One of the Internet’s biggest retailer’s - Zappos - has implemented innovative strategies across a few different social media outlets. Initially present on the big guys (let’s face it – you can’t be a successful Internet brand without being on Facebook and/or Twitter), but also recently on Pinterest and Instagram. These platforms of course make a lot of sense for the company to embrace because of their reliance on visual content.
 

Even more recently though, the company has tried to utilize social media to create revenue. The newest venture is called PinPointing and it works through the Pinterest platform’s sharing capabilities.
 

This new foray into the fad of “social shopping” is interesting and innovative because the company is really attempting to use the social pinning site to its fullest potential. PinPointing basically works by suggesting Zappos products to customers based on the content of what they pin and find interesting on the site. The company did get permission from Pinterest to sync up this data, and as you can see in the image, it isn’t obtrusive or too in your face about promoting the “for sale” aspect. I found it personally nice to maybe have the option to purchase something.

PinPointing also includes some other creative features just in time for the Holiday season. By accessing the application’s site you can see recommended gifts for friends simply by searching their Pinterest username. It also offers the chance to view recommended gifts for the site’s “featured pinners” based on their pinned content.

Again, this is a pretty clever way that Zappos is trying to intertwine online sales and social media in a cohesive manner. The company didn’t just come up with this idea over night though, they did their research and in it found that many people perceive Pinterest to be an online retailer. Director of Zappos Labs said “When we talk to people and ask what they think is the best social-shopping experience, they say Pinterest, and it’s not even a retailer.” Through this PinPointing was born.

The other platform Zappos embraces to the fullest is Twitter. Note how their biggest reach is across Twitter and Pinterest as opposed to Facebook – it may be the biggest, but it certainly isn’t the baddest! If you aren’t finding much success on Facebook, here’s proof that there’s alternative ways to make an impact.

On their Twitter, the company relies on the mind of their CEO to use as a mouthpiece on the platform. Here’s the three things Zappos does well on Twitter: they’ve provided a face for their brand and as such allowed some transparency; they tweet interesting and share-worthy information and not just news pertaining to Zappos products; they align with a non-profit organization – Delivering Happiness.

By doing these three things and doing them in a successful manner, the company has gained over 2 million followers and displays themselves as a steward of “happiness.” CEO, Tony Hsieh, as you can see tweets out fun and interactive information to his followers that isn’t trying to sell a product every five seconds. He’s given the company not only a face but a brain as well.

Zappos’s Facebook page is also a fun hub of exciting things. On it you can see that over 12,000 people are talking about the brand and that how they partnered up with another non-profit company, The Cool People, to create a contest and awareness about philanthropy. The contests don’t stop there though; they also offer an interactive giveaway as one of their page options too.

Most of the company’s content on Facebook is online advertisements, but like my other company case studies, they use humor to attract customers. In this ad you can see how even the humor they use makes sense with the product. They’ve really done a good job at creating a good cohesive message across all social media.

This brand has come a long way since their startup in 1999, and even through their acquisition by Amazon, they’ve managed to stay current and on top of their marketplace. By using all of these new online tools to reach people and spread information the brand also hopes to make their foray into apparel even more successful. While they’re still mainly paired with shoes (how punny!), the company wants to align themselves as the go-to Internet retailer for all things fashion.