Evangelism is simply spreading a particular message to a target audience. For example, in marketing, evangelism is a form of word-of-mouth marketing whereby companies gain customers who believe strongly in the brand. Therefore, they also persuade other people to purchase and use the brand’s products or services. From this definition, it is fairly easy to understand who a developer evangelist is.
According to the Developer Evangelism Handbook, a developer evangelist advocates, translates, or mediates between a company, its technical team, and external developers. Developer evangelists/advocates are usually people with technical experience. That is, they must be developers themselves. They should also have strong networking and communication skills, as their job is to create awareness about particular technologies to different audiences and get their support.
Why Is a Developer Evangelist Important to a Software Company?
Developers are usually skeptical about things that don’t relate to tech. That is why non-tech people are not the most suited candidates to sell software products to programmers. A developer evangelist fills in the gaps that a PR or marketing professional cannot. That is, this person has to convince not just customers, but also developers to try out the software, and, as a result – spread the word. So, a developer evangelist must also be the one who can package and deliver the message in the most effective way.
What Is the Job Description of a Developer Evangelist?
So, what does a developer evangelist do? If you want to get back the cost to develop an app and make a neat income from it, you will have to address a developer advocate/evangelist. The main job of these specialists is communication. They build a critical mass for a digital product and establish it as a technical standard.
While professionals in this role spend some time in the actual development process, the developer evangelist role is mainly to assist different departments within the companies to communicate efficiently as well as create awareness about the software on the market. Their responsibilities involve a combination of programming, customer interactions, and content production. They often work together with technical content creators, marketing teams, client support, and community managers.
If you’re in this position, be prepared to work outside normal working hours, adjust your schedule to include traveling commitments, work on the go, and start conversations with all types of people. Among the main tasks you will perform are:
• Handling the company’s social media interactions
• Take part in public discussions
• Make training content, best practices, and video tutorials
• Bring in and foster relationships with influencers
• Participate in developing software products
• Follow up on market trends and the competition
• Create sample codes
• Share open source codes on developer channels
• Get involved in other developers’ open source software
• Organize and take part in workshops and other relevant events
• Use customer feedback and data to foster growth
How Much Does a Developer Evangelist Earn?
Jobs in technology are among the highest-paid today. So, it’s no surprise that a developer evangelist salary is high. According to Glassdoor, the average base salary for this position in the US is $122,550 a year. Average additional compensation is about $10,926. Going by another source, ZipRecruiter, the average pay is $114,159 annually.
How Can You Become a Developer Evangelist?
There is no specific university program that will train you to become a developer evangelist. The requirements for a developer evangelist job is different depending on the company. However, if you are already working in software development, are passionate about making people understand the products of your company better, and are a good communicator, you can try your hand in this path.
That said, remember that this position is not entry-level. The majority of developer evangelists you see today started out as programmers before moving on to the position they are now. If you are already a developer, you can start shadowing people in this role or start working part-time to prepare yourself to ease up to the job later.
Final Thoughts
A developer evangelist is both an ambassador for the company and a customer support representative. It means these specialists advocate for and encourage people to engage with or use particular products. They also offer valuable information and answer customer questions. Their experiences and expertise benefit almost every department in a company, from software production to marketing.
As with any other job out there, this role also has its challenges. For example, you will need to be approachable and enthusiastic at all times. You may also need to travel a lot to conferences, meetings, and events related to the brand. However, if you are passionate about software development, like to talk and inspire people – this job is very rewarding.
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