HubSpot moved from an application-focused company to a platform company by building an app marketplace. They saw marketing transition from an outbound push model to an inbound pull model, and their own tools fragmented across different vendors. Their solution was to create an integrated platform and open their APIs, allowing partners and customers to build apps. They released over 40 apps in 4 months, seeing rapid growth in installed apps. To successfully build an app marketplace, HubSpot focused on good customer experience, compelling incentives for developers, strong developer support, and internal commitment to APIs.

1. WELCOME
Business of APIs Conference 2011
New York City

2. HubSpot -
from application to platform
Arjun Moorthy (@juicemoorthy)

3. Agenda
A The big picture: Outbound to Inbound
B Moving from Application to Platform
C Building a successful App Marketplace

4. Big
Picture

5. Outbound
to
Inbound

6. Marketing was
about
pushing
messages out.

7. Today it’s about
pulling
people in.

8. Great!
Just one
problem…

10. WordPress
Ektron
Marketo
Radian6
Lead
SEOmoz
Lander
Wufoo Omniture

11. Fragmented
to
Integrated

12. Top of the Website Blog Social
SEO Media
funnel
Middle of Landing Lead Lead
the funnel Nuturing Email Mgmt
Pages
Analytics Analytics A/B Test Mobile Sales
Intel

13. 2000
3000
4000
5000
0
1000
Jan-0
7
Mar-0
7
May-
07
Jul-07
Sep-0
7
Nov-0
7
Jan-0
8
Mar-0
8
May-
08
Jul-0
8
Sep-0
8
Nov-0
8
Jan-0
9
Mar-0
9
May-
09
Jul-0
9
Sep-0
9
Nov-0
9
Jan-1
0
Mar-1
0
May-
10
Jul-10
Sep-1
0
Nov-1
0
Jan-1
1
5000 High APRU Customers
Mar-1
1
May-
11
Jul-1
1

15. Our partners and
customers are idea
factories.

16. Application
to
Platform

17. Website Blog SEO Social Blog
Media PPC Creation
Landing Lead Lead Press
Nuturing Email Mgmt Webinars
Pages Releases
Analytics A/B Test Mobile Sales CRM Your Idea
Intel

18. 40+ Marketplace Apps in 4 mths

19. Total App Installations
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
April May June July August
Installed Apps

20. “There’s a marketing app or service
for that”
Website Blog Lead Landing Blog
Nurturing Pages PPC Creation
SEO Analytics Email
Lead
Mgmt Webinars
Press
Services
Marketplace
Releases
Social
Media A/B Test Mobile Sales CRM Your Idea
Intel

21. Building
an
app marketplace

22. Playbook: Moving to Platform
1. Good customer experience
(walled garden vs. open)
2. Compelling dev. economics
(effort, monetization, strategy)
3. Strong developer support
4. Internal commitment to APIs

23. Good customer experience

24. Compelling developer economics

25. Strong Developer Support

26. Internal commitment to APIs

27. Thank You.
@juicemoorthy

28. WELCOME
Business of APIs Conference 2011
New York City