How to grow a developer blog to 3M annual visitors? with Jakub Czakon (Neptune.ai)

Welcome to another episode of The Developer-led Podcast, where we dive into the strategies modern companies use to build and grow their developer tools. In this exciting episode, we're joined by Jakub Czakon, the CMO at Neptune.ai, a startup that assists developers in efficiently managing their machine-learning model data. Jakub is renowned not only for his role at Neptune.ai but also for his developer marketing endeavors, including the influential newsletter Developer Markepear and a thriving developer marketing Slack community.

In this episode, Jakub sheds light on his journey, his involvement in developer marketing, and the remarkable achievement of scaling Neptune.ai's blog traffic to a staggering 3 million annual visitors. Let's explore the key insights from this conversation.

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Seizing the Opportunity: Building a Thriving Developer Community

Jakub recognized the significance of cultivating a vibrant developer community early on. He kicked off Neptune.ai's developer marketing initiatives by establishing an engaging Slack community and a resourceful newsletter. The objective was simple: foster collaboration and share valuable insights with like-minded individuals interested in developer marketing.

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The Art of Crafting Engaging Content

Neptune.ai's impressive feat of drawing 3 million unique visitors annually to their blog didn't happen by chance. Jakub explains that the process was strategically planned and executed. They tapped into the power of content creation to target various stages of the buyer's journey—ranging from classic marketing to product-aware stages. By identifying gaps in existing content and addressing long-tail keywords, Neptune.ai managed to cater to specific user needs.

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Writing for the Right Audience

One crucial aspect of Neptune.ai's success was their ability to tailor content to their audience. Jakub emphasized the importance of understanding the readers and writing content that resonates with them. Whether addressing developers, technical architects, or business executives, Neptune.ai ensured their content was relevant, informative, and impactful.

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The Intersection of Developer Marketing and Sales

Connecting developer marketing efforts to sales is an essential aspect of Neptune.ai's strategy. Jakub highlights the concept of "product-led sales," emphasizing the importance of providing strong signals of adoption to technical users. He points out that developer-geared content should offer solutions to real problems developers face, making it more likely for them to engage with the sales process.

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Curating Knowledge for Continuous Learning

To stay informed and continually improve, Jakub employs a methodical approach to consuming information. He actively seeks out podcasts, books, and resources on developer marketing and scaling devtools. By diving deep into topics, following experts, and staying updated with the latest trends, Jakub ensures he's well-equipped to drive Neptune.ai's growth.

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Through strategic content creation, audience-focused writing, and a keen focus on connecting developer marketing with sales, Neptune.ai's success story offers a roadmap for other developer-focused companies looking to expand their reach. If you're interested in diving deeper into the world of developer marketing and learning from Jakub's experiences, make sure to check out the full podcast episode on The Developer-led Podcast. With the right strategies and dedication, achieving significant growth in the developer community is well within reach.