. 

Let’s take a look at our client, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and their intricate ticketing system. During their website redesign in 2023, the SLSO team wanted to properly track all data related to ticket purchasing. Our developers created a custom API to communicate with WordPress, their ticketing system and their events calendar. This allows all their systems to update seamlessly across platforms without going into each individually to update ticketing information. 

2. Data Synchronization

Your business holds a wealth of information, and custom API integrations unify all important data in one place. Not only does this ensure efficiency in data management, but it also maintains consistency and accuracy across interfaces. 

We see this benefit of an API used frequently in the healthcare business. In St. Louis, the MyMercy App uses a custom API integration to share health data effectively with all of a user’s providers. Integrations enable users to access personal details and healthcare providers to view past appointments, test results and patient information upon the user’s permission. 

Let’s take a deeper look at an example from our client, the Kansas Policy Institute (KPI). They came to us looking for a way to translate all Kansas Schools’ assessment scores into letter grades through a filterable map, “Kansas Schools A-F Grading”. We built a custom API that automatically translated KPI’s raw data into a user-friendly application that enables comparisons among schools across the state within a few clicks. Additionally, map visitors are able to review academic scores from each school and assess regional, rural and city educational performance. 

This innovative data visualization approach, paired with a custom API integration, displayed updated source data in real-time to make it more transparent to their audience. 

3. Security

As technology permeates daily business operations, data security has become a top concern for leading organizations. Custom API integrations can set authorization parameters, such as 2-factor authentication, used commonly with social media platforms, such as Facebook, or develop specific login credentials for secure data portals. Let’s explore an example with the Missouri United School Insurance Council (MUSIC). 

We partnered with MUSIC to help them streamline their user journey using a Single Sign-On (SSO). We accomplished this through a custom API. Our API consolidated sign-on permissions across multiple systems depending on their clearance level on their SSO-tailored dashboard. This simple, convenient solution invites staff and school administrators to securely view information via a custom-built web application. 

4. User Experience

Developing a custom API gives your business the capability to elevate user experiences with added personalization. There is added value in consistency for consumers, and customized API solutions create predictable environments where systems respond in a consistent way – making it easier to develop streamlined processes. Working with a technology team that specializes in custom API integrations helps manage data without sacrificing your brand standards. 

The Show-Me Institute created the Missouri School Rankings project to motivate reform in the education system. With its robust information from two data sources, school performance and financial data are easily shown to anyone who wants to use it to stimulate change. Our development team translated the data into a branded user experience platform that used custom APIs to organize the data and translate it into a compelling state map. 

Create Custom API Integrations with Paradigm

API integrations are effective tools for streamlining business processes. That being said, sometimes it’s better to have a helping hand in their development. Custom software APIs are critical in tying together systems already in use by your organization. Working with an experienced custom API development team will help you produce API integrations that help your business solve its most complex challenges without reinventing the wheel.

Contact our team today to begin developing a plan for your next custom API integration.