Elite Sports is a leading provider of affordable yet high-quality martial arts gear, specializing in equipment for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), MMA, boxing, and more. From BJJ gis, fight shorts, and rashguards to gym bags and boxing gloves, their products are designed for fighters who demand top performance. With a focus on innovation, comfort, and durability, Elite Sports is trusted by both recreational martial artists and professional fighters alike.
Elite Sports had struggled to see success with Google Ads, despite several previous attempts. They were unsure whether the platform could effectively target their niche audience of martial arts practitioners, all while staying within a tight budget. They needed to find a way to increase sales without overextending their advertising costs or wasting budget on irrelevant clicks.
WeAdU’s Strategy and Implementation
We developed a comprehensive strategy for Elite Sports, centered on feed-only Performance Max (PMax) campaigns. Our approach leveraged Google’s AI-driven technology and creative use of targeting and budget management to help them reach the right audience, maximize return on ad spend (ROAS), and scale their Google Ads efforts effectively.
Feed-Only Performance Max Campaign with Budget Efficiency:
For our Performance Max strategy, we start with one feed-only Asset Group per product category. This approach prioritizes Google Shopping, the top-performing network for conversions, enabling us to gather quality data on purchase-ready audiences. Dynamic Remarketing also allows us to display targeted ads to returning visitors. After each Asset Group achieves a strong conversion base, we gradually introduce additional assets to reach more networks—Search, Display, YouTube, and Discovery—capitalizing on high-quality conversion data to drive further growth.
2. Granular Product Category Bidding:
Instead of a blanket approach, we segmented Elite Sports’ products into distinct categories such as BJJ gis, MMA gloves, and Muay Thai gear, each with custom bid strategies. We allocated higher bids to categories with historically higher conversion rates and lowered bids on less popular products, optimizing for both short-term and long-term profitability.
This product-specific bidding enabled us to maximize sales of Elite Sports’ top-selling gear while ensuring that less popular items received exposure without overspending.
3. Hyper-Localized Targeting for Martial Arts Communities:
We used geo-targeting to focus on key locations known for martial arts communities, schools, and events. By narrowing the focus to areas where martial arts training is highly concentrated, we ensured that Elite Sports’ ads were seen by customers more likely to be actively engaged in BJJ, MMA, or boxing.
This localization strategy helped minimize budget waste by ensuring that ads were not shown to users outside the niche, delivering higher conversion rates from more engaged audiences.
4. Seasonal Campaign Adjustments for Tournament Seasons:
Recognizing the importance of BJJ and MMA tournament seasons, we introduced seasonal bid adjustments to capitalize on increased demand for fight gear during peak competition times. Ads were strategically timed to coincide with major martial arts events, boosting sales when practitioners were preparing for competition.
By synchronizing campaign efforts with the natural ebb and flow of the martial arts season, we drove more sales when demand was at its highest, maximizing ROAS.
5. Leveraging Long-Tail Keywords in Dynamic Search Ads (DSA):
We incorporated Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) that focused on long-tail keywords relevant to martial arts training and specific product attributes, such as "IBJJF-approved BJJ gis" or "best rashguards for MMA training." This allowed us to capture users searching for highly specific gear not commonly targeted by competitors.
DSAs broadened the reach of Elite Sports’ campaigns by surfacing ads for highly niche search queries, capturing more relevant traffic and boosting conversions from users who were further along in their purchasing journey.
6. Audience Layering with Interest and Intent-Based Segments:
We implemented audience layering, combining interest-based targeting (e.g., users interested in combat sports and martial arts) with custom intent audiences that included users who had recently searched for terms like “buy BJJ gear” or “MMA training gloves.”
Additionally, we integrated Customer Match, targeting previous visitors who had browsed or purchased from Elite Sports’ website, but also expanded to reach lookalike audiences.This multi-layered approach ensured that ads were served to the highest-intent users, improving both relevance and engagement.
By implementing feed-only PMax campaigns and using advanced audience targeting, geographic segmentation, and dynamic optimization, Elite Sports saw a significant improvement in their Google Ads performance. They were able to connect with their target audience—martial artists, BJJ practitioners, and MMA fighters—while maintaining strict control over their budget.
The campaign not only drove higher sales, but it also allowed Elite Sports to achieve an impressive ROAS by focusing on efficiency and precision targeting. Google Ads became a key pillar in their marketing strategy, proving to be a cost-effective tool for long-term growth.
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