Beyond a doubt, the marketplace for application distribution is crowded, and fatigue is setting in among developers. How do you rise above the rest, and get developers to prioritize implementing your API or SDK over the competition? What are the best channels to market and what outcomes can you anticipate to achieve? Kate Pietrelli shares tactics and insights regarding API and SDK marketing for developers from traditional lead gen and demand programs to media and events to messaging strategies.

1. The Marketing Playbook for
API & SDK Adoption
Kate Pietrelli

2. You’ve made a great PRODUCT
You’re ready to welcome in DEVELOPERS
How do you get developers AWARE of
your API or SDK, PRIORITIZING
integration into their deck, and providing
valuable FEEDBACK?
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3. Land of Opportunity
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4. The Competitive Landscape
Payments & Offers Game Publishing & Platform Distribution
Paid Acquisition &
Discovery
Analytics & BI Marketing Platform &
Messaging
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5. Have You Addressed the Marketing P’s?
Product
Pricing People
Positioning Promotion
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6. Marketing Plays
1. Messaging
2. Flagship Customers
3. Press Engagement
4. Thought Leadership
5. Lead Generation
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7. Beta Phase: Start Early, Don’t Wait
• Goal
– External awareness to launch
– Internally optimize for launch
• Approach
– Messaging tests
– Build initial leads and identify
potential case studies
• Results
– Stronger launch initiative
– Credibility early
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8. Play 1: Personalize Your Messaging
• Target Audience
Who do you need to reach and convince?
• Value Proposition
What specific benefits does your product provide? (up to 5)
• Tailor and Test, Test, Test
What resonates with your audience? Is it something tangible (cost
savings, time) or intangible (deeper understanding of their users)?
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9. Play 2: Leverage Flagship Customers
• Lends validation and credibility
to your story
• Opportunities:
– Media Interviews
– Case Studies / Testimonials
– Promotional Materials
– Events
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10. No Pressure, but Timing is Everything
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11. Launch Phase: Driving Demand
• Goals
– Brand Awareness and Discovery
– Buzz Around Your Product
– Action
• Approach:
– Media Relations – Stories, News Coverage
– Thought Leadership – Presentations and Content
– Lead Generation
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12. Play 3: Leverage Press Opportunities
• Goal
– Launch awareness and discovery
– Buzz and conversation
• Approach
– Stories, demos, testimonials
– Outlets that reach targets
• Results
– Articles published
– Inbound calls, site visits and emails from targets
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13. Play 4: Drive Thought Leadership
• Goal
– Build Credibility
– Deliver Messaging
• Approach
– Conference speaking
– Webinars and presentations
– Interviews
– Editorial
• Results
– Visibility and introductions
– Inbound calls and emails
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14. Sorry for Party Rocking
When does it make sense to spend?
• Goals
– Fast, broad awareness
– Reach a mass audience
• Approach:
– Plays 1-4
• Results
– Over 130 Facebook social games live in 6 months
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15. Play 5: Ongoing Lead Generation Program
• Goal
– Inbound Inquiries
– Quality List of Leads
• Approach
– Create different offers
– Develop informative content
– Create urgency
• Takeaways
– Always be testing to optimize performance
– Don’t forget to track
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16. Create Content People CAN and WANT to Share
• Videos
• Infographics
• Case Studies
• Research Reports
• Presentations
• White Papers
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17. 9 Critical Threats Campaign
• Goal
– Introduce new product
– Drive webinar attendance
• Approach
– Email campaign
– Ads on LinkedIn
– Landing page on website
– A|B Testing
• Results
– Increased email open and click rate
– Webinar signups and attendance
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18. Don’t Forget Your ABC’s
• Take every opportunity
to capture contact
information from leads:
– Call to Action
– Landing Page
– Signup Form
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19. Free Presentation: The Marketing Playbook for
API & SDK Adoption
Download this free
presentation and learn how to:
• Help your product rise above
the noise
• Get developers to prioritize
your product
• Leverage the 5 plays:
1. Messaging
2. Flagship Customers
3. Press Engagement
4. Thought Leadership
5. Lead Generation
Questions?
Kate Pietrelli
kate@pathadvisors.com
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