Ecosystem Marketing

Innovation is no accident. It happens when developers, partners, advocates, and support communities are mindfully cultivated in the spirit of doing things bigger and better. In an era where nearly every brand is a platform technology business, it has become essential to enable builders to connect, to succeed, and to inspire. Great things happen when creators lean in and take part in a collaborative ecosystem. 

What is Ecosystem Marketing?

Ecosystem marketing is the process of creating and executing on unified marketing communications programs that engage all stakeholders of a technology platform. Partners, developers, customers, and employees - all of these audiences take different but often overlapping paths inside a platform ecosystem. Stewarding them along their journey with thoughtfulness requires understanding these nuanced differences and speaking to people authentically; that’s what ecosystem marketing is all about. 

Think for a moment about cooking soup. It’s about the individual ingredients, the intangible additions brought by experienced chefs, and a recipe that never loses sight of what ultimately gets served for dinner. 

For Catchy, this begins with vision, taking the time to understand the competition, to listen to the needs of talented development partners, to surface insights for decision makers, and then to execute on a well-crafted strategy. Just as every technology platform is different, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to marketing them. 

When done right, ecosystem marketing uses the interconnectedness of people and technology to move innovation outside the building by attracting external partners and uniting them with the tools and resources of the platform. It’s a carefully chosen push in the right direction to facilitate a flywheel of growth. The more partners a platform has developing for it, the more attractive it becomes for customers. The more customers it has, the more attractive it becomes for partners. 

Why use Ecosystem Marketing?

Ecosystem marketing is aimed at building a relationship with the stakeholders who enable your platform to grow. These builders are technical, pragmatic, and put off by traditional marketing. Empowerment and authenticity are the keys to engaging them.

  • Build trust by using authenticity, not trickery or fluff
  • Enable developers to do their best work using your products and services
  • Fuel collaboration and engagement around your platform 
  • Attract and build an active, open community
  • Create value for all stakeholders

Ecosystem marketing is a means of tending the fire that burns at the heart of thriving ecosystems. Fuel your platform wisely and it will reward the entire community.

How is Ecosystem Marketing Different from Traditional Marketing?

Traditional marketing attempts to sell products, services, and ideas by casting a wide net across classic media channels that may (or may not) engage your marketing-savvy audience. 

Going beyond catch-all consumer-focused messaging, ecosystem marketing tells a consistent, unified story across unique audiences. It uses nuance to reach builders, partners, and customers in authentic voices to grease the wheels of success for technology-based platforms.

A well-crafted ecosystem marketing program creates value for platform caretakers, development partners, and participants by fostering innovation and spurring engagement for the benefit of all. It is a means of establishing fertile partnerships between businesses and builders to sprout better experiences and to grow whole platforms.