When we interviewed developers, several indicated they would only click on product advertising if they recognized the brand. So before you launch your product marketing ad campaign that invites them to click through to a trial or an API, it’s best that they recognize your brand. That’s why it’s so important to put brand awareness first. One-Two Punch Content and promotion. Give developers content they want to consume and share, and also promote it. The most effective way to become known to developers is to help them learn something. Sonko, as he’s known to his friends, will click on [...]

Why use contests to drive modern developer engagement? Unlike hackathons that attract a wide range of developers, often mainly students, online events like contests can engage developers with jobs, including those who influence or make purchases. However, what drives developer engagement? There are several knobs you can turn to create successful developer contests. But within the context of experimentation, managing expectations, and creating a memorable experience, there are a few guidelines that we learned by talking to developers. Based on Evans Data Corporation’s Developer Marketing 2017 survey results, we know that contests advertised on newsletters from D2D communities are likely [...]

What does it mean to go all the way in a customer relationship with the modern developer? It's more than just asking them to pay. Anything from asking for information like phone numbers up to and including asking for surveys to be filled out, feedback to be given, or APIs to be written all qualify as big commitments in your customer’s eyes. These asks require a high-trust relationship. Maybe it’s time to date your customer. Why You Need Trust First We learned a lot about how developers behave from Evans Data Corporation’s Developer Marketing 2017 and 2018 surveys. Surprisingly, [...]

Investing a lot of marketing dollars to reach the modern developer? Industry influencers such as celebrity developers have a ready-made audience who tune in with trust. Use sponsorships strategically to support these influencers and reach their audience. Who is an Industry Influencer? For the modern developer, industry influencers usually owe their celebrity to their technical chops and their industry exposure. Rarely are they simply industry trend experts, but are truly practitioners—or at least were recently—and can speak to current technical issues with authenticity and credibility. Sponsorships and ads placed within these communities offer credibility and brand protection, as your brand [...]