Zapier

Zapier is a software tool that allows you to automate business processes in just a few clicks.

With over 3,000 supported apps, it connects your most frequently used ones and moves information between them automatically.

The best part is that you don’t need to touch a single line of code!

It comes in handy when you need to get numerous common programming tasks done. Zapier makes it easier for busy people to save time and focus on what’s really important.

The Zapier team states that automating simple tasks can save up to 40 hours per person, per month, on average. It can be desirable for small businesses.

This marketing automation tool has been growing consistently and now helps over 4 million individuals and companies.

It also ranked #33 in the 2019 Forbes Cloud 100 apps, a list of the best private cloud apps. Pretty impressive, I must say.

Besides, many of the repetitive tasks automated by Zapier, like data entry, are extremely monotonous and time-consuming. Having to process that manually in the 21st century seemed almost ridiculous.

Other business and productivity apps can also be quite useful, but most of them don’t offer the possibility to automate manual tasks.

With the right assistant, you can finally focus on your priorities. It was about time to have a solution for this!

By the way, if you’re wondering how to pronounce Zapier, remember it rhymes with happier.

What Are Zaps?

Zaps are Zapier’s core concept. They are exactly what will allow you to automate your workflow and there are endless ways to use them.

Getting started with Zapier means learning its terminology. Let’s go over the most relevant terms so that you can have a better idea of how it works.

Zapier Glossary

Trigger

Triggers are the events that set Zapier in motion. They happen when new or updated data is added to an app. It is what activates Zapier’s workflow.

Action

Actions are what happens automatically after the trigger. They can create automated tasks to find and edit information in the app through Zapier workflow.

Zap

Zaps are precisely those automated workflows. They are triggers and actions put together to create tasks. You can think of it as a simple logical operation: when A happens, then do B. There should be at least one action (a two-step zap) but there can be more (a multi-step zap).

Task

Tasks are the actions performed by Zapier. There can be one or more tasks within a single zap.

Task History

It is a section in your account where all of your actions are saved so that you can check up on what’s been going on. Every zap is documented and displayed here.

How Does Zapier Work?

All you need to get started is an email address to create your account or simply use your existing Google account. Don’t forget to set up two-factor authentication just in case.

Create A New Zap

The first thing you want to do is click on ‘My Zaps’, where all of your Zaps will be displayed, like a home page. Here you can create several different folders to organize all your different workflows.

Just select ‘Make a New Zap’, name it, and set your preferences.

First, you have to choose an app. Let’s take Facebook Lead Ads, for instance.

Choose Your Trigger

Your Trigger will be the event that will activate the Zap. Although Facebook Lead Ads doesn’t do much besides finding new leads, a dropdown list will show you the possibilities, so that will be our trigger here.

Next, you need to connect your account and customize your trigger, in this case by specifying which Facebook page you need.

Remember, this is just one example though, every app has its own options and possibilities.

Test Your Zap

Testing your Zap before sending it can be useful if you have some custom fields within your trigger, so maybe instead of including the app’s default fields, you might want to introduce your own.

You need to make sure that your Zap is going to collect the right information.

Choose Your Action

So, we have our trigger. Now what? Let the software know what it is supposed to do with the data obtained from the trigger.

In this case, we could send it to a spreadsheet to collect all of our leads. Our app will then be Google Sheets, and our action will be to create a spreadsheet row.

Once again, connect your account and customize your preferences.

Test your Zap once again to make sure everything works properly.

Turn Your Zap On

Once your Zap is up and running, you will be able to see what’s going on under the Task History label.

So for each time Facebook Lead Ads creates a new row in our spreadsheet, it will create a task that will show up in our task history record.

Browsing through this list is not hard. You can filter your actions by date, Zap, and several other criteria.

Zapier Features

Integrates With Over 3,000 Apps

Zapier supports so many web apps that there is no combination you can’t make. Imagine all the automation possibilities. Really, do the math if you want.

They are close to infinite.

It also makes Zapier a versatile tool that can be used in any industry, precisely why many people recommend Zapier.

Work Automation Made Easy

Automating tasks with Zapier is not rocket science.

An automation tool is supposed to make your life easier and it can’t do that if it creates a bigger problem, like dealing with a complex procedure.

Among many other things, you can use Zapier to create workflows. Imagine how long it would take you to manually create personalized messages to each of your leads instantly after they reached out.

Zapier makes it incredibly easy to import new customers automatically from your e-commerce website, notify all of your team members about updates, share content across social media, and of course, save a ridiculous amount of time.

It can also help you eliminate potentially complicated workarounds. And unlike Zapier alternatives, you don’t need programming skills of any kind to automate tasks.

Great Customer Support

While it is true that there’s a lot to take in here, Zapier does quite a good job guiding you through the process.

As soon as you enter their website, you will come across many introductory videos that give you a glimpse of what you can do with it.

There’s actually an entire section of their website full of tutorials and resources for you to get acquainted with Zapier’s features and capabilities.

While it does look overwhelming, it is also quite easy to follow, but you might need to resort to this guide more than once during your first few days using this tool.

Their support center is conveniently organized by topics and has a search box to insert keywords to help you find the article that will solve your problem.

But if their guides and FAQs are not enough, you can also contact them by email, hire an expert, or discuss it with the Zapier community.

What I Don’t Like About Zapier

It Doesn’t Have a Mobile Version

It can be annoying if you want to use this tool on the go, which is usually the case if you run a small business or are rarely at your desk.

Apps rule the digital world now and we have to accept it.

The vast majority of the time we spend online isn’t from a desktop computer but our smartphones. It is only logical that we will find it frustrating if there’s something we can’t do with our phones.

Inconvenient Pricing Plans

The pricing structure seems unnecessarily complex to begin with, so it is no wonder choosing a plan is such a tough call.

If you are not yet familiar with how the platform works, you might be confused by how many actions and zaps are enough for what you need.

You might be surprised how fast you can run out of actions.

I think Zapier could provide a little more insight into what plan to choose instead of just listing the benefits and prices.

Some users will go for the one with the longest list, while others will go for the plan with the lowest price.

And what if I don’t need all of those fancy, advanced features but I do need more Zaps?

These are all things that you only learn once you’ve been using Zapier for a while, and that can be very frustrating at first.

It Can Be Confusing At First

Zapier is not particularly straightforward. It has quite a robust functionality and as such, it just can’t be so simple to use.

You do need to watch a few tutorials first; otherwise, there’s no way you can use it properly. Some advanced features can be trickier than you think.

It has its own jargon, so if you don’t know what a zap, trigger, or action is, you won’t even know where to start.

Luckily, the platform knows this and offers quite a decent library of tutorials.

But the truth is, you must be willing to dedicate at least a couple of hours until you’re fully acquainted with all of Zapier’s capabilities.

Zapier Pricing Plans

Zapier offers five different subscription plans depending on the number of tasks allowed, among other factors.

So the big question here is whether a paid account is worth its price and which one is more convenient for you.

Let’s start by saying Zapier is targeted at businesses, so it wouldn’t be wrong to choose your plan depending on your work volume and needs.

A big advantage here is that you can take your first steps on Zapier completely for free. Although it is not suitable for big projects, it is enough to cover basic automation needs.

You’ll get access to 100 tasks but only 5 zaps, which is almost symbolic.

It is ideal for those who only want to take it for a test drive, though. It’s useful to get a taste of Zapier’s capabilities, but you do need to upgrade your plan at some point. Otherwise, it’ll be useless.

The Starter plan, at only $19.99, is quite affordable and beginner-friendly. All you have to consider is how many productive hours you’ll be saving with a tool like this.

Keep in mind that once you sign up, you can automatically start a two-week free trial of their professional plan, which will give you access to 1,000 tasks and unlimited Zaps.

Click here to check Zapier for free.

But Is It Worth the Price?

Absolutely. No one can expect such a problem-solving tool to be free. Zapier is supposed to help you save time, and time is money. By definition, Zapier’s objective is to help you make more money.

In my opinion, the paid plans look very promising if they will help you increase your sales. You should always think of it as an investment.

If you make good use of it, the money will come right back!

Choose Zapier If…

  • You work using multiple platforms simultaneously.
  • You’re in search of reliable automation software.
  • You need your tool to support multiple apps.
  • You have a flexible budget.
  • You are willing to go through basic training.

Final Thoughts

Zapier has proven itself worthy of our attention. There’s no denying it is up to date and extremely useful.

It has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and companies to automate their workflow and increase their productivity.

If you haven’t thought of incorporating an automation tool as an essential member of your work team, I’d say you should definitely consider it, and Zapier is an amazing alternative, especially if you’re a first-timer.

It is legit and 100% safe to use. You can trust it with your data and your everyday duties. Other Zapier reviews will agree that this tool won’t let you down!