Revenue from Pinterest Marketing Campaign up over 1300% for Online Retailer

For those with cash to spend and a product line that fits with Pinterest, reaching influencers can pay off. This Pinterest marketing example from Internet Retailer is a case study in how it can be done.

Online store Bourbon & Boots worked with Pinterest marketing firm HelloSociety who paid tastemakers in their network to pin from the retailers site. The campaign cost around $95,000 for 2 campaigns. Tastemakers are pinners with 200,000 to 10 million followers. They selected those who fit the merchant’s profile and sent them to the site to pin products they liked.

Bourbon & Boots had a goal to increase their email list. Pins drove people to a page with an invitation to sign up for their email list. In what we find most interesting, they rewarded pinners for results, not just to pin. Tastemakers got paid a certain dollar amount per e-mail address they get for the retailer. The campaign generated positive ROI for the retailer.

Results:

• In 6 days they got 30,000 e-mail addresses.
• Site traffic from Pinterest increased 10-fold when these campaigns were running.
• Revenue from Pinterest went up 305% during the first campaign and 1,300% in the next campaign, compared to the days just prior running them.
• Revenue from Pinterest usually represents 10% of total sales for the retailer.
• The campaigns got a better ROI for them than paid search campaigns or targeted ads on Facebook.
• Shoppers who come to the site directly from Pinterest are 20% more valuable, “because they tend to spend more and buy more frequently.”

[tbpquotable]Why online retailer Bourbon & Boots moved 75% of their Facebook ad spend to #Pinterest. http://buff.ly/10jbxqM[/tbpquotable]

Note how the site itself is very visual and each product has buttons to pin. One of the more popular necklaces on the site got over 149k pins!

“Bourbon & Boots launched in Feb. 2012 and brought in around $500,000 in total sales last year.” In 2013 it has already hit $900,000. They have over 8,200 followers on Pinterest.

Had success with positive ROI on your Pinterest marketing campaign? We’d love to hear your story – please contact us or comment below.