“Zapier makes you happier.” At least that’s what Zapier claims. And it doesn’t seem to just be a catchy little rhyme but a pretty spot-on description of the productivity you can experience by using this automation tool. The best part is that teaming up with Zapier can help your app tons of exposure, which can lead to more leads, lower churn, higher return on investment and more opportunities in general.
What Exactly Is Zapier?
What’s the one word in all of business-land that can summon visions of both extreme productivity and also sheer terror?
Multitasking.
It’s gotten a bad rap in some circles, but that’s just because too many people don’t use the right tools to multitask correctly. Zapier is the answer to the question: “How can you multitask the right way?”
With Zapier, you connect apps in a way that lets you get things done more efficiently. It automates your workflows so you can get the most use out of all your apps and tools. It’s free for everyone to use, but a premium plan is available that will allow you to connect a wider variety of apps and introduce more complex task automation.
Zapier connects numerous types of apps (too many to list all of them in this post) used by nearly every industry. They currently contain over 750 apps in their app directory, as opposed to 500 for IFTTT and a mere 156 with Flow (the two main competitors.) Some of the better-known apps included in Zapier’s free package are:
- Yalla
- Trello
- MailChimp
- Google Drive
- Facebook and Facebook Pages
- Slack
- WordPress
- Stripe
- GitHub
- QuickBooks Online
- Unbounce
- LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms
Notable upcoming apps listed on the Zapier website are:
- Airbnb
- eBay
- Google AdWords
- Parse
- Shipwire
- Square
- HootSuite
The Premium package, starting at only $20 per month, gives you even more useful choices, like:
- Facebook Lead Ads
- GoToMeeting
- Shopify
- Xero
- Zendesk
- Salesforce
How to Zap
Zapier uses a simple “if this, then that” formula, called a “zap,” that’s quick and easy to define. It doesn’t require any coding knowledge and is completely user-friendly and intuitive. The zap is based on “triggers” and “actions” to decide the what and how of automating a task. Here’s an example:
You want to automatically subscribe leads from LinkedIn to a MailChimp list. You use the LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms app. In this case, the LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms app is your trigger and MailChimp is the action. With Zapier, you create a zap that says, “Subscribe LinkedIn Lead Gen Form leads to a MailChimp list.” That’s it. Using that zap, all leads from that LinkedIn app will automatically populate a designated MailChimp list.
You’re probably thinking, “Great! I can use that. But how does that help my app?”
How the Zapier Network Gets Your App More Exposure
Just like a hammer that sits in a toolbox doesn’t build anything, an app that doesn’t get used doesn’t help you out. And if that tool or app stays out of sight, few people may remember it’s there or even know that it exists. Getting exposure is crucial to survival. So, in addition to making your app more useful to users and providing value beyond the tasks that it does well, joining the Zapier network can bring your app a lot of exposure.
Zapier claims over one million users. They offer all of them:
- 30+ CRMs
- 25+ Email Service Providers
- 20+ form tools
- An updated blog and newsletter
- Multiple social media feeds
- A monthly roundup post of all new and updated apps in the directory
When you become a part of the Zapier network as a developer, Zapier knows that your success is their success, so they promote your app’s integration extensively. Here’s what you get during the launch program:
- Your own landing page on the Zapbook, which is Zapier’s online directory of apps
- A collection of pre-made Zaps, called Zap Templates, featuring your tool
- A featured spot on the updates blog and newsletter, Twitter feed, monthly roundup post and invoice emails for Zapier’s paying customers
After your launch, Zapier works with you to keep your app in front of customers by highlighting updates and reviews. They also continue to market your app’s integrations with:
- Blog posts
- Webinars
- Email campaigns
- Case studies telling the stories of a mutual user
Zapier also helps you develop your own marketing plan by providing plenty of educational resources for you and your users. They encourage embedding zaps on your website pages to create engagement and sharing examples of how other users are connecting your app to other apps. You can see how easy they make it by viewing this help page that gives you examples of automating your social media with zaps.
How to Get Started with Zapier as an App Developer
To start getting exposure with Zapier for your app, you’ll only need two things:
- A Zapier account (you can sign up here)
- An app – just make sure you can access the API
You’ll then go to the developer platform, add your app and then you can integrate with every other app on the Zapier network. Zapier will authenticate your app and then you’ll be ready to zap away! If you need help getting started, you’ll find a complete network of support staff to walk you through the process and answer any questions along the way. From there, it’s easy to get happier with Zapier!
