Creating new and innovative experiences with Zoom

Up until a couple of years ago,  participating in a video meeting was unusual for most people. Now, however, much of the world’s population doesn’t think twice about meeting over video, and even virtual events, such as trade exhibitions, are second nature.

While many are now fluent in using technology like Zoom, building video and audio collaboration into everyday workflows has been slower to take off.

That is beginning to change, thanks to video-based communications solutions being integrated into the everyday tools, applications and platforms that we use to get work done. Whether existing apps leverage audio and video communications inside their environments, or whether Zoom itself is extended with elements from third-party apps, audio conferencing (and much more) is getting a dose of integration.

Many integrations are household names: HubSpot, Otter.ai, and SurveyMonkey, for example. In technical terms, Zoom Apps allow applications to transition into full platforms and spaces in which workplace productivity tools come together to create seamless experiences for employees that utilise Zoom’s video conferencing technology.

With Zoom App Marketplace, adding apps and extensions in the Zoom platform is a simple process.

For example, HubSpot‘s customer relationship management, martech, and pipeline management features can be enhanced with Zoom capabilities. This integration simplifies the process for initiating video meetings with people listed in a user’s HubSpot Contacts database. Additionally, HubSpot users can easily send automated event reminders and follow-up emails to webinar participants.

Learning platform Coursera has developed an app for Zoom called Live2Coursera, an extension to Zoom that enables online learning. Teachers and lecturers who are Zoom Pro account holders can record and upload lessons and lectures to the Coursera site with optional metadata (tags, for example) that help students find lectures on similar topics. Students can stream lectures or download them in various formats for offline consumption using a computer (mobile devices are not yet supported).

Finance apps help streamline and automate accounting and finance tasks, such as expensing and invoicing, and can improve visibility into billable hours, purchase flows, and payments.

Integrations can also help elevate the health and wellness industry. Whether you are working toward keeping healthcare providers, patients, and practitioners in contact, or you are focused on healthy living, fitness, wellness, and recreational activities, apps for Zoom can help.

How the integration happens

A selection of Zoom platform features and resources can be integrated into approved third party apps through the Zoom Application Programming Interface (API). Approved apps can be programmed to read and write from the Zoom APIs so apps can mirror or leverage many of Zoom’s functions or resources.

Developers also have access to Zoom Software Development Kits (SDKs), which provide language frameworks (including Javascript for web-based apps) to allow access to Zoom’s core engine. Applications written in hybrid frameworks like Electron can easily embed Zoom functionality, with support for final binaries in Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. In addition to video meetings, SDKs also support chatbots to interact with users (especially useful during webinars).

The SDKs also provide localisation options to developers with support in over eight major languages. Having open translation extensibility means developers can add more languages to facilitate the international reach of their Zoom-based apps.

The Zoom Developer Platform enables platform integrators, service providers, and developers easy access to Zoom’s capabilities to build apps and integrations that use pre-built, reliable, and recognisable communications solutions. Any outcomes can be used internally or published (with Zoom Approval) for all  Zoom users who have access to the Zoom App Marketplace to see and use.

The Zoom Developer Platform also contains dedicated support and information like access to developer forums, extensive documentation, and a developer advocacy program – all aimed at helping build apps, providing technical resources, sample code, guides, and human support.

Zoom App Marketplace serves a variety of business needs for integrated applications. Zoom strives to create an experience characterised by ease of use to support use cases valued by our customers.

To get started on the Zoom Developer Platform, head here.