API And Data Integration Services
Want to improve the efficiency of a business? API or data integration services is a great way to go! If you’ve already come to that conclusion, though, you’re not alone.
API services are much easier to install into existing sites, which is making them a hot trend. In fact, many popular sites (from Facebook to Twitter) have their own API services. It’s a great way to serve data available on your site.
Confused?
Ever wonder how people serve their social media feeds on their sites? That’s API at work! Imagine what it can do for your business, though. Before you go any further, let’s take a deeper look into it.
First thing’s first, what the heck is an API?!
API is an acronym that stands for Application Program Interface. It’s a set of code allowing two programs to communicate with each other in a predetermined way. There are two unique and related elements of communication:
How information transfers between programs, and the specifications for use of the information.
How many of you are familiar with Facebook? Well, nowadays, Facebook gives users an option to display their timelines anywhere. The API service specifies how or which information transfers to a site. Once information transfers successfully, another set of code specifies how it’s used.
Think of it like a train station; information needs a ticket to reach a predetermined site. Every site connecting with a station has authorization for a specific set of data. Each stream of data has a platform, and no two streams cross unless otherwise specified. Like real train stations, APIs support real time sharing of data chunks between sites.
What Do They Do?
APIs have been around for years, and some large companies have their very own:
- Google Maps API allows people integrate Google Maps into their site or application.
- Youtube API allows people to embed videos or tools into their sites or applications. This includes, yet isn’t limited to, Youtube Analytics, Live Streaming, and Player.
- Facebook API allows people to post their timelines to different sites. Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest allow similar usage.
- Microsoft Windows uses several sets of APIs within their systems. One of their APIs allows a user to copy and paste text from one application to another.
APIs make interaction with programs without full understanding of the back-end code possible. It streamlined a complicated process, making data sharing easy-to-do and accessible. That made APIs popular enough for everyday, normal use.
In some cases, APIs are a great way to scale a business with minimal resources. It allows people to interact with and use your product in new ways. Think Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.
API integration could involve heavy coding, testing, and monitoring, though. Luckily, advancements have made API use and integration easier than in the past. You’ll need a developer familiar with API integration, though.
Once integration is complete, you’ll notice that data output is in special formats. These formats are either XML (Extensible Markup Language) or JSON (Javascript Object Notation). Both are easy to read and transfer to a document or spreadsheet. Below are examples of XML and JSON data outputs:
Pretty neat, right?
How Can APIs Help Me?
APIs make life easier for businesses by streamlining data sharing, exchange, and targeting. And, in today’s society, many businesses built their foundation on data.
Let’s look at Facebook.
Facebook is a social media platform available worldwide. Thanks to API, their users access and interact with their site through a variety of devices. Not only did it make them a global authority, it also gave them a greater internet presence.
Imagine API working for your business.
Pair a fitting API that meets your data needs, and you could change the game. Searchbug API would allow you to access personal contact or business related information. Whether you’re looking up or verifying information, wouldn’t it be better to do it from your own site?
There are countless ways API could help you. We’ve only scratched the surface.
Who Offers API Services?
Before we state the obvious, here are some aspects of API services to consider:
- Data Availability
- Security and Privacy of Data
- Monthly Costs
- Flexibility and Options
- Technical Support
Searchbug offers a wide variety of data integration. These data services can range from general information to in-depth and specific information. We maintain top security handling your accounts and the data provided, too.
With no subscriptions or initial fees, gaining access to Searchbug API is simple. All you
need is a business account with a prepaid plan. Since charges are per hit or query, make sure your prepay fits your monthly volume of search requests.
Our service is on a per hit basis, which means your account is only charged for hits.
Should a search deliver no information, your account isn’t charged for it. Neat, right?
Best of all, we have a few tiered API services. Based on a monthly timeframe, if your search volume goes up, then your per hit price goes down. We even include a calculator tool, in case you wanted to check out what you’re expected to pay.
Would you like to ask questions about Searchbug API? Do you want to talk with us about API and data integration? We’d like to hear from you! Scroll down to comments, and leave us a message!
