What are some marketing strategies you have seen fail/ backfire when it comes to developers?

Ah, the graveyard of developer marketing. I've seen some scars, lessons etched in the memory of many a marketing team. Developers have a finely tuned BS detector. They can smell inauthenticity a mile away. So, when strategies fail, it's often a matter of violating some fundamental principles. There are infinite ways this can go wrong, but here are few:

Feature dumps:

One classic blunder is the "feature dump." You know the drill: You share a barrage of tech specs, a laundry list of capabilities, all presented without context or relevance. Developers don't care about the minutiae; they care about what the product does for them. In reality, this happens if we treat devs in the community as numbers and treat our interactions wiht them as a "job to do". Genuinely care about their problem and you'll immediately the see the fallacy of treating this as a megaphone activity. It's a failure to understand that developers are problem solvers, not just feature collectors.

I hate to say this, but "marketing speak" trap:

Then there's the "marketing speak" trap. Buzzword-filled blog posts, and generic testimonials. Developers see right through it. Be human. We all crave authenticity, transparency, and genuine expertise. It's like trying to convince a seasoned chef that your pre-packaged meal is "gourmet." Not just dev communities, but we all know the difference between substance and fluff. More than anyone, devs value honesty, and they will punish a company that is not honest.

Ignoring the "community" aspect:

Dev communities are as the name says -- communities -- not your audience. Perhaps the most egregious failure is ignoring the community. Developers are a collaborative bunch. They thrive on sharing knowledge, providing feedback, and contributing to the ecosystem. When we treat our developer community as an afterthought, a mere marketing channel, we are missing a golden opportunity. It's like having a room full of brilliant minds and refusing to listen to them. This creates resentment, and developers will leave, and take their voice with them.

Push-only marketing:

The golden rule: Listen more. Developers are fiercely independent. Rightfully so. Every person's context of work is different. Push marketing tactics, like aggressive pitches and intrusive ads, are a surefire way to alienate them. It's like trying to force-feed someone a meal they don't want. Devs want to discover solutions on their own terms. They value autonomy and control.

Empty promises:

Overpromising and underdelivering is a cardinal sin in developer marketing. It erodes trust and damages credibility. It's like promising a rocket ship and delivering a bicycle. Developers are pragmatic; they value honesty and reliability. Not just them, but think about it. Will we forget a broken promise?