Social Media — All In? “Social media” has become an accepted term to describe a variety of communication forms over social networks. Initially, it had a positive connotation. But as the medium has evolved, so have its negative aspects. Social media will continue to evolve over time, but as of today, people tend to view certain categories of postings with a measure of skepticism, thanks to exaggerated claims and links to false information. The bottom line is that though social media is an effective form of communication, its associated pitfalls mean that care must be taken when selecting a [...]

Be Selective, Be Effective Both eblasts and newsletters are effective means of communicating with your developer community. Each of these tactics has positive and negative attributes which will impact your decision as to when to use them. Eblasts and newsletters are not mutually exclusive; both eblasts and newsletters can be integrated into your strategy and campaign plans. Before we compare the two, let’s review the definition of each: Eblasts Eblasts are dedicated advertising emails delivered directly to your subscribers’ inbox. Eblasts are often used to promote things like a specific time-sensitive offer, event, product launch, service, or campaign. They’re [...]

As marketers, we have to communicate to our audience in the most effective and efficient manner. Our communications ultimately have to create demand for our products or services.  Just as you don’t use exactly the same message every time, you don’t use the same method every time. Humans in general — and developers in particular — like variety. They like to be surprised, engaged, and amused. Of course, as marketers, we have a variety of communications tools at our disposal, including social media outlets, but some are more effective than others. According to data published by HubSpot, a CRM [...]

Besieged by IWA — Irritating Website Annoyances Companies love to solicit feedback. Whether it’s used to simply check a box to comply with their Net Promoter Score audit, or it’s actually used to improve the customer experience depends on the company’s culture. Feedback can be brutal, but in reality, it’s one of the few things that lead to change. It’s been said many times, but websites really are the storefront of your company.  They are the most visible manifestation of your purpose in business. Your website should be perfect. But most aren’t. The Devil is in Reveling in the [...]

Let’s Talk About the Developer Experience The developer community is a highly technical audience. Many developers hold advanced degrees and enjoy working with complex numbers. How can you market to developers who tend to be more skeptical than the rest of the general population? The secret to generating leads from developers is that you have to make a compelling offer. That said, if you’re making a pitch to developers, the devil is in the details — and those details are typically deeply technical in nature. Sources of Skepticism Advertising surrounds us, and just when you think there are no more [...]

The writing is on the wall when it comes to emerging technologies, according to a recent State of the Developer Nation survey published by SlashData™; DevOps is now mainstream, and Blockchain applications are not far behind. In this annual survey, the correlation between developer interest and technology is measured by engagement change between survey periods. As interest in a technology increases, more resources are added to commercially develop a technology—including the resources of the developer community. Emerging Leaders Table 1 below presents the SlashData™ survey data in an easy-to-understand matrix. In the upper left are technologies which have high interest [...]

Near Term Predictions of a cyborg-infested world in the near future are probably overblown. While humans have made great strides in using technology to solve medical conditions due to disease or damage, we haven’t quite reached the stage where silicon-based implants are readily available to enhance physical or mental performance in a fully-functioning developer. As of this writing, there aren’t enough silicon chips to keep up with automobile production due to supply chain issues caused by COVID! While not widely available, cyborg technology is steadily advancing in research labs and is reaching limited commercialization. Technology aside, what will the profession [...]

Overview DevOps has become a force in business and the development community because it’s designed to break down silos in a business enterprise between developers, functional business groups, and IT. Designed to counteract “throw it over the wall’ handoffs between groups, DevOps is a bridge meant to increase efficiency and create a robust Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) strategy. DevOps has specific segments designed to address lifecycle management, and from this structure, specific tools have been developed to facilitate development efforts. DevOps Methodology and Tools DevOps is designed to be a continuous process, allowing iterative improvements throughout; a key to [...]

Newsletters remain one of the best means of communicating with your developer audience.  They should be an integral part of your communications campaign, along with email, blogs, and offers. Newsletters are trusted by developers who opt-in, and they opt-in because they enjoy the content you provide. With so much potential, newsletters should be an area where you devote a significant number of resources to ensure quality and relevance. Take Me To Your Reader Newsletters are a significant commitment in that they must be maintained as an ongoing effort. They should be planned in advance using an editorial calendar. Support will [...]