Are you looking to leverage the power of Jira apps to build a successful business on the Atlassian Marketplace? You’re in the right place! Atlassian Marketplace is the golden ticket with hundreds of possibilities to develop profitable software solutions for third-party developers and reach out to potential customers worldwide. The Atlassian family of products is one of the most advanced and popular software tools and support add-ons for IT and project service management, starting with Jira Software and continuing with Jira Service Management, Confluence, Trello, and more.
Insofar as Alpha Serve is Atlassian Platinum Marketplace Partner, we have valuable experience to share for streamlining your Jira app release on the Atlassian Marketplace. However, launching an app on Atlassian Marketplace requires fulfilling the terms of the current ecosystem policy and the app development process from idea conception to the listing. We have prepared this article for this very purpose to help you in taking the right actions.
What is Atlassian Marketplace
Atlassian is a powerful software company founded by Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes in 2002 in Sydney, Australia. Being a part of the Atlassian ecosystem, the Atlassian Marketplace allows developers to create and share their services, integrations, and apps for Atlassian products with potential users. Apps for Atlassian products means all cloud or web-based applications and high-performing add-ons developed to be used only with corresponding Atlassian products. Thus being an Atlassian Marketplace Partner refers to the opportunity to use the Atlassian app store to promote, sell and monetize your apps.
The development of add-ons or plugins for platforms has become popular over time. Atlassian offers high-quality and reliable solutions that enable companies to adapt and implement agile processes with great ease and results. In our case, Alpha Serve’s experience with connectors for Jira has shown the substantial advantages offered by the Atlassian Marketplace:
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Accessibility
There is no need for much concern about getting an audience since the platform provides a potential market with a vast customer base. Currently, over 5,300 high-performing apps extend the functionality of various Atlassian products, along with Forge Apps. Having 28000 apps installed on a weekly basis from the marketplace makes it a convenient and live sales channel for the 3-party apps. Furthermore, the Atlassian Marketplace has generated over $2 billion in lifetime sales, making it a profitable platform for app developers.
Each app undergoes strict testing to ensure it can handle a high load and provide the necessary security and reliability level, which gives credit of trust in advance to the partners’ apps, which definitely has a positive impact on the culture of app purchase in the Atlassian ecosystem.
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Innovation
Atlassian constantly introduces innovations to ease the development process for application creators by providing them with all the necessary. Thus Forge has been designed to facilitate the process of creating cloud apps as much as possible. Mike Tria, the Head of Engineering for Platform at Atlassian, said, “It will empower developers to more easily build and run enterprise-ready apps and save the time they can spend innovating.” At the moment, Forge is still free for developers, and Atlassian fully supports its use and popularization within its ecosystem.
Additionally, Atlassian holds Partner of the Year Awards yearly to support and highlight innovative and growing products and partners.
Moreover, every year Atlassian hosts a hackathon called Atlassian Codegeist, where individual developers and teams develop innovative ideas and develop new plugins and integrations that can provide new value-added experiences for users of Atlassian products.
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Support
Partnering with Atlassian gives access to a global network of experts and resources and provides tools to make your Jira app development more accessible. Atlassian Development Community will support you with any questions that arise.
The Atlassian Marketplace is a one-stop shop that more than 13,400 high-traction members have chosen with a vast network. Thus, solutions partners that integrate Atlassian tools for customers can give feedback about the app and provide one of the most effective sales channels. The ecosystem encourages transparency in the company culture which means giving and receiving feedback to help the company to build better products.
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Business Accelerator
The recently established fund Atlassian Ventures aims to drive business development by deploying distributed venture capital that has already reached $14 million. Developers looking to launch apps on the Jira apps store should remember that early startups often assume a particular risk level. In this respect, Atlassian Marketplace is committed to helping its partners build successful businesses and has now put in 10 seed investments for early-stage startups.
*Source: Atlassian 2022 Trends Report PDF
Why Become Atlassian Marketplace Partner
When developing apps for the Jira app store, Alpha Serve noticed many advantages offered by the Atlassian Marketplace. Thus, many developers choose the Atlassian ecosystem as the desired end destination for apps, providing a comprehensive market for building and extending add-ons backed up by an active user base.
Over 70% of Jira and Confluence customers use at least one Marketplace app, which reflects the average number of installs that have increased to 28,000 apps per week. At a time when the level of competition goes off-scale, it confirms the potential Marketplace cooperation for app developers. Atlassian tackles this issue by being service oriented rather than just product oriented, where at the same they understand the core need of the customer.
Companies must meet rigorous criteria to become Atlassian Partners, demonstrating high technical effectiveness and customer support capabilities. Getting all the platform requirements, fees, and guidelines from the beginning is essential for a proper start.
You don’t have to puzzle over getting an audience since the platform provides a potential market. Joining the Atlassian Marketplace Partner Program benefits Jira app developers by allowing them to tap into an active user base.
According to the current Partner Program, there are three partner levels: Platinum, Gold, and Silver, that determine each partner’s competence and investment in the platform. Note that every level requires partners to execute particular demands, especially in Cloud and Data Center services, with the subsequent fulfillment of Atlassian’s Marketplace Security Programs. Choosing a Marketplace partner discount program is a sure-shot sign to the Atlassian Expert that you intend to work with them and build a business together.
In co-op mode, partners can progress or regress through the levels. Thus Alpha Serve released the first Jira app in November 2018 to the Atlassian Marketplace and, in July 2022, became a Platinum Atlassian Marketplace Partner, justifying the trust as a reliable vendor by the Objectives of the Atlassian Marketplace Partner Program.
After the first app release, we decided to investigate the business opportunities in the Marketplace more deeply. We saw actual results in increased target audience traffic and the number of active installations and support requests for our first app. Following that, we understood there is an already formed culture of searching for the needed features in the Marketplace.
*Source: Atlassian 2022 Trends Report PDF
How to Launch Successful Jira Apps on the Atlassian Marketplace
Being a tech giant, Atlassian is responsible for such a powerful software program in the management industry, as Jira, which is the best solution to link issue collection and agile project management capabilities. Before building and launching Jira apps on the Marketplace, consider some best practices in the industry, based on the experience of Alpha Serve, such as:
Develop Your App with User Experience in Mind
The first key point is to design your Jira app with the user in mind at every stage of development, making sure to provide your Jira app configuration and use process that can be completed in only a few clicks following the convenient and intuitive interface. Lack of technical know-how and experience should no longer be a hurdle in using your newly created app.
Atlassian Marketplace apps are recommended to have no or low user barriers. When Alpha Serve introduced Jira to their development team, it needed to be used. Probably, everyone had situations when they bought the software, but employees ignored it because it was more challenging to understand than to work as before. In the case of Atlassian, this usually only happens because each user finds advantages for himself and the interface is simple and comprehensive. Just a few hours with Jira – everyone was doing everything they had to. Your Jira apps are recommended to follow the same approach.
It is also essential to consider all aspects of the user experience, including navigation, performance, and interaction with other applications. Additionally, ensure that any customization options are self-explanatory for the user and accurately reflect the functionality of your Jira app. Creating a good user experience leads to increased sales, better customer loyalty, and a greater chance of earning traffic through direct word-of-mouth recommendations among customers and Atlassian solution partners.
Prepare Well for Jira App Release
Once your Jira app development is finished, pay attention to completing the following Atlassian Marketplace app requirements:
- App description on the Atlassian marketplace listing page is the first and the main that your potential customers see when searching for an app. Thus, it needs to be clear and comprehensive. Write for human readers first and then optimize the text to be SEO-friendly. The well-written text should be concise and easily interpreted by readers and search engines simultaneously. Include unique graphics, distinctive layouts, and animations to exemplify the image of the listing page. Mind the keywords as they make your listing visible to the users with the relevant search.
- Help users and provide additional assistance by supporting visuals on the listing page. Prepare high-quality interactive screenshots of interface pages and elements to visualize user scenarios in operation. A video demo with a voice-over in English is also highly recommended to convince visitors to the page to start a free trial.
- All Atlassian Marketplace apps should have clear and concise instructions for users to follow to make installation, configuration, and use easier. Make sure to prepare technical and user documentation and how-to instructions to guide your customers in navigation. Product documentation should be simple enough and easily accessible from any device. Step-by-step instructions divided into an Installation guide, Admin Guide, and User Guide enriched with screenshots are highly recommended.
- Additionally, setting the right price point in advance is essential to avoid frequent price changes or additional questions from the prospects. Set a price that reflects the business value of your app’s features to be responsible and competitive on the market. Read Atlassian pricing approach and recommendations in advance and make sure to comply.
Invest in Customer Support
Strong customer support is crucial. Users should be able to easily reach out with issues to receive a quick and relevant response for the sudden problem that has arisen. Every successful contact with your support team allows you to increase the number of your customers, maximize user satisfaction, and build a positive brand image.
Therefore, ensure to supply communication channels and responsive support, including live video calls, screen-sharing sessions, etc. The Support button has to be on the Action page of your app and on the marketplace listing so that users can get support directly from the developer.
Jira Apps – Attributes of Success
Atlassian operates in a very competitive industry, and the platform addresses this issue by innovating something different than its rival. As an Atlassian Platinum Marketplace Partner, Alpha Serve recommends considering long-run cooperation and launching a business with a well-thought-out plan to build up a customer base, reputation, and revenues in the long-term perspective.
The attributes of success for Jira apps also include having an excellent customer-driven development process, when customer feedback is the main source of tasks in your backlog. Don’t forget to track such requests and send personal emails to the users when the requested feature has been released. General product newsletters are also a good practice when they follow practical onboarding activities.
It is highly recommended to actively participate in the Atlassian Community to build a reputation and keep a hand on ecosystem trends. Therefore Alpha Serve encourages developing partner relationships with other vendors and solution partners to achieve the most potent possible synergy effect, as the Atlassian ecosystem partners are top leaders in their fields.
A well-optimized app ensures that it runs smoothly and provides users with keeping data safe. Further, optimize the app according to performance and ensure a high-security level, so users can trust that their data is secure.
Giving customers an excellent product that is easy to use, has great customer support, and a good value proposition goes all the way to ensure success on the Atlassian Marketplace.
Conclusion
There are a lot of factors to consider when creating an app for the Atlassian Marketplace. The key to launching a successful Jira app on the Atlassian Marketplace is ensuring that you’ve taken care of each step in the development, release and support processes. Take your time during the development and testing, and provide timely bug fixing and regular app updates with the latest features and trends, as well as customer expectations. Ensure you’re getting feedback from customers and provide professional support. Don’t forget to adequately promote your app. With these attributes and the help of the Atlassian Marketplace Community and Partner network, you can get your app off to a great start and generate the success you desire.
