Google APIs

The Google APIs are an elegant and approachable way to cut down on design time. They offer a spectacular range of functionality that can find its way into any project. Some of the interfaces are used by Google themselves so their functionality is second nature to most users. The resources are hosted by Google and, on some functions, Google's servers are the ones doing the heavy processing. So you are not only saving time but you are outsourcing the processer load.

Time Line Usage:

This chart can be programmatically filled with data then linked to a data source of events to see a live view of what affects those events have played on the data displayed. Example: Fill the chart with sales data. Then, through another Google API, you bring in the Calendar entries from your Google Marketing Calendar. From there you can see that the promotional email blast you sent out on Wednesday for SomeProduct v2.0 release date correlates exactly with the dip in sales for SomeProduct v1.0. You determine that the drop in sales shows a good penetration of the email blast and to make sure you plan the prices drop for v2 to be a little earlier when v3 is ready so you can reduce back stock of deprecated items.

Google News Usage:

It's the news, people read it. This API transmits relevant news to your viewing audience. Just a little window to the current affairs related to your industry goes a long way into customer engagement. Know your viewers and know what kind of news they are going to want to see. If this is a major offering of the site then a lot of care can be taken to hold visitor preferences so the user can see the content that is most relevant to them when they are signed in.

Of Course, Youtube Usage:

Set aside some time. Press play...Multimedia is a part of every persons life these days. Especially the people that ended up on your site. If you have a visitor on your site, chances are they have also been to Youtube. Just a little over 5 years ago (at the time of this writing) YouTube did not exist now it is as automatic for searching video as Google is for everything else. I want to know...Google it. I want to see...Youtube it.

Google Maps Usage:

You can generate a direct route from the location in the first box to the location in the second. Click and drag to move and scroll to zoom. You can drag the figure on the left on to the map to get a street view. All the functions of the Google Map application can be embedded into your website and tailored to fit your need. Find locations of all your stores in a customers area. Delivery locations for your drivers can be easily delivered based on internal customer data. It is a seamless interface that offers powerful options.