Why Product Communications Is Not Just Another Marketing Function

[Adam Wardlow]

Many teams treat product communications like just another marketing campaign. Big mistake.

Unlike marketing communications, which are focused on brand awareness and lead generation...

Product communications ensure customers, internal teams, and stakeholders stay informed and engaged with what’s changing in the product.

The risk? Launching new features that no one knows about or uses.

The solution? Dedicated product communications processes that align internal teams and drive adoption.

Thoughts?

[Andy Gladstone]

@Adam Wardlow welcome to the Atlassian Community.

I agree that there is a distinct difference in the target audience and voice for marketing campaigns and product communications. But amazing product and release notes won't gain you a single customer without the marketing campaign. 

I look at it as 1 and 1A. 

1: Teams need to develop products, product guides and release notes.

1A: Product marketers need to work with the external marketing team on the target audience for the product and begin a pipeline campaign to bring customers onboard.

The mistake I see teams making is that the marketing department is starving for content and will prematurely advertise a new product or service and lead potential customers to a dead end.

[Adam Wardlow]

100%. Completely agree that marketing plays a critical role in attracting new customers and generating demand. Product communications and marketing should work hand in hand—but they serve distinct purposes.

I don't believe there should be a big difference or two large of a gap in target audiences between product comms and marketing comms.

The ICP generally should be the same, the mix-up is with misaligned goals:

marketing: brand awareness, preference, purchase intent, demand
product comms: benefit awareness, feature adoption, and usage