5 key tips for marketing your integrations for fast adoption 

Without the spotlight of an effective marketing strategy, the value of an integration is likely to sink into obscurity of a fast-moving technology landscape. Unmarketed integrations are both overlooked and undervalued – restricting the potential of the integration and overall growth of third-party tech vendors.

There are a few reasons why tech companies find it challenging to effectively market and drive leads: 

• Integrations are not often thought of as a core part of the product 
• The product team has full control over the integration strategy 
• The marketing strategy is reactive and is developed late in the process 
• Teams don’t know how to push it out to market 

It doesn’t have to be this way. And it shouldn’t. 

Fuse builds integrations for digital innovators such as Klarna, Bloomreach, and Toshi. With our insight across ecommerce platforms and expertise in the integration landscape, we understand what recipes work for getting your integration out to market and implemented by merchants. 

Here are a handful of the key ingredients.

1 Cross-team collaboration 

Ensure that all relevant teams are aligned: product, marketing, partnerships, and sales. Bring them together to ensure that everyone is clear on the proposition, the benefits of the integration for merchants, and the specific role they will play in the go-to-market push for the new product offering.  

This involves a project plan that breaks down into actionable steps, defining clear timelines for each team’s involvement and assigning specific areas of responsibility. This upholds accountability for each team while minimizing potential roadblocks.  

Make sure you have the right tools to facilitate collaboration – almost 60% of employees feel like their current tools don’t allow their preferred workflows. 

Remember, alignment without direction can still lead to confusion and missed opportunities. It’s having a clear plan with shared ownership that makes the difference between intention and impact. 

2 Product awareness 

If you launch your integration among radio silence, does it exist? You and your team may have spent months designing and developing your integration with an intimate understanding of its value. Merchants don’t accompany you on that journey; they’re starting from zero. 

Product awareness is the oxygen that sparks engagement and is crucial for delivering a fast ROI. Create web pages, videos, animations, and one-pagers that explain the integration and its value to merchants. Showcase this across all relevant touchpoints (website, app, social channels) to maximize reach and engagement. 

Anchor content to a strategic rollout plan, teasing glimpses of the integration’s capabilities leading up to its launch. Once live, spark conversations with thought-provoking questions, host live Q&A sessions with product experts. This range of content will help to generate a 360-perspective of an integration.  

3 Engage with your partners 

While you’re showcasing content to raise product awareness, engage with your partners and agencies. Set up webinars, lunch & learns, and exclusive events tailored specifically for them.  

Webinars allow you to deep dive into the technical magic of your integration, showcase its capabilities and value, and answer any burning questions your partners might have. This builds confidence and nurtures them into becoming vocal advocates and champions of your integration. 

By engaging partners early and often, you’re more likely to amplify your reach, able to tap into their expertise, and build a healthy network of allies. This not only lays the groundwork for a successful launch but also long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. 

4 Showcase your expertise 

Be the go-to source of knowledge for merchant problems and pain points by regularly publishing content that educates, informs, and empowers. Analyze trending topics within the industry through a range of content, from blog articles to whitepapers and podcasts.  

What pain points is your integration helping to overcome? A series of blog posts can dissect common challenges. What are some real-world examples? Case studies can showcase the impact and value of your integration. How does your integration compare to others? You can pack whitepapers with insightful and data-driven research. 

This educational approach helps to build the credibility of your brand as well as your integration. You’re not simply selling something; you’re demonstrating expertise and establishing yourself as a thought leader in your space. 

5 Tap into the platform ecosystem 

If you’ve built a cartridge for Salesforce Commerce Cloud, leverage the platform’s ecosystem. If it’s an app for Shopify Plus, tap into its large developer ecosystem and certified partner directory. Reach out to their partnership teams and engage with the developer communities. 

Partnering with an ecommerce platform is a launchpad for offers instant audience reach, increased credibility, collaboration opportunities, and a path to sustainable growth. By connecting with a platform’s ecosystem, you can reach further, simplify implementations, and accelerate the return on investment. 

The integration landscape is evolving rapidly. Partnering with a leading platform gives you an opportunity to amplify your reach, accelerate your development, and solidify your position within the world of digital commerce. 

Contact Fuse for support with end-to-end development, launch, and maintenance of your integration.