How developers influence purchasing decisions in today’s IT organizations

Now more than ever, companies are accelerating their digital transformation and moving workflows to the cloud, and developers are on the front lines driving this change. This shift has evolved the technology buying process too.

Traditionally, the technology deployed across an organization was determined by executives and managers. Today, developers are often given the freedom to purchase technology on their own - and they’re given a seat at the table on technology buying committees. If you’re only focusing your marketing efforts on traditional IT buyers, you could be missing out on significant sales opportunities.

Developers are increasingly regarded as visionaries and architects of digital transformation as opposed to executors of a pre-defined plan delivered by centralized IT leadership.
Dr. Arnal Dayaratna - Research Director, Software Development at IDC

But how much influence do developers really have? The answer may surprise you.

In our 2020 Developer Survey, 57% of developers and technologists say they have some, to a great deal of influence over technology purchases within their organization.

The survey also revealed that the more their job relies on specific technologies, the more actively involved they are in the purchase decision.

While developers and other technologists may not be the first set of personas you identify in your marketing strategy, it’s clear they’re becoming extremely important and influential in the technology buying process. To win more business in today’s competitive IT landscape, capitalize on the demand being driven from the bottom up. Be sure your media plan includes tactics that will engage developers researching new solutions and provide the opportunity to showcase the value of your tools and services.

64% of developers and technologists researching new tools visit developer communities like Stack Overflow.

To help you get started on your developer marketing strategy, we created this guide. In it, you’ll learn how to reach and engage developers and technologists, introduce them to your products, and convert them to customers and advocates of your brand.