#1
The founder who listened to DevRel changed everything for our community
"Most founders treat DevRel as a marketing expense. One founder treated it as a product function — and it completely changed how we built our developer community."
Why it works
This story format taps into a shared frustration DevRel professionals have about being undervalued. It positions you as someone with real insider experience and invites founders in the audience to reflect on their own approach.
#2
Founders building for developers: here's what you keep getting wrong about DevRel
"You hired a developer advocate. You gave them a conference budget. And your developer community is still dead. Here's why."
Why it works
Direct and slightly provocative, this insight post speaks to a real gap founders have in understanding DevRel's role. It positions you as an expert worth following while sparking debate from both DevRel peers and founders.
#3
5 things I wish founders understood before hiring their first DevRel
"I've seen great DevRel programs fail because the founder had the wrong expectations from day one. Here's the list I wish every founder read before making that hire."
Why it works
Listicles perform well when they deliver real utility. This one validates the lived experience of DevRel professionals while giving founders actionable takeaways — making it shareable across both audiences.
#4
Hot take: founders who don't engage with their own developer community will lose to those who do
"Stripe, Twilio, Vercel — the founders showed up. That wasn't accidental. Developer trust is won by people, not products."
Why it works
Name-dropping respected developer-first companies makes this immediately credible. The hot take format drives comments from people who agree and disagree, maximizing reach through engagement.
#5
Founders: how much time do you actually spend in your developer community?
"I ask every founder I work with this question. Most pause longer than they expect before answering."
Why it works
This question is direct and disarming. It invites founders to reflect publicly and DevRel peers to share their own experiences — generating a comment thread that builds your visibility.
#6
I told a founder their developer community was failing. Here's what happened next.
"It was an uncomfortable conversation. But six months later, they had 10x the active contributors and a waitlist of developers wanting to join."
Why it works
The cliffhanger hook demands the reader continue. This story demonstrates your ability to drive real business outcomes, which builds credibility with both founders and DevRel hiring managers in your audience.
#7
Why the best developer-first companies have founders who understand community — not just code
"Technical founders often assume shipping great APIs is enough. It's not. The missing piece is almost always community."
Why it works
This insight challenges a common assumption without being dismissive of technical founders. It reinforces the strategic value of DevRel and community work, resonating strongly with your core audience.
#8
7 things developer-first founders do differently when building community from day one
"The companies with the most loyal developer communities didn't luck into it. Their founders made specific, deliberate choices early. Here's what I've observed."
Why it works
Observation-based listicles from practitioners carry more weight than generic advice. This format is highly shareable among DevRel professionals and gives founders a concrete benchmark to measure against.
#9
Would you rather report to a founder who gets DevRel or one who doesn't — and why?
"This might be the most important career decision DevRel professionals make. And most of us don't ask the right questions in the interview."
Why it works
This question is highly relatable for DevRel professionals at all career stages. It surfaces shared experiences and frustrations, driving strong comment volume from a targeted audience.
#10
Controversial: founders who skip DevRel in early-stage are making a strategic mistake, not a smart trade-off
"I know the counterargument. I've heard it from hundreds of founders. They're wrong, and the developer graveyard is full of proof."
Why it works
The phrase 'developer graveyard' is visceral and memorable. This hot take is confident enough to spark debate but grounded enough to defend — exactly the kind of post that builds a strong LinkedIn presence for DevRel voices.