Beyond the Hype: Why Blockchain Developer Relations Needs to Focus on Real-World Adoption
The blockchain space brims with grand visions for decentralized futures. However, much of the developer relations focus centers on protocol functionality, open source engagement, and hype over utility. This overlooks a crucial segment: commercial integration.
Many blockchain projects lack clear strategies for adoption among enterprises, startups, and businesses building “real” products and services. But pragmatically demonstrating blockchain’s capabilities via commercial implementation is key for moving beyond speculative interest.
Developer relations plays an important role in driving this real-world integration. Here are some ways teams can expand their focus beyond hype to enable commercial adoption:
Partner With Trusted Institutions
Big brands lend legitimacy. Developer relations should connect with recognizable institutions in target verticals to develop trial implementations and co-hosted events. Trusted names attract followers.
Curate Industry Use Cases
Rather than touting general capabilities, developer relations needs to curate specific use cases by industry with tailored messaging and collateral. This concreteness resonates better with commercial developers.
Provide Compliance Guidance
Enterprises are cautious about regulatory compliance. Developer relations should produce guides explaining blockchain compliance considerations around data privacy, jurisdictions, recordkeeping and more for commercial teams.
Spotlight Companies That Integrate
When notable brands do implement blockchain, developer relations should amplify these use cases as proof points in marketing materials and press outreach. Social proof builds confidence for others to follow.
Develop Token Integration Guides
Businesses need help navigating token integrations like payments, NFTs, and tokenized business models. Developer relations should author best practice guides, case studies, and other resources demystifying real-world token usage.
Simplify Procurement Processes
Enterprises are used to sales-driven relationships. Developer relations need clear procurement pathways for commercial support, licensing, implementation services and other blockchain purchases required by businesses.
Provide Commercial Support Options
Beyond open-source communities, businesses need commercial-grade support options like SLAs, dedicated engineers, and premium consultation to integrate blockchain. Developer relations should develop these offerings.
Offer Production Readiness Testing
Businesses need assurance blockchain solutions withstand real-user loads. Developer relations can provide staging environments, stress testing, and benchmarking that simulate production traffic and confirm readiness.
Enable Pilots With Limited Risk
Pilots allow tentative businesses to trial blockchain minimally before fully committing. Developer relations should devise pilot frameworks with constrained scope, exits, and training wheels that mitigate perceived risk during initial implementations.
Quantify Value With Analytics
Hard ROI metrics substantiate blockchain benefits. Developer relations can offer analytics dashboards or embed data collection APIs that quantify performance gains, cost savings, transparency, and other bottom-line impacts for businesses.
Beyond fostering vibrant open-source communities, blockchain projects need developer relations that enable real-world commercial adoption. Outreach to enterprises, building use case content, providing implementation support, quantifying ROI, and spotlighting integration success is crucial for maturity. The ideas presented offer a playbook to pragmatically demonstrate blockchain’s capabilities and move the needle from hype to reality.
