The Marketing Playbook for API & SDK Adoption

Kate Pietrelli

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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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Land of Opportunity

Marketing Platform & Messaging

Analytics & BI

Paid Acquisition & Discovery

Game Publishing & Platform DistributionPayments & Offers

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The Competitive Landscape

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Have You Addressed the Marketing P’s?

Product

Pricing People

Positioning Promotion

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Marketing Plays

1. Messaging2. Flagship Customers3. Press Engagement4. Thought Leadership5. Lead Generation

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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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Play 1: Personalize Your Messaging

• Target AudienceWho do you need to reach and convince?

• Value PropositionWhat specific benefits does your product provide? (up to 5)

• Tailor and Test, Test, TestWhat resonates with your audience? Is it something tangible (cost

savings, time) or intangible (deeper understanding of their users)?

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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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No Pressure, but Timing is Everything

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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

• 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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Play 3: Leverage Press Opportunities

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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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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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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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Create Content People CAN and WANT to Share

• Videos• Infographics• Case Studies• Research Reports• Presentations• White Papers

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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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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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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. Messaging2. Flagship Customers3. Press Engagement4. Thought Leadership5. Lead Generation

Questions?Kate Pietrelli

kate@pathadvisors.com