Integrate Into an Ecosystem
Quick Summary
Becoming part of an ecosystem is a great way to find distribution and out-compete your competition by being easier to find and implement.
Why it's a good idea
The various mobile app stores generate tens of billions of dollars each year in revenue. There are also numerous platform-specific app stores (Steam for PC games, Docker for cloud software deployment), and platform ecosystems such as Shopify, Zapier, Facebook, Slack, Airtable… the list goes on and on.
By integrating with an existing platform or ecosystem, you can open up an entire audience of users who can implement and begin using your product with the click of a button. You can sidestep the (sometimes disastrous) implementation stage and get right to the aha moment.
Integration can be a significant advantage over the non-integrated competition, particularly if your product requires hands-on code changes to push live.
Think about all of the paid plugins and integrations that help WordPress be such a robust option for many businesses. Many of these plugins are made better and more successful because of the 1-click plugin installation process.
Mailchimp is an excellent example of a product that people recommend based on easy integrations with other marketing tools (and CMS’s).
Full pattern includes:
- Full strategy analysis
- Budget requirements and suggestions
- Recommended tech and tools
- Real world examples
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Last updated: October 9, 2020
