Summary

In this conversation, Naruto, a Developer Relations professional at Avail, discusses the challenges and strategies of marketing to developers in the crypto space. He shares insights on how he transitioned from a software engineer to a DevRel role, the importance of understanding different types of developers, and the effectiveness of hackathons and hacker houses in attracting serious talent. Naruto emphasizes the need for a strong personal brand and collaborative marketing efforts with partners to reach the right audience. In this conversation, Naruto discusses the importance of building relationships with developers through individual conversations and the support provided to them in their projects. He emphasizes the cautious approach to funding and grants, focusing on genuine builders rather than grant seekers. The conversation also highlights the significance of vetting developers through due diligence, the competitive landscape of developer solutions, and the critical role of customer service in retaining developers. Naruto shares insights on the structure of developer relations within his organization and the strategies for creating content that resonates with developers.

Takeaways

Naruto got into crypto in 2017 and became a software engineer.

Avail is a data availability layer that aims to improve UX and liquidity.

Attracting developers is challenging due to the technical nature of Avail's products.

Hackathons are not the best way to find serious developers.

Hacker houses provide focused environments for developers to build.

Building a personal brand on Twitter is crucial for DevRel.

Collaborating with partners helps in reaching a wider developer audience.

Due diligence is essential when selecting participants for hacker houses.

Identifying long-term builders is more valuable than short-term bounty hunters.

Engaging with developers through Discord and direct feedback is important. Building relationships with developers is crucial for success.

Cautious funding strategies are essential to avoid grant seekers.

Vetting developers requires a mix of subjective and objective assessments.

Customer service plays a vital role in developer retention.

Developer relations should ideally sit under product or engineering.

Creating timely and relevant content attracts developers.

Support for developers includes operational logistics and introductions to investors.

The developer experience is critical for ecosystem loyalty.

Engaging with the developer community fosters trust and collaboration.

The current market presents opportunities for builders to innovate.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Developer Relations in Crypto

03:03 Understanding Avail and Its Products

05:58 Attracting Developers to Avail

08:47 The Role of Hackathons and Hacker Houses

11:59 Identifying Serious Developers

14:53 Marketing Strategies for Hacker Houses

17:55 Building a Personal Brand in Developer Relations

27:59 Building Relationships Through Individual Conversations

28:54 Funding and Support for Developer Projects

30:29 The Importance of Developer Support

31:40 Vetting Developers: The Due Diligence Process

36:50 Differentiating Avail in a Competitive Market

41:11 The Role of Customer Service in Developer Retention

43:27 The Structure of Developer Relations

47:25 Creating Content that Attracts Developers

Follow me @papiofficial on X for upcoming episodes and to get in touch with me.
See other Episodes Here. And thank you to all our crypto and blockchain guests.