What is a webhook and what are its advantages?

What is a webhook? 

The webhook is a marketing method increasingly used by companies to optimize communication between their various online services. It is a marketing tool that plays an indispensable role in improving the customer experience of web companies. Simply put, a webhook is a message sent from an external application when an action occurs. The role of the webhook is to trigger an action following a specific event.

Unlike the API, the webhook is an HTTP request triggered by an event defined on a source application. Once this request is triggered on the source application, it is passed on to a destination application. And, when set, this whole process happens automatically.

Instead of having to request the data repeatedly, the receiving application processes the information automatically.

Why use a webhook? 

Using a webhook offers many benefits to businesses. Below, Kiliba shares with you the 5 biggest advantages of using a webhook.

1. API vs webhook : increase your efficiency

Webhooks are an effective option for sending information to other applications, without having to set up complicated processes or missing important information. Some APIs query the data. This means they need to constantly check for triggering events. Webhooks, on the other hand, allow applications to send data from triggering events to other applications as soon as they appear.

It's like getting an alert when something changes in an application rather than having to check it yourself periodically, which reduces waiting time and allows for real-time data transfers. These instantaneous transfers increase the efficiency of your work. And for good reason, by using a webhook in your code, you no longer need to manually check for data changes.

2. Webhook: saving time through automation

When you use webhooks, you can also automate more easily. The webhook allows you to create events that you want to repeat when the same trigger event occurs several times.

For example, for your marketing techniques, a webhook is beneficial for : 

• Updating the records of an online store for recurring customers ;
• Automatic sending of discount codes and sales information via SMS;
• Sending automated emails to customers when they perform actions such as signing up for a mailing list.

It is a good way to trigger events in marketing campaigns and to reach your customers more easily. In short, from a marketing point of view, a webhook gives you more time. So you can focus on your work of analyzing the performance of marketing campaigns.

3. Be specific to convert better

Specificity is another advantage of using webhooks in your programming. This is because webhooks make direct connections between specific parts of an application. Connecting specific parts of applications also helps you create more accurate data transfer systems, because you choose exactly where the information comes from and where it goes. In addition, for customer applications, customers can configure their own events and trigger actions.

4. The webhook: quick and easy to configure

Unlike the API, the webhook is faster and easier to configure on the source application. This is because webhooks use HTTP. Since most websites have established HTTP in their code, it is simple to add a webhook to an application without creating new infrastructure in your code.

5. Simplified integration

Nowadays, many applications support webhook integration. This is useful if you want to create an application that includes notifications, messages or events based on the activity of existing applications.

You can also create services for users to connect and integrate with the applications of their choice. With these benefits, target customers create custom events and trigger actions.

When to use a webhook in your company? 

You can use a webhook when you want to track an event or trigger an action. Here are 3 potential uses of a webhook.

1. The sales

In sales, employees use webhooks for online stores and digital customer interactions. This is useful for alerting customers to changes in a product's shipping information, such as shipping and delivery date.

It is also beneficial for updating a customer's online account data . Thus, transactions are recorded.

2. Business development

In business development, webhooks connect their company's applications to other internal applications that their customers can use. For example, integrated applications include communication and productivity applications. In this use case, webhooks alert users with new messages.

3. The programming work

To create web applications or to manage internal information, programmers use webhooks in their technological work. Some webhook functions include alerting programmers about bugs and errors that appear during the execution of a program. The webhook also alerts other programmers about changes to a program's code.

The advantages of the webhook are that it saves you time while improving your customer experience. You can also use the AI developed by Kiliba to aim for a 3% conversion rate!