There's a surplus of sentiment analysis APIs available, but most lack contextual understanding and can't translate captured sentiments into actionable business results. To get started with sentiment analysis, you need an API that handles natural language processing complexities while offering simplicity, granularity, and flexibility. Choosing the right API for real-time conversations is challenging due to the grand majority of APIs not optimizing sentiment analysis for specific business objectives. Key considerations when selecting a sentiment analysis API include setting clear objectives, measuring accuracy vs. performance, deciding whether machine learning is needed, and checking for real-time analysis capabilities. A suitable API should be able to handle contextual understanding, provide granular insights, and surface useful information in real time. Symbl.ai's Sentiment Analysis API is an example of a comprehensive platform that offers aspect-based sentiment analysis, customizable polarity values, out-of-the-box integrations, and extensibility.