Note: This post was originally published in June 2021 and updated in April 2024.

In 2020, the MarTech 5000 officially reached a new high, boasting over 8,000 tools and platforms across the marketing stack.

With so many application options now available, it’s crucial for enterprises to establish seamless, protected integration between all platforms. As highlighted in this 2020 report, businesses leverage content management systems (CMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems for analytics, marketing automation, A/B testing, and lead management. Without strong connections, it’s easy to miss marketing opportunities and lose out on potential business. 

The WordPress REST API serves as a solution to this problem, by allowing marketers to create a cohesive omnichannel experience on the front end, while still maintaining application simplicity through easy-to-use interfaces on the back end.

This post provides background on APIs and details enterprise opportunities for the WordPress REST API.

What are the basics of an API?

When software needs to talk to another software, it does so via an API.

For example, when signing into a website, you may be familiar with the single sign-on (SSO) option using Google—this is an API. Another example is connecting event registrations with a marketing database, automated via API. Really, any time two platforms or systems talk to each other, an API is used to automate the process.

Developers can use APIs to streamline web development and reduce costs by leveraging existing technologies instead of coding every solution from scratch.

Scaling with APIs 

As software stacks for teams become more and more complex and time-consuming, APIs enable users to connect their digital assets at scale.

If you want your organization to continue growing, API integration and digital connectivity is imperative.  According to Google’s 2021 State of API Economy Report, 52% of IT decision-makers say APIs accelerate innovation by clearing up busy schedules for more complex tasks. 

What is the WordPress REST API?

One of the most popular types of APIs is a Representational State Transfer (REST) API. A REST API is a set of architectural constraints that can be implemented as needed, making REST APIs faster and more lightweight than normal APIs, with increased scalability.  

The WordPress REST API is one of the most ubiquitous APIs, connecting a huge ecosystem of plugins, integrations, and custom software.

At its core, the REST API offers a way to utilize the inherent functionality of WordPress and harness it. Apps can use almost any programming language and use the REST API to grab data from WordPress.

You can modify, customize, and integrate the core functionality of WordPress content creation and content delivery to create what you need for the business. If you want to connect multiple applications, the WordPress REST API can do it.

Learn more about the WordPress REST API and WordPress VIP

Leveraging the WordPress REST API allows enterprises to create headless (decoupled) applications that surface content across multiple channels, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

With the WordPress REST API, businesses can spend less time focusing on interconnecting systems, and more time on creating valuable customer experiences that drive business growth. No wonder more and more enterprises are using APIs to connect their internal systems and enhance the digital experiences of their users.

To learn more about how to create value through APIs, see how the VIP API Mesh integrates data from multiple sources to help you build your ideal customer experience.