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Watch · 7 min

Developer marketing that works: authenticity over ads

Michael Shannack · Developer marketing, daily.dev

TL;DR

The hardest part of developer marketing is resonating with an audience that's skeptical by default and hates being pitched to. Michael Shannack explains how to win developers by adding value, teach them something or make them laugh, and by showing your brand's culture instead of selling. Authenticity can't be manufactured; developers sniff out generic or AI-generated copy instantly. Get onto their consideration set long before they're ready to buy, respect the whole post-click experience, and pick your channels with discipline.

Key takeaways

  • Think about the whole experience after the ad click, if the landing page stalls, developers leave.
  • Add value first: teach something, or make them laugh, to earn their attention.
  • Show brand culture, not just the product; make them think you're cool as a brand.
  • "Start with why" is almost anti-marketing for developers, they read it as a commercial pitch.
  • Authenticity can't be manufactured; devs sniff out generic and AI-generated copy.
  • Aim for the consideration set, be top of mind for when they're ready to buy.
  • A tip: ask an LLM for the top 100 headlines for your product, then never use any of them.
  • Channel discipline beats spray-and-pray, find where developers actually hang out.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Add value first, teach them something technical they can sink their teeth into, or make them laugh, and show your brand culture. Let them quickly understand what you do and earn their trust rather than pitching.

Developers are skeptical and can sniff out generic or AI-generated copy instantly. Authenticity can't be manufactured, it has to be inherent to the product, brand, and team culture, which is exactly what makes a brand stand out.

Ask an LLM for the top 100 headlines for your product, then make sure you never use any of them. It forces your team toward genuinely unique ideas.

Enterprise-style messaging, typical commercial language, and promising too much. Developers prefer practical, bite-size content they can try and see results from within minutes.
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