What I Am Seeing As A Minimum Viable Bot Presence

I have looked at way more Bots than I should have in the last couple days, and I'm beginning to see  similar patterns emerging across bot implementations, in sync with what I shared as part of my advice to API service providers. After you look at hundreds of APIs, and now a couple hundred bot implementations, you really begin to see what some of the common building blocks of the successful bot implementations are:

  • Domain - Having a domain dedicated to the bot, its operations, and the community around it.
  • Website - Simple, modern, and informative website for your folks to discover, and put your bot to work.
  • Logo - Having a simple, modern, and often clever logo and overall branding to your bots presence.
  • Twitter - Have a genuine, active Twitter account that actually engages in conversations with community.
  • Github - Establish an active, and useful Github presence via a dedicated user account or organization.
  • Blog - Provide a thoughtful, active, and informative blog that engages with a community,  customers, and the public at large.
  • API - You are using open APIs, and messaging formats to make your bot work, pay it forward with APIs and Webhooks.
  • Monetization - You gotta make some money, how are you going to keep the lights on, feed and cloth your bot. ;-)
  • Support -Every bot will need support, even if it is automated. Make sure have answer questions via Twitter, and Github. 

The most interesting bots I came across, whether they are Twitter, Slack, or Telegram bot, all had at least half of the items listed above. I'm guessing we are going to see a huge surge in the number of bots that are available, as well as the platforms in which bots can operate, and I am thinking that the bots that follow these patterns will be floating to the top of the churn.

I'm just getting started documenting the common building blocks in this recent surge in API driven bot activity. I'll keep adding the most interesting bot solutions to my research, and keep track of what I feel the best parts of the sector are. I'm curious to see where all of this goes. Not everything bot is capturing my attention right now, but I am seeing enough interesting approaches to using APIs for bot delivery, as well as providing the resources bots will need, to keep my attention.