Grabbing Developer Attention, Encouraging Developer Interest

Franklin Christuraj needed a way to encourage developers to try Jahia’s open source content management product.

The Swiss-based company has done well in the European market and also in the Americas recently, with a platform that snaps into existing digital experience stacks to make content management easier. Christuraj, their growth marketer, was tasked with reaching more developers in the US and Europe.

Why developers?

Jahia knew from its own experience that developers might not be the dealmakers at companies, but they can be the deal breakers or the ones to suggest technology to IT and managers.

Choosing DZone

When it came time to look for a publishing outlet, Christuraj immediately thought of DZone, A Devada Media Property. “I used to be a full-stack developer and read DZone for help with Java and other resources,’’ Christuraj says. “I figured it was the perfect place to find the kind of developers we were looking for.’’

Jahia bought a Refcard, a DZone content product that provides 500 guaranteed, and vetted, email addresses. The Refcard was downloaded by 3,300 readers within three months. The subsequent leads led to a 10% increase in software developers downloading a free Jahia community version of the software.

“We really wanted to raise brand awareness and get developers to use our software. That was the goal, and that’s what we got,’’ Christuraj says.

How a Refcard Works

Refcards put offerings in the spotlight during the evaluation and post-purchase stages of the funnel by providing developers with a deep dive into specific user issues or product capabilities.

Jahia crafted its Refcard to serve as a tutorial (a popular format with developers). “Getting Started with Java-Based CMS” explores topics such as CMS architectures and separating code from content. Christuraj worked with his CTO, product managers and other SMEs at his company to write a piece that would resonate with Java developers in the CMS space.

“We received clear guidelines from our DZone campaign specialist on how to put the content together. They explained how to be informational and not promotional,’’ Christuraj says.  The Refcard is a licensed asset that Jahia can use in other marketing venues for six months. “Everything went smoothly in sending the asset in, preparing, and publishing it.’’

Christuraj can view his download numbers on DZone site. As part of his contract, DZone provides 500 email leads and Jahia has the option to buy additional leads.

Deploying DZone Along with Other Marketing Efforts

Jahia’s work with DZone is designed to run in parallel with efforts to reach out to IT and C-level staff. “We purchased the Refcard so that when either of the other entities we are targeting mentions Jahia as a possible solution, the developers are familiar with it. We don’t want developers saying, ‘I don’t know Jahia.’’’