Integrate the API and ODP channels

The API and ODP channels let you deliver content or update attributes through a third-party provider with API access. You can add these channels to one-time, behavioral, and transactional campaigns as touchpoints, the same way you would add an email or SMS to your campaign. Optimizely Data Platform (ODP) is the connection between the two, so you can send data from one platform to another.

For example, if you use Zendesk to manage customer support and sync segments of customers with open tickets to ODP, you can use the API channel to pass these segments to your LoyaltyLion account and suppress them from campaigns that ask customers to provide product reviews. ODP acts as the connection as long as you configure the integrations between ODP and LoyaltyLion and ODP and Zendesk.

The difference between the API channel and the ODP channel is as follows:

• ODP channel –  A pre-configured version of the API channel, which makes its setup more user-friendly for marketers.
• API channel – A flexible way to call any API within the execution of a campaign. Even if ODP does not have a formal integration with a third-party tool, the API channel lets marketers send data from ODP to the tool.

The ODP channel works on top of the API channel as a preconfigured way to send data back into ODP, so you do not need to set up APIs, like adding headers to include the content type and API keys. Additionally, the ODP channel turns the API calls into more user-friendly inputs. For example, clicking which fields you want to update on the customer records, instead of needing to know how to call the profiles API endpoint with new key/value pairs.

Run a campaign with the API channel

1. Go to the App Directory in ODP.
2. Select the API Channel.
3. Click Install App.
4. Go to Activation > Engage and edit or create a campaign. Configure the campaign enrollment as desired.
5. Click to add a touchpoint and select API Channel.
   
6. Expand Targeting and select a Target Identifier. For example, if your API identifies users by email, choose Last Seen Email.
   Only messaging identifiers are available for targeting.
7. Add any necessary API Headers, such as content-type = application/json or x-api-key = [your_public_or_private_API_key].
8. Configure the rest of your API call in the message section.

   For example, if your goal is to send customer attributes to another system, you would POST to a specified API endpoint (like https://example.api/customers), and send the desired data in the endpoint's expected format (like as a block of JSON that contains specific attributes). The following screenshot shows this complete example.
   

9. (Optional) Preview and test your API channel touchpoint.
10. Click Save.
11. When you are ready to start your campaign, click Go Live.

Run a campaign with the ODP channel

1. Go to the App Directory in ODP.
2. Select the ODP Channel.
3. Click Install App.
4. Go to Activation > Engage and edit or create a campaign. Configure the campaign enrollment as desired.
5. Click to add a touchpoint and select ODP Channel.
6. Expand Targeting and select a Target Identifier. Choose the one you know your customers will have, such as Phone for SMS opt-in updates.
   Only messaging identifiers are available for targeting.
7. In the Message > Configure section, enable the customers or subscriptions updates.
   • If you selected customers, expand the Customer Updates section and select the Number of Fields.
   • If you selected subscriptions, expand the Subscription Updates section and specify which lists you want to subscribe or unsubscribe customers to. Additionally, you can choose to update the customers’ global consent to the identifier. For example, if you are using the ODP channel to update the SMS opt-in status of customers, you would select Subscribe for Changes to the Identifier’s Global Consent.
8. (Optional) Preview and test your ODP channel touchpoint.
9. Click Save.
10. When you are ready to start your campaign, click Go Live.