How-To

How to develop an internal API for sharing content across multiple websites

February 8, 2025 No comments yet

If you operate multiple news websites, you’ve probably faced the hassle of manually copying articles between them, dealing with inconsistent formatting, or struggling to keep syndicated content up to date. An internal API can solve these problems, enabling seamless content distribution across your entire network.

An API (Application Programming Interface) acts as a content bridge, allowing your sites to request, retrieve, and display shared content dynamically. This means:

  • No more copy-pasting—content updates instantly across all sites.
  • Consistent formatting and metadata—ensuring articles look the same everywhere.
  • Better editorial workflow—journalists publish once, and the API handles the rest.

Let’s break down how to develop an internal API that makes sharing content across your websites effortless.

Step 1: Define your content-sharing requirements

Before diving into development, establish exactly what your API needs to do. Consider:

  • Which content types should be shared? Articles, images, videos, metadata?
  • How frequently should updates be pulled? Instantly, hourly, or daily?
  • Should certain sites have content exclusivity? Restrict some content to specific domains?
  • What metadata is essential? Headlines, authors, timestamps, categories, and tags?

Clearly outlining these needs will guide the API structure and prevent feature creep.

Step 2: Choose a technology stack

The choice of technology depends on your existing infrastructure. Common options include:

  • Backend Framework:
    • Node.js (Express) – Lightweight and scalable
    • Python (Django/Flask) – Easy to integrate with content management systems (CMS)
    • PHP (Laravel) – Great if you use WordPress
  • Database:
    • MySQL/PostgreSQL – Structured data, best for relational content storage
    • MongoDB – Flexible, works well with JSON-based APIs
  • API Format:
    • REST – Simple, widely supported
    • GraphQL – More flexible, allows clients to request only the data they need
  • Authentication & Security:
    • OAuth or API keys for controlled access
    • HTTPS for secure data transmission
    • Rate limiting to prevent abuse

Step 3: Build the API endpoints

Your API needs structured endpoints that allow your websites to request and receive content efficiently. Examples:

3.1 Endpoint: Fetch latest articles

GET /api/articles/latest
  • Returns the most recent articles.
  • Can include parameters like ?category=sports to filter results.

3.2 Endpoint: Retrieve a specific article

GET /api/articles/{article_id}
  • Returns full article details, including images and metadata.

3.3 Endpoint: Search articles by keyword

GET /api/articles/search?q=climate change
  • Allows dynamic searching across all published content.

3.4 Endpoint: Submit new content (if multi-directional sharing is needed)

POST /api/articles
  • Accepts JSON payloads with article details.
  • Requires authentication to prevent spam submissions.

Step 4: Implement caching for performance

APIs can become slow if every request queries the database. To speed things up:

  • Use Redis or Memcached to store frequent queries.
  • Implement CDN caching for article images and media files.
  • Set cache expiration rules (e.g., refresh headlines every 10 minutes).

This ensures fast responses without overloading your database.

Step 5: Secure your API

Security is non-negotiable, especially if your API is handling unpublished or exclusive content. Key measures include:

  • Use API keys or OAuth tokens to restrict access.
  • Limit requests per minute to prevent DDoS attacks.
  • Encrypt data transmission using HTTPS.
  • Log API activity to monitor suspicious behaviour.

Step 6: Integrate the API with your websites

Your websites need to consume the API efficiently. Depending on your CMS, this might involve:

  • Writing a WordPress plugin that fetches and displays content dynamically.
  • Adding API calls to your React or Vue.js frontend.
  • Using server-side cron jobs to fetch and store content at set intervals.

Example WordPress function to retrieve latest articles:

function fetch_latest_articles() {
    $response = wp_remote_get('https://yourapi.com/api/articles/latest');
    return json_decode(wp_remote_retrieve_body($response), true);
}

This allows seamless content integration into your site’s theme.

Step 7: Monitor and optimise

Once your API is live, keep an eye on its performance:

  • Track API response times—slow calls might indicate database bottlenecks.
  • Monitor error logs for failed requests.
  • Use analytics tools to see which endpoints are most frequently used.
  • Continuously refine caching strategies to improve speed.

Final thoughts

Developing an internal API for content sharing can transform how your news network operates, reducing manual work, maintaining consistency, and ensuring seamless distribution. By structuring your API carefully, implementing security best practices, and integrating it properly with your sites, you’ll create a system that scales effortlessly as your publications grow.

With the right API, your content moves faster, your workflow becomes smoother, and your audience gets the news they want—exactly when they need it.

Michael is the founder and CEO of Mocono. He spent a decade as an editorial director for a London magazine publisher and needed a subscriptions and paywall platform that was easy to use and didn't break the bank. Mocono was born.

Leave a Reply