PlayStation: Facebook Fan Page Example in Detail #13

Continuing with the Facebook Fan Page series, I will be reviewing PlayStation’s efforts on Facebook.  Overall, PlayStation’s strategy on this channel is focused more on driving awareness of new PlayStation game releases than trying to raise awareness of the console itself.   Is it working? Lets take a deeper dive to see.


PlayStation Default Landing Tab: Find the Ring

To start with, the default landing tab for PlayStation is, “Find the Ring”, a previously held social media campaign to promote the game Uncharted 3.  Although it is always good to see marketer’s consider a post-campaign plan for a tab, I am a little disappointed that PlayStation chose this particular tab as its default landing tab. I would suggest that PlayStation consider a default welcome tab that could introduce non-fans to the PlayStation brand, and use current promotions around specific games to convert those users to Liking the page.

The Last of Us Tab

In  a tab called “The Last of Us”, users are prompted to Like the PlayStation Facebook page, watch the trailer for “The Last of Us”, and click “Submit” to receive a PS3 theme.  While I love that the brand used an exclusive angle to try to obtain new fans, I found it unfortunate that the tab allowed me to get a theme code without ever having to Like or watch the trailer.

Everybody Dance Contest

The  “Everybody Dance Contest” is a  tab where Facebook fans can upload videos of their “Everybody Dance” moves for a chance to win a VIP trip to the PlayStation studios in London.  Sounds engaging at first glance, but the tab requires all users to connect and register before they can view entries or begin uploading their video.

With the high barrier to entry involved in video contests, I would suggest re-working the user flow so users can view videos and enter a video before asking for registration.  This quick fix is likely to help the contest receive more engagement from users who are willing to upload a video, as well as users who are more likely to watch and rate.

PlayStation Wall Engagement

On its wall, PlayStation consistently updates fans on the latest game releases, and does a good job cross promoting PlayStation blog content.  While these posts generate an acceptable number of likes and comments, I noticed that very few of the posts produce “Shares”.

For instance, only two of the last ten posts from PlayStation were shared, compared to 9 out of 10 Xbox posts being shared.  The difference?  Xbox seems to be varying content types on the wall and creating custom images to entice fans to share with their networks.  My recommendation would be that PlayStation should experiment with creating custom images and more open ended questions and see if the shares increase.

My overall takeaway?  PlayStation needs to focus its efforts on Facebook and consider tactics that help the brand stay consistent.  By creating a PlayStation branded Welcome tab, the brand could still promote different games and promotions but appear more consistent to the end consumer.  By testing and learning new forms of content, the brand may also increase social sharing.

What are your reactions to what PlayStation is doing?  Please share in the comments below.



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