So, do you have a unique idea for an API? Great! If you design and build it successfully, then it could take off in a big way and, as a result, generate a healthy return. You can really get good money out of it. The monetization process takes a lot of work but there are ways in which you have a high chance of getting it right. Here are 3 tips on how to do it.
Of course, to get to this point, you must let people know that your API exists in the first place. Only then can the money and the kudos start rolling in. So how can you turn your fledgling API designs into mainstream successes that actually make money?
Prove its effectiveness yourself
More people will want to use your API if you have already proven its effectiveness and convenience through an application or website of your own creation.
This can be both a marketing tool and a business card, so putting it together should be a priority along with the development of the API itself.
Of course, in this context, it’s always important to keep your ideal audience in mind. If you know what problems they face and have found a unique way to solve it through an API that connects to your application, then you’ve already won the first battle to get their attention.
Clearly explain your API
It’s not enough to publish your API and hope someone bites. You must go a step further by describing its benefits, outlining your ideas for its use and generally evoking content that will strike a chord with the intended audience.
In this sense, the same content marketing strategies that work for almost any product or brand will have an impact here.
Whether you create blog posts, provide access to detailed documentation, use social media or seek any other avenue to promote your API through relevant content, all of these will boost your profile and generate interest in it.
Ultimately, marketing and monetizing your API should be an ongoing process, not a one-time event, so mix up your strategies and evaluate their effectiveness to see if changes are needed.
Choose the right platform
For starters, if your API is presented on platforms that are comfortable to use and popular with the development community at large, then you should be able to gain traction more easily.
Even better is if the platform has its own marketplace for embedded APIs as one of its key features, as this will not only allow you to connect with potential users, but will also ensure that you get paid once they start taking advantage of your creation.
There are many API marketplaces available, all have their beneficial features although most are shared. We can recommend one of the top API marketplaces, Zyla API Hub.
Try Zyla API Hub!
The Zyla API Hub positions itself as a user-friendly, intuitive, and dynamic public hub where API developers can submit their work for consumption by users and clients.
This platform also contains marketing strategies for publicizing your API. For example, after your products are published on Amazon, the only reason someone will buy them is because they found them. This method, on the other hand, is exceptional in the manner it promotes your products to ensure that more people have access to them.
Furthermore, Zyla API Hub offers an assistant who will oversee each stage of the process and ensure the successful sale of your API. And, no, you will not be charged an additional fee for this.