One thing I learned from collaborating with other devtool founders is the outsized impact a single developer advocate or influencer can have. In the dev world, trust is paramount, and developers trust fellow developers they respect. There are folks out there who have large followings on Twitter, YouTube, blogs, etc., by consistently providing value – think open-source maintainers, tech YouTubers, prominent DevRel engineers. Getting these key voices on your side can create an organic ripple effect for your tool.
To be clear, when I say influencers, I don’t mean it in the shallow Instagram sense. Developer influencers are respected because they’re experts and genuinely helpful, not because they post sponsored content for a quick buck. They often won’t even consider talking about a tool unless they truly like it. That said, if you can build a real relationship with them, their word-of-mouth is invaluable. Here’s how to approach it:
Identify the Right People: Start by mapping out who the influencers or thought leaders are in your space. This could include:
- YouTubers who review or demo dev tools (in 2025, YouTube is still huge for dev content).
- Bloggers or writers on Dev.to/Medium with popular posts in your domain.
- Twitter persona with many developer followers who often discuss technologies.
- Maintainers of popular related open-source projects.
- Developer advocate professionals at big companies (they often have personal followings).
Look for signals of influence: subscriber counts, engagement on their content (comments, retweets), and relevance (do they cover topics adjacent to your product?). Some examples of well-known dev influencers today: people like Cassidy Williams (large Twitter following), or popular content creators like Fireship (YouTube), etc., depending on your niche. The key is quality over quantity – a niche influencer with 5k highly engaged followers in your exact field (say, a respected Kubernetes blogger) can be more impactful than a general tech personality with 100k followers who don’t specifically care about your problem.
Build Genuine Relationships (No Cold Spam): This part is so important. Developers are very sensitive to authenticity. If you find an influencer, don’t blast them with a templated “Hello, we built X, please review it!” email. Instead, start by engaging with their content and world genuinely. Follow them on Twitter, drop thoughtful comments on their blog or videos, share their posts that you found useful. Basically, get on their radar in a positive way without immediately asking for anything. Over time, you might DM or email them something specific you appreciated about their work or start a conversation at an event. The goal is to form a real connection.
When you do reach out more directly about your product, personalize it heavily. Mention what you’ve learned from them, why you think they specifically might find your tool interesting (perhaps it solves a pain point they’ve spoken about). Emphasize you’d value their feedback more than “can you please promote this”. If they see you as a fellow builder rather than a marketer, they’re more inclined to give you a shot. As one guide on dev influencer marketing put it: Generic mass emails won’t work; focus on building genuine relationships with influencers who align with your brand and values. That means maybe you only target a handful of folks and really put effort into connecting, rather than spamming people with the same pitch.
Offer Value to Influencers: Relationships are a two-way street. Think about how engaging with your tool or company could benefit them. Some ideas:
- Early Access or Exclusive Preview: Invite them to try your product early, even before public launch. Technical influencers love being ahead of the curve if the product is cool. Frame it like “I know you’re an expert in CI/CD, we built a tool in that space – since you’ve talked about build speed issues before, I’d love to give you access to see if it scratches that itch for you. If you have any feedback, it’d mean the world as we refine it.” This makes them feel valued (as an expert whose input matters) rather than used for promotion.
- Collaboration Opportunities: Perhaps propose doing a joint webinar or an interview where they get to be the star. For example, host a live stream on your Twitch or YouTube featuring them solving a problem using your tool. They get content and exposure, you get your tool showcased in an authentic way.
- Swag & Recognition: This is minor but sometimes appreciated – sending a thank-you, swag, or even just public shout-outs. When an influencer did mention crowd.dev, I made sure to amplify their post on our channels and personally thank them. Developer advocates often have a genuine motivation to help people; thanking and highlighting them reinforces that behavior.
Encourage Authentic Advocacy: The end goal is not to have influencers repeat your talking points – that would backfire with dev audiences. Instead, you want them to naturally promote your tool because they truly like it. That means you must be confident in your product and let them have an honest take. If an influencer does try your product, encourage them to share their real experience, even if it’s not 100% positive. Authenticity is more important than perfection. If you hear a critique, welcome it, improve, and let them know. This builds a long-term trust where they become a champion for your tool over time.
Leverage DevRel (Developer Relations): If you have a Developer Advocate or DevRel person on your team (even if part-time), this is their bread and butter. DevRel folks often network with each other; they know who the key community members are. DevRel isn’t just about writing docs – it’s about building a network of advocates for your product. When devs feel heard and supported by your team, they naturally become loyal advocates.
Target Community Leaders: Aside from online influencers, consider the leaders of relevant developer communities (the person who runs a popular Slack, or a meetup group organizer, etc.). They might not be “internet famous” but they have the ears of hundreds of devs in their niche. Build relationships with them just like you would with an influencer. Perhaps sponsor their meetup or offer to give a talk (more on events later) – these grassroots connections can lead to them recommending your tool to their community members.
Action plan
- Make a list of the top 10 individuals who have influence in your target developer audience.
- Do thorough research on each – what they do, what they like, any pain points you’ve heard them mention.
- Begin engaging subtly (likes, comments, sharing their stuff) over a few weeks.
- Then craft individual outreach messages that offer them something valuable (early access, a use-case that might interest them, etc.). Be patient – you might only get a response from 2 or 3, and that’s fine.
- If an influencer agrees to try your tool, prioritize their onboarding and support. Treat them like VIPs (not with fluff, but with tech support and openness to feedback).
- If they end up mentioning your product publicly out of appreciation, amplify that through your channels (retweet them, thank them).
Over time, also consider formalizing a Champion program (overlaps with strategy #8) where these advocates get special perks for being ongoing ambassadors. Remember, one genuine recommendation from a trusted developer voice can do more for you than any ad budget could.
Learn more about influencer marketing for developers
- How to Sell Developer Tools – “Influencers aren’t YouTubers with hundreds of thousands of followers… These are people with good reputations in relevant communities – on Stack Overflow, Reddit, Discord, etc.”
- DevRel Influencer Trend – Discusses the merge of DevRel and influencer roles.
My tool recommendations
- X/YouTube: For discovering influencers in your niche