Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) is a robust platform designed to manage large-scale marketing operations across various channels. However, to truly unlock the potential of SFMC, understanding and utilizing its Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) is essential. APIs serve as the bridge between SFMC and other systems, allowing you to extend its capabilities by integrating with external platforms, automating processes, and accessing data in real-time.
In this article, we will explore what SFMC APIs are, how they function, and how you can leverage them to improve your marketing operations. We will also walk through common use cases, best practices, and real-world examples of API integrations within SFMC.
What are SFMC APIs?
APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, allow different software systems to communicate and exchange data. SFMC provides a variety of APIs to interact with its platform, giving developers the flexibility to manage data, send emails, create journeys, and much more without directly logging into the Marketing Cloud user interface.
SFMC offers two main types of APIs:
REST API: The REST API follows a more modern, lightweight approach, making it ideal for web-based applications and mobile apps. REST APIs are often used for accessing data and performing tasks such as creating new contacts, sending transactional messages, and triggering automations.
SOAP API: The SOAP API (Simple Object Access Protocol) uses a more structured, XML-based protocol. It’s commonly used for tasks that involve more complex operations, such as managing subscriber data, creating and modifying data extensions, and performing more comprehensive marketing automation tasks.
Both APIs have their strengths and are used depending on the specific needs of the task at hand. While REST API is simpler to use for most use cases, the SOAP API provides more granular control over certain features in SFMC.
REST API in SFMC
The REST API in SFMC is designed to simplify data interactions, making it suitable for tasks that require retrieving, updating, and managing records. It supports CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete), allowing developers to manage SFMC data seamlessly from external applications.
Key Functions of REST API in SFMC
Here are some of the key things you can do with the REST API:
Manage Subscriber Data: Add, update, or remove subscribers in Data Extensions.
Trigger Sends: Send transactional messages like order confirmations or password resets.
Access Campaign and Journey Data: Retrieve information about running or completed campaigns and journeys.
Send SMS Messages: Integrate with mobile channels to send and manage SMS campaigns.
Import and Export Data: Import and export data from SFMC to external systems or databases.
REST API Endpoints
The REST API consists of different endpoints that perform specific functions. For instance, here are some common endpoints used within the SFMC REST API:
Messaging/Send Definition: Used for creating and sending email or SMS messages based on predefined templates.
Data Extensions: Allows you to interact with SFMC Data Extensions, such as retrieving data or inserting new records.
Journey Builder: Offers access to manage interactions within Journey Builder, such as triggering new events or pulling in customer engagement data.
Example of Using the REST API
Let’s look at an example of how you can use the REST API to add a contact to a data extension.
POST https://YOUR_SUBDOMAIN.rest.marketingcloudapis.com/data/v1/async/dataextensions/key:YOUR_DE_KEY/rows
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN
Content-Type: application/json
{
“items”: [
{
“email”: “example@example.com”,
“firstName”: “John”,
“lastName”: “Doe”,
“status”: “Active”
}
]
}
In this example, the API is sending a POST request to add a new row to a specific Data Extension in SFMC. The contact’s details (email, first name, last name) are provided in JSON format. By interacting with this API endpoint, you can automate the process of adding contacts from other systems directly into SFMC.
Use Case: Triggering an SMS Campaign via REST API
Let’s say your business has a mobile application, and you want to send real-time SMS alerts to users who opt-in for notifications when their favorite product is back in stock. Using SFMC’s REST API, you can automate this process.
Here’s how you would make an API call to trigger an SMS send:
POST https://YOUR_SUBDOMAIN.rest.marketingcloudapis.com/messaging/v1/messageDefinitionSends/key:YOUR_SEND_DEFINITION/send
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN
Content-Type: application/json
{
“To”: {
“ContactKey”: “12345”,
“SubscriberKey”: “12345”,
“Address”: “+1234567890”
},
“Attributes”: {
“FirstName”: “John”,
“Product”: “Winter Jacket”,
“Availability”: “In Stock”
}
}
In this scenario, an SMS is triggered with dynamic content like the product name and availability status, providing a personalized and real-time communication channel for your customers.
SOAP API in SFMC
The SOAP API is ideal for developers who need to perform more advanced, bulk, or detailed operations in SFMC. While the learning curve may be steeper due to its XML-based structure, it offers more granular control over various aspects of the platform.
Key Functions of SOAP API in SFMC
Some of the key features of the SOAP API include:
Subscriber Management: Add, update, or remove subscribers across different lists or data extensions.
Automation Control: Trigger and manage automations in SFMC.
Retrieve Data: Perform bulk data retrieval, such as pulling subscriber or tracking data from campaigns.
Data Extension Management: Manage records in data extensions on a large scale.
SOAP API Endpoints
The SOAP API relies on service endpoints that allow you to interact with different objects within SFMC. Here are a few common SOAP endpoints:
Create: Create a new record in SFMC, such as a new subscriber or data extension row.
Update: Modify existing records, such as updating a subscriber’s profile or preferences.
Retrieve: Pull data from SFMC, such as retrieving email send tracking data or journey engagement metrics.
Example of SOAP API Usage
Below is an example of a SOAP API call to create a new subscriber in SFMC:
POST /Service.asmx HTTP/1.1
Host: https://YOUR_SUBDOMAIN.soap.marketingcloudapis.com/
Content-Type: text/xml; charset=utf-8
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv=”http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/” xmlns:ws=”http://exacttarget.com/wsdl/partnerAPI”>
<soapenv:Header/>
<soapenv:Body>
<ws:CreateRequest>
<Objects xsi:type=”ws:Subscriber”>
<EmailAddress>example@example.com</EmailAddress>
<SubscriberKey>example@example.com</SubscriberKey>
<Lists>
<ID>123456</ID>
</Lists>
</Objects>
</ws:CreateRequest>
</soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>
This SOAP API request adds a new subscriber to a list in SFMC. The XML structure of the request contains the subscriber’s email address, subscriber key, and the specific list they should be added to.
Authentication for SFMC APIs
Both REST and SOAP APIs in SFMC require OAuth 2.0 authentication. You must obtain an access token using your client ID and client secret, which you can find in your SFMC configuration settings. The token is then used to authorize API requests.
Here’s an example of how to request an access token using the REST API:
POST https://YOUR_SUBDOMAIN.auth.marketingcloudapis.com/v2/token
Content-Type: application/json
{
“grant_type”: “client_credentials”,
“client_id”: “YOUR_CLIENT_ID”,
“client_secret”: “YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET”,
“account_id”: “YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID”
}
In response, you’ll receive an access token, which is valid for a certain period and must be included in the header of subsequent API requests.
Use Cases for SFMC API Integrations
SFMC APIs unlock a wide range of possibilities for integrating external systems and enhancing your marketing automation efforts. Here are a few common use cases where SFMC APIs can make a significant impact:
1. Real-Time Data Sync Between CRM and SFMC
Many organizations use Salesforce CRM alongside SFMC. By leveraging APIs, you can sync real-time customer data between these two platforms. For example, when a sales representative updates a customer’s information in Salesforce CRM, that update can be automatically reflected in SFMC to ensure personalized and accurate marketing communications.
2. Automated Customer Journeys
Using APIs, you can trigger specific events in SFMC based on customer interactions with external platforms. For instance, when a customer makes a purchase on your website, an API call can trigger a personalized journey in SFMC, such as a post-purchase email series or a satisfaction survey.
3. Real-Time Transactional Messages
If you operate an eCommerce platform, you can integrate SFMC with your order management system via APIs. This integration allows SFMC to send real-time transactional messages, such as order confirmations, shipping updates, and delivery notifications, based on live order data.
4. Cross-Platform Marketing Campaigns
Integrating external systems like Google Analytics or social media platforms with SFMC allows you to pull engagement data into SFMC and use it to create more informed, data-driven marketing campaigns. APIs can pull metrics like website visits, social media interactions, and ad engagement into SFMC Data Extensions for enhanced segmentation and personalization.
Best Practices for Using SFMC APIs
While APIs offer tremendous flexibility and power, there are several best practices you should follow to ensure smooth and secure API integrations:
Use Secure Authentication: Always use OAuth 2.0 for secure API authentication and regularly rotate API keys or tokens to maintain security.
Minimize API Calls: Avoid making unnecessary or duplicate API calls, as this can increase latency and reduce system performance. Batch API requests when possible.
Implement Error Handling: Ensure that your API integrations handle errors gracefully. If an API request fails, your application should have a fallback mechanism or retry logic.
Monitor API Usage: SFMC limits the number of API requests you can make within a certain time frame. Monitor your API usage and optimize your calls to avoid hitting rate limits.
Test Thoroughly: Before deploying any API integration into production, test it thoroughly in a sandbox or staging environment to ensure it works as expected and doesn’t disrupt your existing workflows.
Conclusion
Salesforce Marketing Cloud’s APIs—both REST and SOAP—provide the flexibility and power to extend the platform’s capabilities far beyond what is available in the user interface. Whether you’re looking to automate marketing tasks, integrate external systems, or retrieve data for reporting, APIs allow you to streamline operations and deliver more personalized and dynamic customer experiences.
As you start working with SFMC APIs, don’t forget to review the earlier articles like Day 77: Integrating SFMC with External Data Sources for foundational knowledge on working with external data. Stay tuned for the next installment, Day 79: Managing Data and Privacy in SFMC, where we’ll explore how to ensure data security and privacy compliance within SFMC.