The Basics of Developer marketing for API providers, developer programs and developer evangelists. Presentation during API Days Berlin, May 6, 2014

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ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE DEVELOPER PROGRAM-
WHAT IS DEVELOPER MARKETING?
API Days
May 6 2014
Berlin
Caroline Lewko, WIP caroline at wip dot org

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Technology
Development – API,
Product, Service
PWC Report 2012
WIP supports developer programs as they launch and mature;
and developer needs as they grow.

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Where to Start?
How many developers are out
there anyway??

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# of Developers
• IDC: 18.5 million Software Developers
• EDC: 18.2 million Developers
• Plumbre: 43 million Software developers
https://plumbr.eu/blog/how-many-java-developers-in-the-world
• Stackoverflow: 26.9 million monthly Visitors
• WIP: Over 50% of developers visit SO every
week → Developers=>50 million

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Who is NOT?

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Targeting “All Developers”
is not an effective Strategy

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http://onebigphoto.com/a-long-tail-of-stingray/
We’re targeting the
“Long Tail”
That’s not an effective strategy either as still too broad.

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You don’t have unlimited resources.
Filter & Group based on relevant characteristics.
Each needs different marketing messages and activities.
That’s Segmentation.
Developers aren’t all the same.

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So how do we start to
slice and dice developer segments?
Overlay Filters based on:
1. Technical Imperatives
2. Individual Imperatives
3. Business Imperatives
4. Market Imperatives
While always asking these
questions:
1. Is it relevant to our business?
2. Is it a large enough segment?
3. It is a valuable enough
segment ?
4. Can we access based on our
resources?
1-4 imperatives per Filter

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Individuals/Companies
Coders/Suits
Students/Pros
Big companies/small companies
Independents/Brands
Developers/designers/backend experts/DB and analysis
Android/IOS
Truths:
• There are lots of different types of
developers out there. Who is most
important to you?
• Different groups have different needs
and desires, and need different
messages.

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B2D Marketing is Different
• Speaking to individuals AND companies
• Communication doesn’t end with
purchase (uptake) because the end goal
is creation
• Developer centric NOT product centric

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B2B vs B2C vs B2D
B2B B2C B2D
Relationship driven Product driven Outcome driven
Maximize relationship
value
Maximize transaction
value
Maximize
outcome/enablement
value
Feature driven Benefit driven Both
Single-step buying
process
Multi-step buying
process
Both
Shorter sales cycle Longer sales cycle Both
Organization focused Individual focused Both
Rational buying Emotional buying Objective and subjective
buying
Smaller target markets Larger target markets Large market made up
of many smaller ones

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Marketing is Everyone’s responsibility

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http://vimeo.com/ddx/
We’re dealing with genuine, passionate
people (with high Bullshit detectors)
Truths:
• Keep things real. Don’t make big
promises you can’t back up.
• Want to win over a developer? Ignite
their passion and creativity.
• Want to lose a developer? Feed them
some BS so they can call you out.

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Make it simple & get your sh*t together .
Let them concentrate on creativity.
Truths:
• Time is a developer’s currency.
• It should be spent on productive and
rewarding activities, not tedious tasks.
• Be easy to work with, not hard to
maneuver around.

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Its about Community – Join it
Truths:
• You can’t build a community without
being a part of it.
• Get to know your developers – and let
them get to know you.
• Don’t keep your program as part of a
faceless company, make things personal.

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Find, embrace and learn from
early adopters. Reward
champions.
Truths:
• Developers want to be the first to know,
but not necessarily the first to try.
• Incent early adopters to take the plunge.
• Recognize community members who
lead the way for others – and they’ll keep
doing it.

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You can’t own developers
Truths:
• They can be part of your mailing list (but don’t have
to be)
• They can sign up to your website (but don’t have to)
• They can use your tools (but don’t have to)
• They can come to your events (or not)
• They can read your tweets (and not comment on
them)
You can’t own your community, or its members, or
decide where it begins and ends. It’s made up of who
know you, that share your values and interests and
are in your sphere of influence.

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http://startupquote.com/
Peer to Peer
Truths:
• Your best developer marketing
tool is developers.
• Your word doesn’t mean
anything compared to the word
of a friend or colleague.
• Support your developers who
spread the word and help their
peers on SO and elsewhere.

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Ecosystem is key, your
sustainability is only as strong as
your ecosystem and community.
Truths:
• Your strength comes from your support.
• That support is built and earned.
• Support doesn’t come from a large
audience, it comes from a strong
community.

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Its about learning
Devs like to learn, are curious,
and learn by doing.
By all means, give them the opportunity
to do that.

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Its about people. They are special and
you have to have someone special too
(they are called evangelists).
Truths:
• You need the right team in place, few
people have a more important role than
your evangelists.
• Your evangelist is your link to your
community – don’t forget this.

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Sometimes,
its like being between a rock and a hard place.
Truths:
• You sit between marketing and
engineering
• Budget can truly suck
• More and more competition all the time

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But can you think of a more creative environment, in a
leading edge industry, with some of the greatest people
ever that you get to meet all around the world!
Where would you rather be!

25. © Wireless Industry Partnership Connector Inc.
Part of the Wireless Industry Partnership
We Build Mobile Developer Communities
Strategy, Outreach, Events, Hackathons
Caroline Lewko, CEO
Caroline at WIP dot Org
www.wip.org www.wipfactory.com
Vancouver, Canada – Austin, USA – London, UK

26. © Wireless Industry Partnership Connector Inc.
WIP Factory Workshop
for Developer Programs and Evangelists
May 14, 2015
London, UK
http://www.wipfactory.com/wip-factory-workshop-
for-developer-programs-london-2014

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Any Questions?