The Canon large format printer sample website, Sample Print, based in the UK delivers around 1500 Canon ImagePROGRAF print samples per year to those looking to invest in new large format printers.
Sample Print mainly targets users of aqueous wide format digital printers with the majority of the online interest coming from photographers and fine art users. The website has grown organically over the four years it has been providing the service with excellent quality results. Searchers find the site easily thanks to the strong organic placement of the site and specifically targeted pay per click campaigns. It has been because of this success Sample Print hasn't forayed into the world of social media, partly fearing a loss of quality control over the Canon large format printer lead traffic. However during the summer, wide format printer sales in general were slow so director and internet marketing consultant Rob Andrews decided to push the button and test the social media tidal wave.
Andrews advertised Sample Print on Face Book, also Twitter and Facebook pages were engaged. The results were immediate, lead traffic increased as was expected but the surprising thing was the quality still remained high. Andrews says 'I was expecting a quick uptake and I expected more time wasters especially as the site offers free glossy images, but we've been suitably surprised and encouraged by the lead traffic we've seen'. He puts this down to the fact that those really interested in Canon large format printers are more than happy to provide a higher level of information about their requirements on the sample request form. 'The request form asks information that probably highlights those who don't really want a large format printer.
The process has been an interesting one for Sample Print, whilst Andrews has had some very different experiences with other websites in this area in the past, the result found with Sample Print have been encouraging. 'Because of Sample Prints natural success rate I was sceptical Social Media advertising would deliver anything close to it,' he said 'the key undoubtedly for us was our gate keeper tactics on the site thanks to our request form. Whilst an element of control is lost when using social media, as you are no longer offering specific targets in the same way keyword advertising will provide, it is instant both on and off!'
Sample Print continues to provide Canon large format printers samples in both Graphic and CAD applications for the Canon ImagePROGRAF range of products. The site contains a number of images from renown UK photographers, David Anthony Hall, Drew Gardner and Keith Cooper as well as 3D visual artist Piers Bourkes. The images are all from working applications that highlights large format printers in a working environment.
iAutoblog the premier autoblogger software
