Channeling APIs, and cranking out API content i what I do. I find it pretty easy to regularly produce a regular flow of diverse content spanning the entire API life cycle. However, one challenge I do have is making sure it is all done in a consistent way, ensuring that I’m publishing across all stops along the API lifecycle, but also making my work available in a variety of formats. I prefer reading short and long form content as part of my regular intake of API information, but I know that other people thrive on obtaining their knowledge via different channels. Making it important for me to make sure I’m being consistent in how I’m measuring my output by establishing some common metrics I can use to keep track of how I am doing.
Much of the content I produce for API Evangelist is pretty spontaneous, however it has always followed the path of my overall API research. Using the areas of research, and the stops along the API life cycle that I’ve established over the years as a framework for the development of my storytelling. Over the years I have produced content in all of these areas, but in the future I am looking to be more deliberate and consistent in how I roll out new content, spreading things equally across the different areas of the API life cycle, but also making available in the following formats, leveraging a variety of delivery mechanisms.
- Short Form (Blogs) - Publishing blog posts for publishing to API Evangelist, Postman, and other locations.
- Long Form (White Papers) - Producing white papers that cover every area of my API life cycle research.
- Webinars (Video) - Participating in regular webinars addressing each stop along the API lifecycle.
- Tutorials (Video, Audio) - Creating a regular stream of tutorials walking users through API concepts.
- Conference & Meetups (Talk) - Carving out different areas of the API lifecycle to talk about in person.
- Workshops (Talk, Video) - Providing single and multiple day workshops covering the API lifecycle.
- Meetings (In Person, Phone, Video) - Engaging with individuals and groups in API life cycle discussion.
These are the building blocks of my API evangelism, advocacy, outreach, and engagement. Providing me with some pretty straightforward delivery vehicles for my API storytelling, and a variety of tangible things that I can measure. Tracking the number of blog posts, white papers, video, audio, conferences, meetups, meetings, and calls I do on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis. I’m not looking to live and die by the numbers, but it does helps me articulate what I’m working on, and use as a way of tracking what I’m producing as part of my work.
Measuring the areas of the API lifecycle I’m using in my API storytelling, as well as diversity in channels I’m using is important in helping me refine my approach to storytelling, while also increasing my audience reach. It helps me steady my hand when it comes to what I’m working on, and allows me to better articulate the direction I’m headed to other team members. Giving me some clear goals when it comes to generating content that helps folks learn about the API life cycle, and making it available in a variety of ways, keeping things informative, consistent, and headed in a coherent direction.
