Marketing to Developers: Why Generic Approaches Fail

The Challenge of Reaching Developers with Marketing

A common issue in the tech industry is the ineffectiveness of traditional marketing strategies when targeting developers. Adam DuVander, a leading author and developer marketing expert, observes, “Most of the technical content published misses the mark with developers. I think we can all do a better job.”

A New Approach to Developer Outreach

Driven by this realization, DuVander has shared his expertise through two avenues: his book, “Developer Marketing Does Not Exist,” and his consultancy, EveryDeveloper. EveryDeveloper assists clients like Algolia, HelloSign, and Stoplight in crafting and implementing effective technical content strategies.

Karl Hughes, CEO of Draft.dev, a company specializing in developer content, initially recommended DuVander to those needing assistance with their content strategy.

Hughes affirmed DuVander’s capabilities, stating, “Adam draws from deep experience as a developer and developer advocate to make sure his clients set a winning strategy in motion.”

Key Takeaways from DuVander’s Insights

Further investigation into DuVander’s work revealed a central theme: avoid overly promotional or generic messaging when engaging with developers. The core principle is to prioritize education and genuine value over direct sales pitches.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Why “Developer Marketing Does Not Exist”?

DuVander explains the provocative title of his book. While developer marketers are prevalent, the title serves as a call to action. He urges marketers to approach technical audiences with a distinct strategy, emphasizing education over promotion. Marketing efforts should not *feel* like marketing.

His perspective stems from observing repetitive, uninspired press releases during his time at ProgrammableWeb (2009-2014), where companies announced APIs without explaining their value to developers.

The book represents a culmination of his experiences over five years in developer marketing roles, offering a philosophy for authentic developer engagement.

Identifying the “Right” Developers

Reaching the appropriate developer audience is crucial. Every developer requires fundamental resources, including clear documentation, easy onboarding, and inspiring use cases.

The specific content used to attract developers should align with their needs. For example, a mobile SDK provider should target iOS and Android developers, while a data engineering tool should focus on data engineers.

Being too generic is a significant mistake; specificity regarding the ideal developer profile is essential.

The Benefits of External Expertise

Companies often struggle to objectively assess their products from a developer’s perspective. They may also lack the internal development expertise to fully understand their target audience.

Engaging an external partner can provide valuable insights and often delivers better results than attempting to build a full-time, in-house developer marketing team.

Selecting the Right Partner

Startups should prioritize partners who demonstrate a blend of technical proficiency and strong communication skills. The “education, not promotion” philosophy should be evident in their work.

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Introducing EveryDeveloper

EveryDeveloper focuses on attracting the correct developers to its clients’ technical products. They develop content strategies that eliminate guesswork and enable the creation of content developers genuinely want to consume.

The team comprises around a dozen individuals specializing in content strategy and production, many of whom possess coding skills but prefer writing about code.

Typically, EveryDeveloper delivers two to four content pieces per month following the creation of a joint developer content strategy with a client.

Ideal Clients for EveryDeveloper

Any company can benefit from an objective assessment of their developer experience and a strategic plan for attracting developers.

Clients with established developer advocate teams or experienced developer marketers are best positioned to implement the delivered plan. EveryDeveloper also assists companies with unlaunched products seeking to amplify initial success and build internal expertise.

They have supported companies ranging from seed-stage startups to Fortune 50 corporations in creating more effective developer content strategies.

Sponsorship Opportunities for Startups

Even when sponsoring, maintain the “education over promotion” principle. Developers are naturally skeptical, particularly of advertising.

Focus on sponsoring platforms where your target developers already learn and seek information. A sponsorship should feel as helpful as the platform’s regular content.

Consider sponsoring emerging platforms that haven’t yet embraced sponsorship opportunities.

Leveraging Tools for Developer Marketing

Netlify serves as a prime example of using tools as a developer marketing strategy. Recognizing the overwhelming number of technology choices for content management and static site generation, Netlify created curated galleries to help developers select the appropriate tools.

This demonstrates how developer-focused companies can proactively address their audience’s challenges by building helpful tools.

Acquiring existing, successful tools is another effective strategy, as exemplified by the “Runscope playbook.”

Final Advice for Developer-Focused Companies

Prioritize developer experience as a foundational element. Continuously strive to improve both the initial and ongoing experience. Reaching the right developers requires significant effort, and many companies fail to deliver a positive initial experience.

Clearly communicate that you have a product designed for developers, showcase its potential, and facilitate a quick and easy onboarding process.