Influencer Marketing and the Effective Use of Dev Evangelists

Published on Jul 15, 2024 in webinars by Annika Puura
9 minute read

Influencer marketing has certainly made its mark in the consumer space, but it is no different in business-to-business landscape. In fact, 75% of B2B buyers rely on social media to inform their purchasing decisions.

While developer marketing has its unique differences compared to traditional marketing, we can definitely see a similar trend in the dev tools space, especially in developer relations, where the number of social followers you have can even be a deciding factor in landing a job.

Also, the rise of developer influencers, often called developer evangelists, such as Jono Bacon with his 7.94K YouTube subscribers, Tiff in Tech boasting a massive 367K subscriber base, Jakob Wolitzki engaging 80.4K followers on Instagram, and Cassidy Williams with 183.2K followers on Twitter, signals a shift in how tech companies connect with their target audience. These aren’t just individuals with massive followings; they are respected experts, thought leaders, developer advocates and community builders who wield significant influence over developers’ opinions and decisions. They’re the go-to source for developers seeking to learn new skills and make informed decisions about the tools and technologies they use.

To shed light on the increasing power of developer influencer marketing, Draft.dev recently hosted a webinar on how influencer marketing works for technical audiences, featuring Cole Stark (CMO at Pieces) and Karl McCarthy (Founder of Yard).

In this post, I want to summarize the key takeaways from the webinar, providing you with insights for leveraging developer influencers to reach, engage, and convert your target audience.

What’s the Difference Between “Traditional” Influencers and Developer Evangelists?

Before you start working on any developer influencer marketing initiative, it’s important to understand how traditional influencers differ from developer evangelists.

Karl highlighted the distinct contrast in focus. While traditional influencers prioritize reach and broad appeal, often in a B2C context, developer evangelists are all about depth of knowledge and authority within their niche, typically in a B2B or B2D (business-to-developer) setting. They’ve earned the trust of their audience through expertise and experience, making their recommendations far more impactful than a generic endorsement. This is because developer evangelists genuinely believe in the products they promote, often having personally experienced the problems these products solve. 

They (developer evangelists) just can’t fake it. - Karl McCarthy, Founder of Yard

However, sometimes B2C marketing tactics can also work in developer marketing. For example, Cole drew a parallel between the unboxing phenomenon in traditional influencer marketing and the world of developer tools. He shared how Pieces invites users to “unbox” their software, observing their first impressions and onboarding experiences. This provides valuable feedback for engineering teams and generates authentic content showcasing the product’s value.

Both speakers emphasized that developer evangelists are not just influencers; they are developers first and foremost. They are experts in their field, capable of creating in-depth guides and content that resonates with their audience.

What Does a Developer Evangelist Do?

Now that you understand the unique value proposition of developer evangelists, let’s explore how these tech-savvy advocates integrate into an organization’s day-to-day operations.

Cole outlined the three Cs that define the day-to-day role of a developer evangelist:

1. Coding: Developer evangelists often contribute to codebases, open source projects, or create technical demos.
2. Content: They are skilled content creators, producing blog posts, tutorials, videos, and other materials that educate and engage their audience.
3. Community: Building and nurturing a thriving community is a core responsibility, whether it’s through forums, social media, or events.

At Pieces, for example, developer advocates help solve user questions in Discord channels, document bugs, and manage open source repositories. They also play an important role in gathering feedback from the community and relaying it to the engineering team.

The specific emphasis on each “C” can vary depending on the organization’s goals. Some developer evangelists might focus on creating educational content to increase brand awareness, while others might prioritize community engagement to foster a loyal user base.

Karl emphasized the importance of the feedback loop that developer evangelists provide. By interacting directly with users, they gather valuable insights and feedback that can improve product development and marketing strategies. He also highlighted the importance of identifying and nurturing the 2-5% of the community who are “super fans” - those who are most passionate and vocal about the product.

How to Find and Nurture Developer Influencers

 Finding the perfect developer evangelist for your company can be as simple as tapping into your existing “super fan” community, or as complex as combing through countless YouTube channels and online forums.

Karl suggested that companies new to influencer marketing start by looking within their own networks.

If that doesn’t yield results, he recommended a more “agricultural” approach, involving manual research on platforms like YouTube. He emphasized the importance of crafting thoughtful outreach messages that stand out from the generic requests influencers often receive.

Cole added that the process often happens in stages, as the company and its product evolve. He noted that inbound interest from developers tends to be low in the early days, necessitating outbound efforts. He likened this process to sales, requiring persistence and a willingness to experiment.

The panelists agreed that the most effective way to identify potential influencers is to look for those who are already actively engaged with the product or community. These “hand-raisers” are often the most passionate and knowledgeable advocates, and nurturing their enthusiasm can lead to valuable partnerships.

Inbound vs Outbound Influencer Outreach

Influencer outreach can be extremely time-consuming, so, logically, you may prefer opting for those influencers who’ve shown interest in your product. And while inbound interest is ideal, it’s often not realistic, especially for smaller companies or those with newer products.

You probably get lower profile influence with some content creators reaching out to you. - Karl McCarthy, Founder of Yard

He suggested that these creators might offer high-quality content but lack the distribution or audience size that established influencers have.

Cole agreed, emphasizing that a combined approach is often the most effective. While inbound interest is valuable for its authenticity, outbound efforts are necessary to expand reach and tap into specific niches or geographic markets. 

I think it’s both (inbound vs outbound). You really have to be a good salesman in some aspects. - Cole Stark, CMO at Pieces

Both panelists stressed the importance of research and personalization when reaching out to influencers. Generic, mass emails are unlikely to yield positive results. Instead, you should focus on building genuine relationships with influencers who align with your brand and values.

Best Platforms for Finding Developer Evangelists

Once you’ve decided to start your outbound outreach, there are some platforms that hold more value than others. The speakers emphasized that the best platforms for finding developer influencers vary depending on your specific goals and target audience. However, they highlighted several key channels to consider:

YouTube: The “800-pound gorilla” for discovering developer influencers.

I think YouTube is head and shoulders above everything else because you can see what people are reviewing…you can see what their style is like…and you can get a really good idea of, like, if this person is any good or not. - Karl McCarthy, Founder of Yard 

Additionally, YouTube allows you to gauge a potential influencer’s audience engagement by observing comments and likes.

LinkedIn: While users tend to be more passive, LinkedIn is beneficial for discovering influencers within specific companies or industries by searching relevant groups and discussions.

Twitter: A valuable platform for engaging with developer influencers by following relevant hashtags, participating in conversations, and identifying developers already discussing your product or similar tools.

Reddit: A goldmine for insights into developer discussions and challenges, and a good place to find early adopters of new technologies and tools. Explore subreddits related to your technology or industry.

Twitch: A niche platform for reaching developers who enjoy live streaming. Watch streams of developers coding or discussing tools to get a sense of their expertise and personality.

Mistakes to Avoid in Developer Influencer Marketing

Having identified your ideal developer influencers and the platforms they frequent, it’s time to avoid some common pitfalls that can derail your campaign. Let’s take a look:

Unrealistic Expectations and Timelines

Karl pointed out the importance of understanding that many developer influencers have full-time jobs and other commitments. Therefore, setting realistic expectations and timelines for collaborations is crucial. He cautioned against partnering with influencers who seem overwhelmed or are taking on too many projects simultaneously, and instead, recommended aligning expectations with the reality of influencer schedules and availability.

Lack of Clear Contracts and Agreements

Clear contracts and agreements are essential for any influencer marketing campaign. Karl recommended including performance-based clauses to ensure that both parties are incentivized to deliver high-quality results. He emphasized the importance of defining deliverables, timelines, and compensation in writing to avoid misunderstandings or disputes later on.

Poor Communication and Project Management

Karl pointed out that regular check-ins and open communication channels are essential to keep projects on track and address any issues that may arise. He mentioned that tools like Slack can be helpful for facilitating communication and collaboration.

Neglecting Authenticity and Trust

Cole stressed the importance of allowing influencers to genuinely connect with the product and share their honest opinions instead of forcing them to promote features or aspects they don’t find valuable. 

Challenges of Measuring Developer Influencer Impact

While planning and executing developer influencer campaigns can be exciting and creative, you’ll inevitably face challenges when it’s time to assess their impact and present the results.

Karl acknowledged the difficulty of attribution in this space, stating, ”I always always think it’s funny when you ask a marketer about attribution, and everyone just hides.”

He explained that while UTMs and other tracking methods exist, developers often don’t use them, preferring to discover products organically. He suggested that one way to gauge the impact of influencer marketing is to simply ask customers how they found out about the product.

Cole pointed out that word-of-mouth marketing is often the most effective channel in the developer space, even if it’s difficult to measure. He suggested using UTMs where possible, but also acknowledged that some campaigns, like product launches, involve multiple channels and are inherently difficult to attribute.

He recommended a quarter-over-quarter approach to measurement, identifying which channels are working and doubling down on them, while pulling back on those that aren’t performing. He also highlighted the importance of understanding the diminishing returns of certain influencers over time.

Future Trends of Developer Influencer Marketing

As the webinar drew to a close, the conversation turned towards the future of developer influencer marketing. Karl predicted the rise of user-generated content (UGC) in the B2B space.

I feel like user-generated content is coming for our world. - Karl Mc Carthy, Founder of Yard

He envisioned a future where companies empower their communities to create short-form videos, potentially amplified by paid advertising, with the most successful content rising to the top.

Cole explored the evolving landscape of platforms and formats. He noted the emergence of new channels like daily.dev, which provide opportunities for developers to share their knowledge and expertise. He also observed a shift back towards long-form content, as developers often seek in-depth tutorials and explanations.

Both panelists agreed that AI will play an increasingly important role in developer influencer marketing. Cole highlighted how AI tools can streamline content creation, from generating transcripts to automating video editing. 

Regardless of how content formats evolve, AI evolves, or platforms shift, the core principles of developer influencer marketing will remain the same: authenticity, trust, and genuine relationship-building. These foundations will continue to be the essential layer behind successful influencer marketing campaigns.

Want to dive deeper into the world of DevRel and Developer Marketing? Join our upcoming live webinars with Q&A sessions where we’ll be discussing similar topics with insights from industry leaders.

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