If you want to win the hearts and minds of developers in their I-want-to-know, I-want-to-do, and I-have-to-fix moments, you’ll need to do more than just show up.
You need to be useful and meet their needs in those moments. That means connecting developers to what they’re looking for in real time and providing relevant information when they need it. Users gravitate toward brands with snackable, educational content.
Only 9% of users will stay on a mobile site if it doesn’t satisfy their needs (for example, to find a solution to their coding problem). With an average of XX% of our developers on mobile, that's a significant portion of your traffic. Without utility, they will not only move on in the moment, they actually might not ever come back.
69% of users agree that the quality, timing, or relevance of a company’s message influences their perception of a brand.
Our most popular content is centered around the “how-to” search. It’s the “I need to fix a performance issue” moment or the “I want to add a new feature to my app” moment. This is where video content can play a huge role, since it allows them to learn at their own pace, often with step-by-step instructions.
"I want it NOW"
That sounds like something a toddler in the terrible twos would say, but it’s also what our audience is saying. They want immediate gratification, and they’re working faster than ever before. How can you improve the content and simplify the flow to get developers to what they want quickly?
Eliminate Steps
Think about the goal of your site: are you trying to drive awareness, downloads, registrations, registrations, or consumption? Everything you do should have a singular focus. Start with that goal and think about how you can cut the number of steps a user must take to reach it.
Anticipate Needs
Being quick also involves knowing what the developer wants BEFORE they want it. Put your big stuff first. You aren't writing a mystery novel where everything will be revealed at the last moment. The goal of every page should be easy to understand and the first thing developers see. You may have secondary goals, but they should never interfere.
Do a Reality Check
Grab your phone and try a few of these tasks. Even better, find someone that isn't familiar with your content and ask them to perform these tasks. How well does your content hold up? Can you streamline it further?
- Think of the key action you want a user to take. How long did it take to perform?
- Think of the most searched-for topics for your area. Try those searches. Are you there and do you like what you see?
- Find one of your new articles. How long does it take to read?
- Think about which elements on your site are absolutely, positively, undeniably essential for your developers. How fast can you find it?
- Does every page you go to clearly state its goal at the top? Is anything else adding to the clutter?
- Can you easily remember the top key points about your content (your 15sec pitch)?
- If you scan down the page quickly, what do you remember seeing?
- Are you fighting with yourself or other Intel properties for developer attention in search results?