$1.6 Million In Pre-Workout Sales For A Supplement Brand With Google Ads – Full Breakdown
by Betina Anjos · Updated on 16 October 2023
- $1.6 million in sales
- More than 5000 new customers acquired
- Over 70% of the account’s total spend is non-branded
The Brand:
The brand in question is one of the top-selling supplement companies in the United States, with its main products being pre-workouts that vary in formulas and intensity to cater to all types of audiences within the fitness universe.
Following its boom during the 2013 Super Bowl, the company capitalized on the moment to expand its portfolio and now sells in major American retail chains such as GNC, Walmart, and The Vitamin Shoppe.
With nearly half a million followers on Instagram alone, the brand excels in branding, creating desire around its products, content production, and boasts a strong team of ambassadors. All of this has been crucial in allowing us to focus our efforts on acquiring new customers.
The Transformation:
When our team took over the Google Ads account, we noticed minimal effort in it. The existing setup had only a basic search campaign focusing on brand-related keywords. There were no strives on YouTube, and Shopping was untouched. Recognizing the opportunity for growth, we embarked on a journey to maximize the brand’s Google Ads customer acquisition results.
At Leadways, we have a distinctive way of operating. We aim not only to increase client results but also to boost non-branded revenue by reaching new customers every month and diversifying strategies for both cold and warm audiences.
Strategies Implemented:
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the strategies we employed to achieve remarkable results for this pre-workout supplement brand:
1. Starting from Scratch:
We set out on a new journey with them, as there was very little prior Google Ads groundwork. This allowed us an opportunity to design and implement a completely fresh strategy, tailored to the brand goals and objectives.
2. Intricate Campaign Structure:
Our account structure was meticulously designed to encompass various stages of the customer acquisition funnel across the Google Ads Ecosystem. This included Shopping, YouTube, Search, Display, and Discovery campaigns.
By exploring all the channels Google has to offer, we were able to create a unique approach to every stage of the funnel, going deeper into each product and its competitive advantages.
3. Precision in the Lower Funnel:
Despite our robust strategy for cold audiences and customer acquisition, we remained attentive to the audience already familiar with the brand.
In our branded campaigns, we strategically allocated a limited budget while maintaining a strong presence. This approach ensured that our existing audience continued to engage with the brand while allowing us to focus our resources on expanding our reach to new potential customers.
- Our Search Network campaigns at the bottom funnel were divided into ad groups, each featuring tailored copy aligned with specific ad group keywords.
- Our objectives encompassed achieving a competitive edge through better Google ranking, favorable quality scores, reduced CPC, and remarkable CTRs: surpassing 50% for branded terms and exceeding 5% for non-branded terms.
4. Relevance in the Middle Funnel:
- Our Search Network campaigns in the middle funnel adopted a broader scope, strategically aligning keywords with available landing pages.
- We created the copy and aligned the communication to target people who were already familiar with the brand but had not yet converted. The image below is an example of a campaign for warm audiences.
5. Strategic Approach with Performance Max:
Pmax campaigns are an essential part of our work. Since their launch, we’ve incorporated these campaigns into all our clients’ accounts. By promoting ads across all Google networks, Pmax gathers significant intelligence, enabling scalability that was not possible in such a short time before.
- Within our Performance Max campaigns, we established multiple asset groups, strategically concentrating on specific products and product categories.
- We rigorously tested these asset groups at intervals of 7 to 14 days, employing unique copies, well-targeted audience signals, and custom-made image and video creatives.
- We closely monitored the performance metrics for each distinct asset group, optimizing whenever necessary.
6. Holistic YouTube Strategy:
YouTube Ads play a pivotal role for supplement brands, offering a dynamic platform to showcase their products. With the power of visuals and storytelling, brands can engage their target audience effectively. YouTube’s vast user base, coupled with detailed targeting options, allowed us to reach fitness enthusiasts directly. This visual medium not only educates viewers about product benefits but also fosters a sense of connection and trust, key factors in the competitive supplement market.
- Our YouTube campaigns catered comprehensively to the top, middle, and bottom funnel stages.
- At the top of the funnel, we pursued content distribution to affinity audiences, keywords, and in-market segments, aiming for extensive reach.
- The middle funnel was characterized by conversion-focused campaigns, adeptly targeting mid-funnel keywords, specific channels, videos, and in-market segments.
- In the bottom funnel, we honed in on precision, directing our efforts towards audiences who displayed high intent, such as those who added to the cart, initiated checkout, or engaged with product pages.
7. Attraction and Remarketing Excellence:
- Leveraging both Display and Discovery campaigns, we strategically created a qualified audience while maintaining relatively low CPCs, with Discovery proving particularly effective.
8. Navigating Shopping Constraints:
Google Shopping holds significant importance for supplement brands, providing a direct avenue for potential customers to discover and purchase products. In this case, we navigated through challenges stemming from internal brand legal limitations that did not allow us to utilize Shopping campaigns.
- This compelled us to devise innovative strategies, exploring alternative Google avenues that could effectively compensate for the absence of Shopping.
9. Big emphasis on creative strategy
The significance of creative assets – images, copy, and videos – cannot be overstated in Google campaigns. These elements are the visual and textual storytellers that captivate audiences, effectively conveying a brand’s essence and offerings. Well-crafted visuals grab attention, while compelling copy engages and influences action. Videos bring life to narratives, fostering deeper connections. These assets are the backbone of a campaign’s success, orchestrating engagement, driving clicks, and ultimately conversions.
- Within our approach, a substantial focus was dedicated to a meticulously crafted copy strategy.
- We filtered videos from all of the brand’s networks that could be used in Google campaigns at different stages of the funnel, and applied strategies that brought significant visibility to their Youtube channel.
- We helped in crafting landing pages that increased conversion rate, featuring persuasive copy and unique offers.
- We assisted in creating images for display campaigns, with a focus on highlighting distinctive aspects of each product and how their specific audience could benefit from them.
We shared our creative guide with their content team, specifically tailored for DTC brands, featuring examples of converting ads across different niches and levels of awareness. This material provides valuable guidance for brands.
Conclusion: Achieving Remarkable Growth
Through these strategic initiatives, we achieved extraordinary results in a short span. This approach positioned the brand to compete effectively against industry giants. Additionally, our efforts in a compelling creative strategy for DSA, Pmax, and YouTube campaigns enhanced brand visibility and drove millions of new eyeballs to their online store and products.
The success of this pre-workout supplement brand is a testament to the power of strategic Google Ads campaigns for customer acquisition. By understanding the brand’s unique strengths and challenges, implementing tailored strategies, and fostering continuous optimization, we’ve demonstrated the potential to achieve exceptional growth. This case study showcases that when implemented, Leadways’ strategies can significantly impact a brand’s sales, customer base, and market presence. If you’re looking to have the same kind of results and supercharge your own brand’s success, we’re here to help you navigate the path to growth. Book an intro call with us to explore how we can tailor our proven process to your brand’s unique journey and objectives.