Web 2 Print API

Printed mail has once again become a major communication medium for businesses as they draw significantly better response from the audience than most digital marketing efforts. The most interesting aspect about printed mail as a means of communication is that unlike digital messages like email or text messages that often remain unread till the end of time itself, the printed mails are more likely to be read by the target audience.

What is Web 2 Print API?

Businesses and individuals use APIs all the time, although most of us are unaware that we use them. Usually, the reason for this negligence is that, as far as the user is concerned, there is no need for us to understand what goes on behind the curtain. However, businesses that employ online mediums for their business operations know what an API is and what it does for them. An API is a solution that connects web data or services to your applications.

How Does a Web to Print API Work?

An API essentially enables applications to communicate with each other without them having to give access to their code. This is then used to execute or trigger the desired action, and for the web to print API, this triggered action is printing. To better understand the web to print API, consider an example where a photo frame business allows its users to print their customer’s photos directly from social media like Facebook or Instagram. Here the API can communicate with the social media platform and print the customer’s favorite photo with ease.

As you may have already figured out, the web to print API enables you to print different types of materials such as brochures, postcards, and so on through the web. However, that’s not all it does. The new web to print API is specifically aimed at businesses and comes equipped with advanced capabilities that streamline your print and direct mail operations. You can now have a global print and fulfillment network set up for your application or website by integrating a web to print API.

Why Use Web Print API for Marketing?

Today, every business, regardless of which vertical it belongs to, depends on extensive marketing efforts to get the desired results. The fact is that we now live in a highly competitive world where businesses fight tooth and nail just to get noticed by the target audience. As the digital space gets filled with more and more competitors, it is becoming increasingly hard for businesses to reach their target audience effectively.

What has reignited the demand for using print or direct mail is not merely the fact that it is effective because that much has always been clear to us. An important reason why businesses are now turning to print or direct mail now for their business operations is the introduction of advanced web to print APIs. The new and advanced way of sending printed mail using the web to print API rectified numerous disadvantages that were in the traditional direct mail approach.

Web 2 Print API Applications

Web to print API has numerous applications, and although you can broadly say that on-demand printing is its application, that is not quite the case. Below we discuss some of the major applications of the web to print APIs.

Direct Mail Marketing

Direct mail marketing takes the number one position when it comes to applications of the web to print API. Direct mail is an important marketing method used by several industries such as finance and healthcare. Businesses often send out personalized brochures, postcards, and other direct mails to their customers, and a web to print API can greatly help them.

Furthermore, there are advanced APIs like PostGrid that enable businesses to not just print personalized content in bulk but also have them delivered to their destinations after conducting an address verification. So instead of getting your direct mails printed via a simple web to print API and go through the trouble of mailing them personally, you can automate the entire process with PostGrid.

Publications

Another commonly seen application of web to print API is in publication and particularly books. What many of you may not know is that books are no longer printed in bulk on mere guesswork anymore. Books sold on Amazon or eBay, or some other sites are now printed on demand. Upon receiving an order, a request is placed with the print API, and the nearest print facility takes up the job and delivers the same without delay.

On-Demand Photo Printing

Web to print API is widely used for online photo printing services. The API allows users to print photos or documents directly from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The API allows for communication between the social media platform or some other popular website and enables you to print the desired photos or pictures with the click of a button.

Desktop Publishing (DTP) vs. Web to Print API

Uses traditional design tools that require a designer.
It is hard for the user to edit and make changes.
Has limited personalization and customization capabilities.

Simple, user-friendly design tools that do not require a designer.
The user can easily edit and make changes.
Superior personalization and customization capabilities.

Web to Print API Features

Advanced Online Design Studio

This feature enables the user to upload their favorite pictures or designs. It also allows users to edit or customize existing templates and provides them access to built-in tools like clip art, crop, etc.

Advanced Online Storefronts

With a web to print API, you can build different online stores that have different workflows and even unique privacy options.

Superior Order Management

The API enables superior order management as it lets you capture order request both online and offline. Furthermore, the user can track orders as they go into production and even generate invoices/ shipping labels.

Smoother Approval Workflows

The web to print API lets you set up an approval workflow that is rule-based and is also capable of automatically alerting the stakeholders if or when they should review their order requests.

Seamless Integration

You can get access to even more advanced capabilities by integrating third-party tools such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management), supply chain solutions, and more.

Adapts Smoothly to Your Backend

Easily Connect to Any Web Application
The advanced web to print API enables you to add its product designer to virtually any eCommerce platform or online application you wish.

Freedom to Create Workflows
The API gives you the freedom to configure the editor’s interface and thereby enables you to create workflows that are tailored to your specific business needs.

Superior Design Asset Management
Get superior design asset management capabilities that enable you to add sources to the online editor and even connect your external storage with Google Drive.

Dynamic Image Generation Capability
The API provides you with a dynamic image generation capability that allows you to change image attributes on the go using triggers. This results in better configurations and visualization of the products.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Web to Print API

Advantages	Disadvantages
Flexibility to edit and print, Ability to make last-minute changes. Superior brand management. Superior content management. Flexible workflows Cost-effective solution for clients.	Not ideal for large-sized print houses. Cannot be used where there is no software and server access. Requires the use of advanced digital systems. Expensive for print houses.