Build a New feature > marketing?

Written by: Jennifer Strout, Founder of MotivateU
​
Developers are often labeled as the brains behind the success of any application. However, while developers are essential in building the perfect app, the burden of marketing often falls on their shoulders as well. And it's common knowledge that developers would rather create a new feature than do marketing for their app.
The reason may be simple. Developers are naturally inclined towards creativity, innovation, and improving their app. They want to roll out new features and functionality that excites their audience and helps them to improve the user experience. Building and coding feels more comfortable to them than the sometimes-tedious work of marketing.

The truth is that marketing is an entirely different discipline. Marketing and sales require a different set of skills than designing and developing an app. It involves identifying the right target audience, crafting a compelling value proposition, developing marketing campaigns, and measuring results. For many developers, the prospect of creating campaigns to drive downloads or increase engagement can feel daunting and frustrating.

Moreover, marketing is not a one-time activity; it's a continuous one. It requires sustaining attention and interest in the market, constantly coming up with new ideas to stay ahead of the competition. The relentless pace of change and emergence of new channels and platforms makes it even more challenging for developers to keep up. So, it's easy to see why many developers prefer to focus their time and energy on developing new features rather than marketing.

However, developers shouldn't see marketing as a necessary evil or a distraction from their core work. The reality is that well-executed marketing campaigns amplify the audience for an app and increase engagement. Implementing a sound marketing strategy is essential to ensure that developers can reap the full benefits of their hard work and innovation. The developer's role is crucial in creating a compelling app, but it takes both a good app and effective marketing to make an app successful. Sadly the old adage - build it and then will come - does not hold true in over saturated markets.

Therefore, finding a balance is key. The solution is not to sacrifice the creativity and development process but to either build marketing time into their schedule and/or to collaborate with marketing professionals and gain a better understanding of how to market their creations successfully. By doing so, developers can focus on what they do best while still growing their marketing expertise along with their market share.

Want a tool that helps make the process of writing and sharing marketing copy a little less painful? Check out our tool KeyLink and save time and energy for what you love to do best!

---