At Nordic APIs, our goal is to help digital businesses make smart decisions using APIs. To that end, we’ve hosted many events, explored countless topics in our blog, and published ebooks on API related subjects. Now, we’ve created a free online knowledge space for API practitioners with the release of our new Insights pages.

With the goal to help API providers hone their craft, our Insights pages – now accessible from our site’s navigation bar – compile our highest quality advice into 6 specialized topics:

• PLATFORMS
• STRATEGY
• MARKETING
• BUSINESS MODELS
• SECURITY
• DESIGN

We’ve organized things this way to improve our site architecture, and to emphasize the key aspects of what Nordic APIs has always been about. Below we summarize these 6 Nordic APIs Insights — we feel they represent the core tenets of API practice.

API Platforms

Becoming an API-first company means undergoing a platformification process. This represents a global trend that many argue needs to be adopted to keep your business competitive within the digital economy.

API Strategy

Even before development begins, it’s important to consider your core API strategy. This is a defensible position that aligns your tech with platform goals, strategically exposing internal assets catered to an industry niche.

API Marketing

In order to spark adoption, you need to have more than awesome functionality. It doesn’t hurt to consider what marketing you can do to treat your API as a product to get it in the hands of more developer users.

API Business Models

APIs have the power to open up complementary revenue streams or even alter an existing business model entirely. Used internally, Private APIs can improve efficiency and thus reduce overhead cost. If you plan on charging for a Partner or Public API usage, you’ll want to determine the right monetization method that improves overall business and leads to end profitability.

API Security

With new major data breaches reaching the public ear every month, the importance of digital security can never be underestimated. For APIs, much of that lies in monitoring usage with access management and identity control.

API Design

No developer wants to use an API with an ugly developer portal, unintuitive URL structures, outdated technology, or terrible lag time. In order to keep your developer consumer happy, paint the API portal and overall developer experience with an aesthetic brush.

Reviewing and Revising the Core Aspects of Hosting an API

As our goal is to disseminate information that helps API providers hone their craft, we will continue to explore and revise these subjects at future Nordic APIs events and in our online content. The world of APIs is a fascinating subject to dive into, and we feel that sharing Insights like these is critical in pushing the future growth slated for the API economy as a whole.

Welcoming our Community into 2016

In 2016 we’ll be in the field, participating, tuning into case studies, and reviewing new technologies, all with the goal of helping API providers excel. So, join our newsletter to attend a future Nordic APIs event or follow our blog and eBook releases as we continue our research. We also accept article contributions by members of the community — if interested, submit your idea here.

Thank you to all past Nordic APIs attendees and speakers that made our 2015 event season possible, and to our blog contributors and online visitors for keeping our blog alive with brilliant walkthroughs, case studies, and thought pieces. Have a happy holidays, and we look forward to an excellent 2016!