Strategies for Business Growth through Developer Ecosystems

Developer ecosystems, the networks of developers and resources around a product, are a key factor for business growth in an increasingly technical world. But what exactly does a healthy ecosystem look like, and how can businesses build one? 

In this blog post, I’ll recap our recent webinar where we explored these questions with experts Gary Gonzalez, Managing Partner at Catchy and Ryan Paul Gibson, Founder of Content Lift. 

We’ll dive into the benefits of developer ecosystems, the types of content that resonate with technical audiences, and strategies for driving engagement and measuring ROI. Whether you’re working on implementing a developer ecosystem in your organization or looking to optimize an existing program, this recap will give you some insight on key areas to focus on.

What Are Developer Ecosystems and Why Do They Matter?

Gary kicked off the webinar by explaining why these ecosystems have become essential in the tech world. It all started, he noted, with the “cloud wars” of the mid-2000s, where major players like AWS, Azure, and Google recognized the power of a developer-first approach. These companies opened up their technology ecosystems, allowing developers to work with their platforms directly.

This approach was then refined by startups in the 2010s, like Twilio and Stripe, who built their entire business models around developer-centric, open ecosystems. These companies made it easy for technologists to build with their services and products, resulting in rapid growth and market dominance.

As Gary pointed out, building a strong developer ecosystem is now almost a necessity. It’s about acknowledging that technology is no longer just a product; it’s an experience, and developers need to be empowered within that experience.

Open developer ecosystems are a necessity for any organization that wants to engage technical services and build technical products. –Gary Gonzalez, Managing Partner at Catchy

Ryan highlighted the business value of these ecosystems. He emphasized that a strong developer ecosystem provides a competitive advantage, making products “stickier” and more integral to the workflows of technical users. When you give technical buyers more control and more access, they take ownership of your product and rely on it more heavily, embedding it into their critical business flows.

What Content Do Developer Ecosystems Need?

Having established the importance of developer ecosystems, let’s consider the content that actually fuels them. What kind of information are developers looking for?

Both Ryan and Gary emphasized that technical audiences have different needs and expectations than other types of buyers. They’re not looking for marketing fluff; they’re looking for practical, actionable information that helps them solve specific technical problems.

Ryan noted that developers want to know how they can use your product to achieve their desired outcomes. They need clear, concise instructions, code examples, and comprehensive documentation that allows them to get hands-on quickly. He stressed that marketers often miss the mark by not understanding how technical buyers process information and build credibility. 

You have to give them (developers) all the tools they need to make things easy and simple to do, otherwise they’re gonna spend a lot of time trying to figure it out. That’s a wasted time. –Ryan Paul Gibson, Founder of Content Lift

Gary agreed, highlighting the importance of mapping content to the developer journey. He explained that while developer marketing focuses on awareness and consideration, technical content is vital for the “learn, build, and scale” phases. Technical content is not just about documentation, he explained. It is about giving developers the resources they need to get into the ecosystem and get things done. It’s about providing a frictionless entry into using your products and services. This approach can ultimately lead to creating happy, life-long customers.

How Do Developers Make Build vs. Buy Decisions?

The “build vs. buy” question is a common one for technical professionals. They are constantly evaluating whether they can execute a project internally, using their own time and resources, or if they need to bring in an external solution. This is why, as Gary and Ryan discussed, it’s important to be upfront about what your product does and, equally importantly, what it doesn’t do.

Gary stressed the importance of enabling developers to quickly evaluate your product, build proofs of concept, and get hands-on experience. He mentioned the importance of a “speed to hello world” approach. Developers need to quickly understand if they can build a solution themselves, or if they should buy an existing one, and be able to make that decision quickly.

How quickly can I evaluate if I can build this? Or should I buy it? –Gary Gonzalez, Managing Partner at Catchy

Beyond the technical evaluation, Gary also highlighted the need for content that speaks to all stakeholders involved in the decision-making process, from the developers themselves to technical decision-makers and non-technical business leaders. This includes use cases, success stories, and other content that demonstrates the value proposition of your product at different levels.

Ryan added that transparency is key. He emphasized that companies should be upfront about their products’ capabilities, and what they do not have. He advised against making overblown claims, as developers will often find out the truth, and share their opinions with others online.

You want to be really transparent about what your product does and what it cannot do… because people will find it out, and they will share that online. –Ryan Paul Gibson, Founder of Content Lift

How Do You Drive Engagement in Developer Ecosystems?

Once a developer ecosystem has been built you also need to drive engagement and keep your community active. Ryan and Gary discussed several strategies:

Leverage Multiple Channels

Ryan emphasized the need to go beyond your website and instead, use various channels to reach your audience. These include:

• Social media platforms can be valuable for engaging with developers and sharing content.
• Use community platforms like Stack Overflow and other relevant forums for engaging in discussions. 
• Events (both in-person and virtual) provide opportunities for interaction.

He also noted the importance of joining existing community conversations. Instead of just pushing content, engage with conversations, and find out how people are using your tool or what are their current challenges.

Focus on the Six Pillars of a Developer Program

Gary pointed out that developer programs should be built around six pillars, including the technical content and resources, as well as a media mix to get this content to your users. These pillars include:

• Developer Portal: A central hub for all things related to your developer ecosystem.
• Marketing Content: Content focused on building awareness and driving consideration.
• Technical Content: Educational resources and documentation to help developers learn and build.
• Media Mix: Utilizing various channels to distribute your content and reach your target audience.
• Community: Creating a space for developers to connect, collaborate, and share their experiences.
• Events: Hosting or participating in both online and in-person events to foster engagement.

Empower Your Power Users

One of the often-missed opportunity is empowering power users. These developers can serve as “free” advocates for your product, contributing to content creation, product growth, and community engagement. They are valuable because they speak with an authentic voice, building trust and credibility within the community.

Prioritize Your Resources

Ryan added the importance of being realistic about resourcing, noting that starting a community or utilizing specific channels takes time and effort. He advised prioritizing channels that are most likely to resonate with your target audience, rather than trying to do everything at once.

Maintain Momentum

Gary stressed the idea of developer marketing as a practice. He explained that the tech world is always changing, with products, use cases, and technologies. This means that content, documentation, and tools require constant upkeep. He noted that, once you create a piece of content, you’re not “done”. It’s a living and breathing thing. 

Ryan agreed, explaining the importance of continually understanding how things are shifting in the markets. He suggested looking outside your organization to identify new trends, problems, and use cases for your product. He also noted that it’s important to listen to your user base and reshare new ideas and content that resonates with them.

How Do You Measure Developer Ecosystem ROI?

Proving the return on investment (ROI) for developer-focused initiatives can be challenging, as the impact isn’t always immediate or easily quantifiable. 

Ryan noted that in B2B marketing, it could take years for a free user to become a paying customer. He suggested focusing on whether you have influenced more people than in previous years. Some of the key metrics to show this are:

• Organic site traffic: Measure how many people are visiting your site and engaging with your content.
• Share of voice: Determine how many people in your market know about your product.
• Conversion rates: Analyze the success of your content in moving people through the sales funnel.

He also noted that your goal should be to create the conditions for a sale to happen, and not just focusing on closing deals immediately.

Gary added that while there are many touchpoints to track in the developer journey, it’s important to focus on the core metrics. He recommended that enterprise companies focus on how they are:

• Driving more revenue: Tying developer initiatives to product acquisition and sales growth.
• Building longer-lasting customer relationships: Measuring customer satisfaction and retention.
• Supporting product growth and innovation: Tracking product usage metrics like daily active users and monthly active users.

He also recommended using a developer marketing flywheel as a way to see the entire developer marketing process and the key metrics to analyze for each area.

How Do You Build Your First Developer Program?

The webinar ended with Gary and Ryan offering some advice to those companies that are just starting to take their first steps of implementing a developer program.

Gary emphasized the importance of long-term planning and consistency. He noted that building a developer program is a long-term play, and that you should make a plan and stick to it. Focus on building strong foundational blocks sequentially, have a 2-3 year plan, and stick to it while also being open to adjustments as needed.

Ryan stressed the importance of understanding your target audience. He explained that you should conduct thorough research to understand your customers, what they need, and how you can build trust and credibility with them. 

Both speakers advised against being reactionary, or trying to do everything at once. They explained that it’s very easy to get distracted by what your competitors are doing, or what you are hearing in the market.

Conclusion

My takeaway from this discussion is that building a strong developer ecosystem is a necessity for both startups and established enterprises dealing with technical products. A thriving developer ecosystem around your product can help technical buyers embed it into their critical business flows, eventually resulting in increased business growth.

At Draft.dev, we see this firsthand, working with many enterprise companies that are investing heavily in technical content to help their developer ecosystems flourish, which shows that nourishing and maintaining your developer ecosystem and audience is key to driving both product adoption and long-term business success.

Draft.dev’s monthly webinars are a great way to learn more about similar DevRel and technical marketing topics. You can sign up for our next session with live Q&A here.

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