Before we delve into the topic directly to elaborate on the steps involved for quick integration of the social media platform – Instagram with the world’s leading CRM solution – Salesforce, there are two aspects which form the solid premise for businesses to integrate their Instagram account with Salesforce via Zapier. First, we must seek answers to two queries – “What are the challenges involved in Salesforce Integration?” and “Why should businesses go for Zapier?”.
In this post, we will shed some light on the above queries and also go through the steps involved in integrating Instagram with Salesforce through Zapier.
What are the Challenges involved in Salesforce Integration?
Modern-day businesses have a complex application structure – different applications sets are deployed for serving different business needs but designed to address similar business pain points. Thus, integrating disparate applications will enable businesses to enhance operational efficiency, consistency, and quality. However, some of the integration challenges that companies face during Salesforce challenges are:
Integration challenges
- Data mapping: One of the visible issues of integrating Salesforce with other business applications is the mismatch between data fields and types.
- Repeated names in Salesforce: While Salesforce provides an option to consider repeated names; other applications deem it as duplicates creating confusion on how to treat them with external applications.
- Preserving links between data fields: Preserving referential integrity poses to be the toughest parts of Salesforce integration with other platforms.
- Automatic ID generation: For every entity created or imported, an ID is generated in Salesforce automatically. The problem arises when records imported from external applications with IDs already gets overwritten by Salesforce during the process- resulting in the loss of the links.
Possible solutions for integration challenges
The solution(s) for these challenges could be dealt with in two possible ways
Building custom solutions: By building your custom software to deal with Salesforce integration issues offers extensive customization, flexibility and meets specific needs of the business. However, it is not bereft of downsides. It involves high-cost considerations, besides considerable time to develop the tool.
Using online automation tools: To connect apps of daily use that automate your tasks and reduce time, you can use various online tools to make your automation.
It is also important for us to know more about Zapier.
What is Zapier?
It is an online automation tool connecting your web apps. It is a tool that allows you to connect apps which you use on a daily basis – enabling you to achieve task automation and saving of time. You can connect over 1500 integrated apps to come up with just a few clicks. It is easy quick and easy to set up. But, the obvious question is “Why is it adopted by a business?”.
Why should businesses go for Zapier?
Easy automation and time saving are the two key takeaways for businesses using Zapier as the automation platform for connecting their favourite apps. Whether it is the messaging solutions like Gmail or the social media platform – Instagram, you can automate your repetitive tasks without a line of coding.
Below are some of the reasons that put Zapier on a better pitch, making it an apt tool helping you to do so much more with Salesforce by connecting it with other apps.
- It moves info between web apps automatically – enabling you to focus on more important tasks
- It is quick and easy to set up
- Does not require a developer as even a single line of coding is not done
- Connects Salesforce to all the web apps that you use
- Automates the entire workflow for you by copying and moving data
- It enriches your workflows with built-in apps
- You can automate your social media presence too
Instagram integration with Salesforce through Zapier
Without a single line of code, Zapier allows for connecting Instagram and Salesforce with as many as 19 possible integrations. In Zapier, your integrations are set up via Zaps, which enable the automation activity for you. This is achieved by combining a Trigger with Actions that are present on your favourite apps. Once you have set up Zap, it will automatically run your action(s). Zapier does the work in the background – allowing you to do more important tasks in hand.
Now, it is time to elaborate on the steps for integrating Salesforce via Zapier.
Steps for integrating Instagram with Salesforce via Zapier
First. Let us gather some information on the client.
Client details
The project was for one of the clients of Cloud Analogy – a global technology company which runs advertisements and generates huge leads through many sources. Eventually, the data is saved in Salesforce.
Now, we will deal with the project requirements and solution provided by us.
Project requirements
With this project, the client wanted to integrate the Instagram app with Salesforce and save the respective details of Instagram in Salesforce.
Solution provided
We integrated the Instagram app with Salesforce through Zapier and enabled the saving of Instagram details in the respective opportunities in Salesforce.
The following steps were executed while integrating Instagram with Salesforce via Zapier.
What are the Steps for Integrating Instagram with Salesforce?
Step: 1
Create an account on Zapier through which the Zap is created.
Step 2:
Create a Zap by adding a pre-built Zap to your account. Here, you will see we have already created a Zap with the title “Test 1” which has Instagram account integrated with Salesforce.
Zap is a blueprint of the workflow you intend to do repeatedly and automatically. By creating a Zap, you choose a trigger; add one or more action steps; test the Zap, and finally turn on the Zap.
Step 3:
- Upload an image on Instagram hard coding the title and location details along with company details.
- So, as soon as an image is uploaded to Instagram account a lead gets created in Salesforce. Here we have uploaded a new media (image) to Instagram with the location details as “Karnataka” and caption “Hey there”.
Step 4:
- You may run the Zap manually or automatically (which takes 5 – 10 min). Here, we run the Zap manually.
- You will find a display message as “Triggering new media” and subsequently a new lead is created in Salesforce.
- The “Lead Module” in Salesforce has all the details of the new lead created – the name of the company (which is hard-coded), the title and location details which are fetched from the Instagram account itself along with the link of the Instagram post.
- Now, you will find all the respective details reflected in the new lead created in Salesforce.
Conclusion
There are so many ways you can use Zapier and automate your workflow. From automating your social media presence and keeping your projects organized to staying in touch with your prospects and notifying your team of the meetings and upcoming events, you can do it all.
With this project, we were able to help our client tap all the leads that get generated through one of the key social media platforms – Instagram. By integrating the Instagram app with Salesforce through Zapier, we enabled our clients to identify new sales opportunities arising out of the leads from Instagram.
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