Power up your content flows
Integrating content between Mallcomm and external content management systems (CMS) such as Contentful or WordPress, is a great way to streamline your content management process, reducing the need for repetitive data entry across platforms.
Mallcomm allows tenants to upload any type of content, but most commonly events, offers, and job opportunities, which are initially used internally within the app. These can either be published instantly or only published after a review and approval.
Via our content integration capabilities, you can extend this functionality to your public websites. Whether you're looking to publish content from Mallcomm externally or import content into Mallcomm, understanding these dynamics is key to effective content management.
Integration Capabilities
TL;DR
- We can give you access to our REST API
- Your in-house dev team, or a 3rd party developer, can build a script to get content and publish it on your website
- This can also be reversed and used to push content into our app
- The updates will not be live as they’ll have to be run on a schedule
- There is no cost from us for this access
- We can setup webhooks which will push content to external sources instantly upon a triggering event. These require scoping and configuration and are chargeable. Details are available from your account manager.
Client API Access
Mallcomm provides a REST API that facilitates both getting content to publish on a website as well as publishing into the app.
The first step to getting this setup is creating an API key for your development team and providing them with our API documentation. Once they have this access they will be able to build a script that can collect the content and publish it on your website.
It’s worth noting at this point that the approval is handled in the Mallcomm app or CMS before the integration commences, so this can be customised to fit your requirements at any time. However, the content of the form that tenants submit will be harder to adjust at a later date, so getting form templates agreed upon is a critical step in the process before development work starts.
Each of the buttons in your app has an ID, so a developer would use this to get the content specific to the integration, whether it is job vacancies, offers, in-store events or something else.
As this is a REST API, it relies on the information being pulled to an external source which means the publishing will not be instant. Usually, a schedule would be set to check for updates every x hours and if any are found, they will be published based on this schedule.
With the POST endpoints, developers can also post data via our API to publish content into your app if you want to have your external content CMS as the source of truth and publish it into our app.
Access to the Mallcomm API is free. However, you will be responsible for creating the necessary scripts required to push and/or pull data via the API.
Webhooks
For real-time content updates, we also offer webhook services. This push method sends content directly to your website as soon as it's published in the app.
Due to the set-up and maintenance being handled by our team, setting up a webhook involves a setup fee and ongoing maintenance costs. If you are interested in this option, reach out to your Mallcomm account manager who can help scope out the request and provide a quote.
Step-by-Step Help
Once your development team have an API key, there are a number of ways that they can build the integration via our API and will be able to choose the best option for you.
What we will give you:
Access to the client API and documentation with access to the following endpoints
- content
- media
- tickets
- categories
In addition, your developer will need
- The centre ID
- The category ID for the content buttons used
These can be retrieved via the categories endpoint or we can help supply them.
Our recommended method
- Authenticate
- Hit the content endpoint and pass through:
- Centre ID
- Category ID (the ID of the list button the content will show in)
- pass through “end_date_from” as the current date/time
- “include_form_data” set to true
- This will return all the content that is currently live in the app and listed in the view content button button. The fact it is live, means that it has been approved if there is an approval process.
- If you do not pass through the date/time then it will return all content which can still work, it just means the filtering to look for starts and end dates can be done after getting the data.
- In the content return will be "form_data"
- Each field here has a key that can then be mapped to your website.
However, as mentioned above, this is just one of many ways a developer could create the integration.
If you do not plan on using the submitted content in the app, this can also be achieved with the add content button and using the ticketing endpoint
Setting Up Webhooks
To initiate this process, contact your account manager to discuss the scope and requirements. We'll assist in setting up a project plan and guide you through the technical setup, including sandbox testing.
FAQ
How can I get an API key?
To obtain an API key for integrating with Mallcomm, simply contact your account manager who will be able to request one for you. We will need a name and email address to assign the credentials to. We will then pass the necessary credentials to access our API directly to the email address associated with the creation.
Where can I see the API documentation?
Our API documentation can be found here.
Can I have an approval process so only content that has been reviewed and approved goes into the app?
Yes, you can configure an approval process within Mallcomm that ensures all content must be reviewed and approved before it is published or integrated. You can customize this process to fit your specific requirements, and our API supports the management of these statuses through the 'tickets' endpoint.
How much does a content integration cost?
Accessing our API for content integration is provided at no cost. However, if you require real-time updates via webhooks, there will be a setup fee and ongoing maintenance costs associated with this service. For detailed pricing, please contact your Mallcomm account manager who can provide a quote based on your specific needs.
Can you integrate with WordPress?
Yes, Mallcomm can be integrated with WordPress and other popular content management systems. Your development team can use our REST API to pull content from Mallcomm and publish it on your WordPress site, or vice versa. The API is versatile and designed to facilitate easy content synchronization between Mallcomm and external platforms.
Wrap up
Integrating Mallcomm with your external CMS can significantly enhance your content management efficiency and ensure that your audience has access to the most current and relevant information. For more detailed setup instructions or personalized assistance, please contact your Mallcomm account manager.