One of the best ways to run a business is to look for tasks that can be automated and immediately automate them. Thanks to improvements in technology, it is now possible to automate several critical tasks and let them run on their own while you focus on handling the other important parts of the business.
Zapier is one such tool that can introduce automation into your business. With it, you get to enjoy a great deal of ease in operation. Below, we’ll look into what Zapier is, how it works, and what makes it so special.
How to pronounce Zapier
First, let’s get the question that’s on everyone’s mind out of the way. How is Zapier pronounced?
Well, according to the company, Zapier rhymes with happier. So, just remember that Zapier makes you happier and you’ll be saying it correctly!
But what does Zapier do exactly?
In its simplest sense, Zapier is an automation tool for businesses. Its main goal is to help you connect your services and apps, so it becomes much easier to automate your workflow.
As explained, Zapier connects to the services and apps you use. But, it goes one step further – instead of running the integrations with code, Zapier does it all on your behalf.
With Zapier, you don’t need to hire any developers or learn how to code. Everyone can connect it and start enjoying its automation benefits.
How Zapier works
When you open the Zapier interface, you’re greeted with a web interface that allows you to create commands – known as Zaps. Each Zap consists of two components – a trigger and an action. You set both, so the action immediately.
Imagine you want to send out a promotional tweet whenever you publish a post on your blog. You can connect both apps to Zapier, so the tweet immediately goes out once your blog post is up.
Tweeting is just one of the many things you can do with Zapier. The service is all-encompassing, and you can learn quite a lot with it from creating to-do lists when you get assigned a task in your mail to sharing posts on LinkedIn to adding events on your Google Calendar. As long as the task can be automated to free up time for you, Zapier can do it.
The entire point of Zapier is to ensure that you can create a seamless and more customized workflow. Since we all have different apps that help us function every day, Zapier integrates with so many of them – from social media to business to productivity and lifestyle.
How to use Zapier
- To begin with, you will need to create an account. Even the free account allows you to work with up to 50 Tasks monthly, so you can use some of them to test.
- Once you create your account, you will be able to see the main Zapier dashboard. Here, you will be able to create new zaps and check out the existing ones.
- To make a new zap, move your mouse over to the left side of the screen and click on the “+” button, then click on “Make a Zap.”
- The app will instruct you on how to build your Zap – primarily, you will need to choose the app that will act as your trigger and the trigger itself. After, click on “Continue.”
- Then, click on “Trigger” and specify what you’ll need to happen when the trigger event is created. Remember that you want to be as specific as possible, so customize the trigger to fit your requirements.
When you’re done with creating your Zap, you can test it as well to see how it will play out.
How much does Zapier cost?
Like many online tools, Zapier comes in different pricing tiers. These include:
Zapier FAQs
What is a Task?
Keep in mind that a Task is counted whenever a Zap successfully moves data or makes an action on your behalf. For instance, if your Zap is to create calendar events as an action, each event created will require one Task.
Usually, the number of tasks needed will depend on the number of active Zaps you have – as well as the frequency at which those Zaps run to automate your workflow.
Can I change my plan?
Zapier allows you to upgrade or downgrade your plan whenever you want. Note that you will need to pay a prorated amount if you choose to upgrade. If you downgrade, Zapier will credit you for the next month.
Do I need coding skills to use it?
No, you don’t. Zapier allows you to automate tasks without the need for coding experience.
The final verdict
When it comes down to it, Zapier is the best integrations tool I’ve worked with. They have the most apps, the largest community, the fastest support, and it just works.
While the UI/UX does leave some things to be desired, Zapier is still an essential tool that I recommend every growth marketer explore if you need an easy way to connect different apps together.
