Getting Started: Zapier + ACS

Zapier is the easiest way to connect ACS to platforms that do not have a native integration. Using ACS outbound webhooks as a Zapier trigger, you can automatically forward published content to Substack, Notion, Medium, Airtable, Slack, or any of the thousands of apps Zapier supports.

Two Ways to Use Zapier with ACS

ACS → Zapier (Outbound Publishing) ACS sends a webhook to Zapier each time content is published. Zapier then delivers it to the destination of your choice. Use this to publish to platforms ACS does not natively support.

Zapier → ACS (Inbound Analytics) Zapier forwards analytics data from your publishing platforms back to ACS. This lets you centralize performance tracking in your ACS dashboard regardless of which platforms you use.

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Part 1: ACS → Zapier (Publishing)

Step 1: Create an Outbound Webhook Destination in ACS

1. Go to Settings → Integrations → Outbound Webhooks
2. Click Add Destination
3. Give it a label (e.g., "Zapier – Substack")
4. Leave the URL blank for now — you will add it after creating the Zap
5. Save. Note your HMAC secret if you want to verify payloads (optional for Zapier)

Step 2: Create a Zapier Catch Hook Trigger

1. Log into Zapier and click Create Zap
2. Search for and select Webhooks by Zapier as your trigger app
3. Choose Catch Hook as the trigger event
4. Zapier will provide a unique webhook URL — copy it

Step 3: Connect ACS to Your Zap

1. Return to ACS → Settings → Integrations → Outbound Webhooks
2. Edit your destination and paste the Zapier URL into the Destination URL field
3. Save

Step 4: Load Sample Data from ACS

1. Click Send Test next to your Zapier destination in ACS
2. In Zapier, click Test trigger
3. Zapier should detect the ACS payload and display all available fields:

Field	Description
title	Content title
body	Plain text body
body_html	HTML-formatted body
subject_line	Email subject (newsletters)
preheader_text	Email preheader (newsletters)
meta_title	SEO meta title (articles)
meta_description	SEO meta description (articles)
slug	URL slug
hashtags	Array of hashtags
platform	Platform identifier
content_type	Content type
published_at	ISO timestamp of publication

Step 5: Add Your Destination Action

With ACS as the trigger and your data loaded, add an action step for your target app. Map ACS fields to the app's input fields, then activate the Zap.

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Part 2: Zapier → ACS (Analytics)

Step 1: Get Your ACS Inbound Webhook URL

1. In ACS, go to Settings → Integrations → Analytics Sources
2. Find the platform you want to track (e.g., Newsletter)
3. Click View Webhook to reveal your unique inbound URL
4. Copy the URL

Step 2: Build a Zapier Workflow That Posts to ACS

Create a Zap where the trigger is an analytics event from your platform (e.g., "New campaign report in Mailchimp") and the action is Webhooks by Zapier → POST. Set the POST URL to your ACS inbound webhook URL and map the analytics fields accordingly.

For a detailed walkthrough, see Send Analytics from Any Platform to ACS via Zapier.

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Tips and Best Practices

• Always test with a real ACS payload before relying on the Zap for live content. Click Send Test in ACS rather than using Zapier's empty sample data
• Use body_html for destinations that render HTML (email, rich text editors)
• Use body for plain-text destinations (Notion, Airtable, Slack)
• Keep your Zap active — webhooks sent to a paused Zap are dropped silently
• Zapier free plans have monthly task limits and restrict multi-step Zaps. For high-volume publishing, consider a paid Zapier plan or Make (formerly Integromat)