Zapier is a web-based platform that lets you easily connect 2,000+ web apps you use so that you can automate tedious and time-consuming repeating tasks.
Zapier is an API for APIs.
An Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of programming instructions and standards for accessing Web-based software applications or web tools. A software company releases its API to the public so that other software developers can design products that are powered by its service. An API is a platform-to-platform interface, not a user interface. With APIs, applications talk to each other – to share tasks and information – without any user knowledge or intervention.
A Zap is a Zapier created connection between 2 (or more) apps that automates a time-consuming task.
This picture shows an example of a Zap.
The purpose of this Zap is to automatically download a new zoom meeting recording to a Google Drive and then send an email with the appropriate links to the downloaded file.
This may not seem like much of a time savings. But, if you have a reoccurring weekly Zoom meeting that you want the participants (and those who could not join the meeting) to access the recording this one zaps saves quite a bit of time.
So, how much is your time worth?
Make a list of all the tasks you are doing manually that you might automate. The time savings will keep adding up.
There are a small number of agencies that use Zapier to connect their agency management system to their CRM platform. This allows them to automatically move a new contact into and out of their agency management. For example, they add a new customer to the agency newsletter list maintained in a different email platform.
Zapier has a free version that is limited to 5 Zaps and 100 tasks per month. The Starter Version allows 20 Zaps with 3 Premium Apps and 750 tasks per month and costs $20 per month ($240 per year). The improved productivity by automating information sharing between Zapier and supported apps could make this a worthwhile investment.
I recommend that you explore Zapier and the apps they currently support to see if you can automate any existing tasks.
With agency management systems and vendors creating more open platforms with agency accessible APIs, now might be the time to explore the possibilities to further automate the workflow in your agency.
Does your agency use Zapier? If so, what are some examples of Zaps you have created that streamline your agency operations? Leave a comment below.
