Video calls and conferences are just the necessities of the post-covid reality of doing business. Throughout the pandemic, when people are forced to stay at home, many have relied on video calls to communicate with loved ones and colleagues, and businesses have also relied on video conferencing to make work easier. distance.

That being said, many companies have simply felt that standard solutions like Zoom and Skype are no longer suitable for their needs: some might want to incorporate their logo and branding elements into it. theirs video conferencing solution, some might want additional functionality, and some might even need their own solution out of necessity to stay compliant with industry regulations like HIPAA or GDPR.

In these cases, integrating a video calling API can be a quick and cost effective solution instead of building your video calling solution from scratch.

What is a video calling API?

First of all, what is the API?

API, or Application Programming Interface, is programming code designed to function as a interface, a bridge between two or more different applications.

The main function of an API is to “teach” an application to communicate with the application providing the API, so that the first application can now access all or part of the functionalities of the second.

A video calling API, in simple terms, is an API provided by a vendor who already has a working video calling application. So when another application integrates this API, that application will have access to video calling and conference functionality.

In short, a video calling API allows businesses to have their own video conferencing solution without having to build their own solution from scratch.

Why is this relevant? Let’s discuss it below in the next section.

Does your business need a video calling API?

As stated, a video calling API would allow an app to easily have video calling and video conferencing functionality, but to really understand this benefit, we need to first discuss the challenges of building your own app. from zero :

1. Cost

Unless you have the programming skills and develop the video calling solution yourself, you will likely need to hire an experienced software developer or outsource the development process to an agency. This can be extremely costly in the long run, and if you don’t plan to use the video calling app for business purposes, the investment might not be worth it.

2. Longer delivery time

Even if you have the budget to develop your own app from scratch, developing and testing the video calling app can take a long time before it’s ready to go. If your application must remain compliant with specific regulations (HIPAA), the process can be much more complex and expensive, resulting in a longer delivery time and higher expense.

3. Data security

Video calls naturally involve transmissions of a lot of data, potentially including confidential and personally identifiable information. When building your solution from scratch, you will also need to consider encryption and data security at the database and end-user level. It can be a difficult and expensive process. Additionally, you might not have the required infrastructure to secure your application.

Benefits of integrating a video calling API

To avoid the hassle of building your own app from scratch, as discussed above, a viable solution is to partner with a Web Video Conferencing API.

This can allow you to have a video calling solution of your own that will provide the following benefits:

1. Profitability

By integrating an API, you will save a lot on software development costs compared to building your own solution from scratch. Integrating an API usually comes with a one-time cost or affordable subscription fees, and you don’t have to worry about hosting and maintenance costs either.

2. Faster turnaround time

The main benefit of integrating a video calling API is that you can avoid long and complex software development times, allowing you to get the solution up and running much faster. If you integrate an API from an established vendor, you can eliminate the testing phase and immediately get reliable video calling features on your solution.

3. Better data security

As stated earlier, data security should be your primary concern when building a video conferencing application. Using an established video calling API ensures data security and privacy. You can simply launch the video calling solution immediately without having to worry about protecting your communications and protecting the integrity of your data.

4. Reliability

By integrating a video calling app from an established provider like Iotum, you will have access to reliable video calling features with the right set of features according to your needs. So you won’t have to worry about the app not meeting your standards. From high-end vendors, you can also benefit from AI and machine learning capabilities, which can further reduce the costs of hiring experienced AI developers and designers. With Iotum, for example, you will have access to Cue, a personal assistant powered by AI which can automate meeting transcripts among other AI-powered features.

5. Focus on your core business

Chances are the primary focus of your business is do not software development, so instead of disrupting your team’s core competencies by building your own software from scratch, you can focus more on achieving your business goals by integrating an API into your application.

Conclusion

Integrating a video calling API can be a cost effective solution for businesses to get their own video conferencing application while removing the complexity of software development. It can give your business the versatility and freedom to have your own app, like the ability to use your logo and branding elements, but also ensure cost and time efficiency.