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The field of Developer Relations is a rapidly changing one, and it's hard to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. For those looking to stay on top of their game in the year 2023, this article is here to help.
We'll cover the essential resources you need to know about, from the latest industry news to the best tools and events for networking. By the time you're done reading, you'll be up to speed on all the hottest topics in the Developer Relations world. So buckle up and let's dive in!
What is Developer Relations?
Developer Relations is an umbrella term for all the activities focused on making developers successful with your technology or product. It can be developer marketing, community management, developer enablement, managing open source projects or taking care for developer experience, working as Developer Advocate or creating Developer Ambassador programs.
A relationship between developers and company
Developer relations is all about creating relationships between developers and a company. It’s about building trust, understanding how developers work, and creating a two-way dialogue to ensure that developers have a great experience with your company. It’s about creating an environment that not only encourages developers to work with your product, but also provides them with the tools and resources to be successful.
Put simply, developer relations is all about creating a bridge between developers and your company - giving developers what they need to succeed, and keeping your company informed on the latest trends in the development world.
Best Developer Relations tools
Finding the right tools to manage your developer relations initiatives can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are a variety of developer relations tools available to help streamline and optimize your workflow. Check the best developer relations tools to help you foster relationships and drive success.
Developer Ambassador management platform: Advocu
Advocu is a great tool to build and grow your Developer Ambassador or Champion program. It has a lot of functionalities focused solely on Ambassadors, which helps you to keep them engaged, informed and motivated.
Starting from Ambassador's profiles with their activities and statistics, through automated program application process and global activity stream, to program reports and contributors leaderboard, you can build and grow your program. And the best part is that everything in the tool is customizable.
Social media scheduling: Buffer
Buffer is a great tool for managing your social media accounts as Developer Advocate or Ambassador. It provides a comprehensive dashboard to manage all of your social media accounts, as well as automated reports to showcase your work.
Buffer Reply lets you pull in comments on your posts, private messages, and DMs, while Respond is a customer service tool that helps you engage and assist your Twitter audience in real-time. Paid accounts come with built-in analytics that track engagement metrics like clicks, shares, comments, and favorites. Buffer is an ideal tool to help you strengthen your connection with your audience and drive meaningful results.
Product and API documentation: Readme.io
ReadMe transforms static API documentation into real-time, interactive developer hubs. With the tool you can:
- build simple and engaging developer hub with interactive documentation,
- track API adoption and usage with metrics,
- build API changelog and gather documentation feedback.
Developer Experience platform: SideGuide
SideGuide is on the mission to transform Developer Experience for tech products. With the tool you can:
- Speed up documentation creation with quality generated code samples explanations all inside VS Code.
- Developer education: Learn coding by developer real applications, in real environments directly in VS Code.
- Use the power of AI to build your documentation and answer developer's questions.
Developer Relations reports, statistics and industry benchmarks
Keep up to date with the Developer Relations industry and best practices by reading reports and statistics. There are many of them out there, but these are some of the best.
Trends in Developer Ambassador programs for 2023 by Advocu
If you want your DevRel strategy to thrive in 2023, it's time to think about how a developer ambassador program can help you build stronger, more meaningful relationships with your developer community. Check Advocu's extensive article for more expert insights on the latest trends in ambassador programs, and get inspired to take your program to the next level in the coming year.
Trends in Developer Ambassador programs for 2023
This article is backed up by comments and opinions from 12 industry experts, featuring Program Managers from Google, Elastic or Cypress.
State of Developer Nation by Slash Data
No matter what role you play in the tech industry, from developer to media partner to business leader, the same question keeps coming up - what lies ahead for the developer community and the industry as a whole?
As the tech industry continues to evolve, staying up-to-date on the latest trends and developments is essential for success. Keeping an eye on the future of the developer population and ecosystem is key to staying ahead of the competition and staying relevant in the industry.
Keep track of the newest changes and data with Slash Data resources.
State of Developer Marketing 2022 Report
In this report, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the current developer relations landscape. You will get valuable insights as well as discover common pain points experienced by developers and gain an understanding of the developers community. It is an invaluable source of information for anyone looking to build an effective developer relations and marketing strategy.
State of Developer Relations 2022
The 2022 State of Developer Relations Report is the most comprehensive report on DevRel available. It provides insights into the challenges, opportunities, and the evolution of Developer Relations. It highlights key data for DevRel and Developer Advocacy, and covers salaries, activities, strategies, and backgrounds of people in DevRel. This report is invaluable for companies who want to implement, or improve their DevRel programs.
Best DevRel events
Conferences are a great way to not only learn how companies are growing, but also build a network of other developer. In addition, you can get direct access to some of the brightest minds in the industry.
Conference for DevRel professionals: DevRelCon
If you're looking for a conference that focuses solely on sharing Developer Relations knowledge, then DevRelCon is your one-stop shop! Not only is it the only event of its kind, but it's also the best one I've ever attended.
From the incredible venue and delicious food, to the awesome networking opportunities and top-notch speakers, DevRelCon is the perfect place to learn from the best of the best developer relations professionals and make valuable connections in the industry. So if you're looking for an event to help you up your DevRel game, I definitely recommend sending your Developer Relations team to DevRelCon!
Track DevRelCon website for information about future editions or check my summary from DevRelCon Prague 2022.
The list of currently open call for papers: CallingAllPapers
As a developer relations manager, attending conferences and speaking at them is a key part of your job. But with the rise in both in-person and virtual tech events, it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of all the calls for papers and events that might be of interest to you. That's where CallingForPapers comes in!
This website is your one-stop shop for browsing events and calls for papers, making it easy to stay up-to-date and find the perfect event for you. So if you're looking for an easy way to stay on top of events, CallingForPapers is the perfect choice.
Best blogs for Developer Relations
Blogs are a great way to access new ideas and knowledge to level up your DevRel efforts. While there are hundreds of such blogs, these are our favorites.
All you need to know about Developer Ambassador programs with Advocu
Advocu blog is a compilation of comprehensive guides about Developer Ambassador programs and resources about developer advocacy. The blog also contains a lot of ultimate guides on how to use Advocu to successfully grow your Developer Ambassador program.
Developer marketing explained by industry experts with Developer Marketing Alliance
Developer Marketing Alliance is the perfect place to learn all about developer marketing. With a wealth of industry experts leading the charge, you can get up to speed on the latest trends and techniques for marketing for developers and tech companies.
Developer relations resources with DevRelX
If you are looking for a regular dose of developer relations resources, definitely sign up for DevRelX newsletter! Their bi-weekly email with the summary of new and hot resources for developer relations professionals is something that'll help you to keep track of the changes in the industry!
Resources for Developer Marketers with Developer Markepear
For developer marketing practicioners from a developer marketing practitioner. Developer Markepear is a great blog to follow. Comprehensive guides, which Kuba shares on his blog, are full of real-life examples on how to build developer communities or social media for developer products.
End when your head is empty and you need ideas for social media posts - check the Examples Gallery full of screenshots and inspirations.
Best communities around DevRel
DevRelX Slack community
If you're looking for resources and insights into the world of Developer Relations, Experience, Advocacy and Marketing, then joining the DevRelX Community is the perfect way to stay informed. With this Slack community, you can connect with peers and professionals in the field and exchange perspectives, asking questions and getting advice from experienced developers.
You can also stay up to date on the latest industry news and resources, making sure you're always ahead of the curve. With such a wide range of knowledge and expertise at your fingertips, joining DevRelX community is the perfect way to stay informed and on top of the latest trends in the world of developer relations and marketing.
Developer Marketing Alliance Slack Community
For folks focused more on Developer Marketing and technical content writing, there is also a place to look for the fresh knowledge and industry news. Slack channel hosted by Developer Marketing Alliance is a great place to check!
Best books for DevRel practitioners
Here are three of the best books to help you improve your Developer Relations skills.
The essential guide to developer marketing and relations: DevRelopment
"DevRelopment" is a book written by leading developer marketing practitioners in some of today's largest technology companies. It collects the insight of a generation of thought leaders within the tech industry, providing invaluable knowledge to those who are currently working in the field, or planning to do so in the future. This book is a must-have resource for anyone looking to engage in developer marketing or build a successful DevRel program.
Developer Relations: How to build and grow a successful developer program
"Developer Relations: How to Build and Grow a Successful Developer Program" is the ultimate guide to starting, operating and measuring the success of a developer program.
Written by Caroline Lewko and James Parton, this book covers all aspects of a DevRel program, from convincing stakeholders to creating a program, to standing out from the crowd and measuring success. With detailed examples and frameworks to help you launch and manage your DevRel program, it is an essential reference for professionalizing the practice of developer relations.
DevRel Book Club by DeveloperRelations.com
If you're looking for resources to inform your practice of developer relations, there's no shortage of books out there. But which books are the most useful?
The DevRel Book Club is here to help. Every month, they invite a DevRel professional to share a book that has had a positive impact on their career and practice. Join Matthew Revell and Ramón Huidobro for the live stream of each book club, where you can take part directly or catch up with past episodes by watching the videos or subscribing to the podcast. With the DevRel Book Club, you'll have access to the best resources to inform and improve your practice of developer relations.
Conclusions
Developer relations is always evolving. That's why as a developer relations professional, you need to stay informed and up-to-date with the industry. The resources in this post can help you perform better at your current company, as well as position yourself for better opportunities.
For most developer-first companies, especially the product-led ones, the success of the entire company sometimes lies in your hands as the developer marketer or Head of DevRel. Building the right team and choosing the right strategies are essential and you can learn a lot from the resources outlined above.
Want to level up your DevRel and build better Developer Ambassador programs? Book a demo with our team and get started!
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