A Look at How Apps and APIs Work on a Blog
Now that you’ve mastered the basics of WordPress and are ready to explore what it takes to take your social blog to the next level, there are probably a few things you may not be aware of. A really great blog is more than an interesting piece of content, although that is important. In order to create a blog that will attract a large audience, you need to be aware of a few of the finer points. It’s time to look at some of the technology that runs in the background which differentiates a successful blog from a mediocre one.
Recognize the Need for Apps
This is something that many new bloggers fail to realize. Let’s look at Facebook as an example of just how effective apps have become. You have probably noticed that, although not a blog site, Facebook posts a huge number of apps on everyone’s page. Mostly they are games that will tell you what you would look like if you were a cat or the ever-popular IQ quizzes. Do you know that these are third party apps that collect information from anyone who clicks through to the app’s page? By clicking through, the viewer is literally giving over consent for that third party to access some of their personal information on their profile, like their email address. These kinds of apps are highly effective and can be monetized to bring in a residual income for you. However, they are considered to be gateway apps and that’s something you should understand.
The Importance of APIs
Let’s get back to exactly how apps work. You may have an app that you had developed for your blog. With as SaaS API, Software as a Service Application Programming Interface, a visitor to your site clicks on your app. It will then go through a gateway in the Cloud to the destination programmed into the app. Therefore, your app needs a channel of communication. This would be the SaaS API gateway. As mentioned above, personal information is being transmitted. It is vital that you choose the right API for your app’s communication because of the information being transmitted. The level of security is extremely important.
A Closer Look at the Function of an API
At this point we have mentioned that an API is the interface between your app and a third party. Think of it like those discount airline ticket sites. You have an app that connects you to the ticket site and from there the person looking to buy a flight on a given day begins a search. The API (communication channel) sends out the query to every airline that flies to your intended destination. It will come back with dates, availability of seats, cost, etc. That information will then be sent back to you so that you can choose or submit further queries. It’s technology that runs in the background so that your app that you had developed for your blog doesn’t need to do all the work. The API will do that for you.
Your Key Takeaway
Your key takeaway in all this is that apps are extremely popular and once you have an app, either proprietary or widely available, it will need a line of communication. That would be the API gateway that runs information back and forth. It is essential that you choose the right API service so that you know that the information being transmitted is secure and that it runs exactly as it should.
