Best of 2023: How leading developers unlocked growth with Alexa

Wondering how successful developers engage users and generate sustainable revenue? Over the year, we checked in with skill builders from around the world to explore their process, journey with voice, and top tools.

From monetization deep dives to the strategy behind scalable skills, check out 5 of our best stories from 2023 and get first-hand insights designed to help you keep improving.

Hugo.FM

When it comes to Hugo Catchpole’s Alexa journey, there’s strength in numbers. With over 200 published skills to date, Catchpole has had ample opportunities to experiment—and along the way, he’s found unique ways to attract and retain users.

So what has been the catalyst to stand out from the crowd? Discover the benefits of skill bundling in our interview to see how it helps him offer more diverse content, plus get more lessons from Catchpole’s experience running his own voice studio, Hugo.fm.

[Read the story]

Eduardo Fischer

With hit Alexa skills like “Spider Pig” and “Word of the Day,” Eduardo Fischer dos Santos has reached hundreds of thousands of users and expanded the footprint of voice technology in his native Brazil. But this impressive rise had humble beginnings: A spare time hobby and his personal computer.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all model for building skills that scale, Fischer has found a few common themes. From optimizing for localization to prioritizing natural language, discover how he went from hobbyist to Alexa pro.

[Read the story]

Smart Voice Studio

For many developers, In-Skill Purchasing (ISP) provides a pathway to profitability. So when Smart Voice Studio founders Tapan Chauhan and Angadveer Singh wanted to take their business to the next level, they relied on selling premium digital content to do it.

Along the way, they learned a few valuable lessons to create engaging—and potentially lucrative—ISP experiences. Read about all their tips, including a breakdown of upsell strategies and how to conduct research to determine the price of premium content.

[Read the story]

Lundy Inc.

Buying a home is rarely simple, but for the visually impaired and blind it can be nearly impossible to obtain essential information within property listings. This fact made Justin Lundy, an entrepreneur and investor, realize that voice could be the key to bridging an accessibility gap.

Using data from centralized databases, Lundy’s company, Lundy Inc., created the “Finding Homes” skill to transform real estate accessibility for millions of Americans. Get the full story in our blog post and learn how they’re charting a path forward to find new applications for voice in the home-buying process.

[Read the story]

Drew Cosgrove

As a computer programmer with decades of experience, Drew Cosgrove immediately saw something unique with Alexa upon its 2016 release in the UK. Traditionally, it took several developers to build a single game—but through Alexa skills, he found it was possible to craft games by himself.

Cosgrove soon built engaging quiz games like “Animal Letters” and “Feel the Pressure,” building up enough momentum to leave his IT consultancy job to focus on building Alexa skills full time. See how he made the transition, plus unlock four ways to build meaningful revenue through In-Skill Purchasing (ISP).

[Read the story]

Want even more insights to take your skills to the next level? Check all of our stories from 2023 on the Alexa Skills Kit blog, featuring inspiring interviews, deep dives into new products, and more.