Sony, the Pinterest Star that Caught a Thousand and More Eyeballs
How Sony’s Pinteresting Strategy Generated an Increase of 800% Traffic to their Website
News Bulletin:
PINTEREST NOW THIRD LARGEST SOCIAL MEDIA SITE!
Upon learning about Pinterest’s overwhelming popularity, Sony began browsing and studying the social media site. Their staff found cakes shaped according to the form of old Walkman and other old Sony products honored the same way. These images helped Sony think of strategies in planning boards that would spark attention and maintain brand awareness. They also sought to find out how it can be used to get more in touch with users and regenerate further interest in Sony hardware and accessories.
Listed here is the six-part strategy that Sony undertook for its Pinterest project:
1. Research
In their Pinterest-wide scan, Sony found that fans are already pinning pictures of Sony products and images taken with Sony cameras and much more. This allowed them to capitalize upon the existing interest and make a campaign to drive more sales, promote brand loyalty and convert more fans. At first, they repinned pictures from fans, which built more relationships and increased interest. Boards filled with aesthetically appealing content were then brought out into the public.
2. Staff Involvement
The management arranged for a contest that drove employees to create boards pinned with content that they think would be catchy to the general public and attract more customers. This generated a wide range of creatively set boards filled with well-taken images about what Sony meant to them as a brand and way of life. Upon examination of the boards, Sony learned what will work well for their project.
3. The ‘Pin It’ Button
When Sony prepared to be Pinteresting, they optimized their website to add the ‘Pin It’ button. This was done to promote readiness for the resulting attention to be brought by their Launch-their-Pinterest-Campaign project. When fans found this button next to the image or text they found appealing, they clicked it to pin in their own boards. Doing so led to further traffic to Sony’s website.
4. Different Types of Boards
Since Sony’s fan and client bases are broad and diverse, the company drove various kinds of boards that would charm their audience. For the techie crowd, retro Sony products and ads were brought out. There’s also the Sony Artist Style is brought out where a fashion board of recording artists fascinated the masses.
5. Original Content People will Love
Once Sony captured interest with their starting campaign, they begin advertising content that sustained continued awareness of your brand. They announced special deals limited to Pinterest users and showed unique art like the heart formed by a number of digital point-and-shoot cameras and DSLRs. This made traffic boom until it reached 800% since the offers’ appearance in May 2012.
6. Promotion through Other Websites
Since Pinterest is a highly competitive social media site where different netizens and brands show off their best pictures, Sony reached out to their fans in other avenues. The website, blogs and other tools like Pinreach and Curalate were used to promote interest to their site.
How can other brands and businesses approach the magnitude of Sony’s success?
If companies study and follow Sony’s example, they have the potential to be successful. What other businesses can do is to investigate what Pinterest advertising initiative will work best for their products. Only when they realize this can they start going on a campaign. So, start your own research now to be Pinteresting!
Reference: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/pinterest-case-study-sony/
http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/10080-how-sony-uses-pinterest-to-drive-traffic