SMS API Integration: Should You Integrate SMS Features Into Your Software?

It used to be common for businesses to use one-stop-shop vendors or developers for all their software and workflows. When the internet and related technologies were still new, it was easy for one developer to write all the code you needed for your business applications. 

Now, if your organization wishes to compete technologically, it will need specialized software with cutting-edge features designed for its specific requirements. No single developer is capable of hand-crafting all that code.

That’s where API integrations come in. If you’re a developer, you know how APIs work, but for the less technical business leaders, let’s define APIs in general and discuss SMS API integrations in particular.

SMS API Integrations 101

An API, or application programming interface, is a software connection between two different applications that allows them to communicate with each other and work together. An SMS (short message service) API, in particular, allows you to connect your SMS gateway provider with other software. You can use an SMS API integration with your internal workflows, like your customer relationship management (CRM) software, to streamline your communications with clients. 

You could also use an SMS API to integrate text messaging technology with your proprietary software products. For example, if you’ve developed an email and web marketing solution, you could use an API to add SMS functionality without needing to program those features from scratch.

The Benefits of Using an SMS API Integration

Using an SMS API integration comes with benefits for both developers and the business as a whole. Let’s look into these benefits individually before diving into whether or not you should integrate SMS features into your software with an API.

Simplified Development

As a developer, you already know that APIs make your job much easier. Rather than creating code from scratch, you can use an API to build a connection between your existing software and the SMS functionality you get through your text messaging provider. These providers are experts at what they do and can provide powerful SMS features and performance.

Unless you and your development team also happen to be SMS experts, anything you developed in-house would likely fall short and would be more time-consuming and expensive to create. If you need to integrate SMS features and functionality into any of your existing software, you’re almost always going to be better off using an API than trying to develop them yourself.

Efficiency Through Automation

Another benefit of using an SMS API is greater potential for automation. Many mass-texting services and SMS marketing platforms allow you to create automated workflows to schedule drip campaigns in advance or automatically respond to certain triggers and keywords. Without an API, however, all of these features are housed within a separate platform that needs to be managed in addition to your other communications services. 

An SMS API integration allows you to streamline your workflows by consolidating all of your automated communications and customer relationship tasks into one application. Whether you’re using these features in-house or reselling them to your clients, SMS API integrations allow for greater efficiency through automation.

Streamlined Compliance Management

Did you know that there are several national and global laws governing how you communicate with your clients via text? The best way to ensure you’re staying SMS compliant is to track all of your communications and maintain robust audit logs. 

Most SMS marketing solutions have some form of auditing and reporting built-in, but it can be a hassle to keep track of the data or export it in a format that’s compatible with your existing compliance management or auditing software. 

With an SMS API, you can integrate your provider’s tracking and reporting features with your existing legal and compliance workflows, allowing your organization to easily monitor communications and quickly remediate any violations.

Should You Integrate SMS Features Into Your Software With an API?

Though SMS APIs are straightforward and easy to use for anyone with development experience, you may wonder if they’re worth the effort, especially if you’re a smaller operation without a dedicated IT team. Often, small businesses try to avoid investing in an integrated solution because they underestimate how much time they waste exporting data between applications, remembering a dozen different passwords, and training staff on various platforms. 

By investing in an SMS API integration, you’ll streamline your marketing and communications workflows, saving yourself time and money in the long run. Integrated SMS API integration tools benefit organizations of all sizes across all industries.

Most major SMS marketing and delivery platforms include API libraries and developer tools to simplify the process, so if SMS integration is your goal, you should look for a provider that will give you all the features and support you need to do so successfully. And don’t assume bigger is better. Some of the more agile companies are the ones with the most cutting edge tools, like mass texting video technology.  

Jeff Winaker

Jeff Winaker is the CEO of NorthText. He’s passionate about helping clients reach their customers faster with SMS marketing. He resides in the Bay Area with his family.