Designing and performing marketing campaigns for Open Source products must be approached differently than proprietary software alternatives. Our presentation abounds in this claim, assembling three core lines, outlined below.
Firstly, we consider four key characteristics of the OSS ecosystem and their influence in the performance of marketing campaigns. These are: 1. Target audience members are producers, as well as consumers/users at the same time. An expertise-oriented approach must drive everything from content generation to delivery scheduling. 2. Open Source rapidly evolves. Campaign contents must align with the changing features and outcomes of this innovation process. 3. Added value proposition of most Open Source commercial products builds on areas that are perceived as flawed in their free/non-commercial counterparts, e.g.: support and security. 4. Lead velocity in the conversion funnel is lower than other products'. Secondly, we delve into the "anatomy of our audience", sketching key roles, i.e.: both business and IT decision makers, developers and influencers, and discussing what makes a proposal valuable for each of these personas.
Finally, we share some insights and lessons learned regarding what campaign profiles work best, what content is more engaging and what channels perform the best for every target audience.
Leticia Tierra has been involved in tech firms for 10 years, playing different digital marketing roles. She has been focused on developing marketing and communication strategies for start ups. She has been involved in cultural change projects in large firms. Now, she is focused on... Read More →
