Solved: Optimizing Google Ads PMax Campaign for Sportswear Store

Hi there,

Thanks for getting in touch! Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on your Google Ads Shopping campaign for your sportswear store. It sounds like you're just getting started, so hopefully, this helps you optimise things a bit. I'll keep it simple and straightforward!

We'll need to look at campaign structure...

First thing I'd say is about your campaign structure. Since you're running a PMax campaign, its worth bearing in mind that they can be a bit of a "black box", right? You don't always get full visibility on what's working and what isn't. For a sportswear store, I'd suggest something different: consider breaking out your top-selling products into their own standard shopping campaigns.

We did exactly this for a client that was selling hiking boots online, and it gave us much more control over bids and the search terms we were targeting. It ultimately led to a decent jump in their ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) because we could really focus on what was performing. If you've got products that consistently sell well, giving them their own dedicated campaign could be a good shout.

I'd say you should track Conversion Rate...

Next, let's talk about what to track when you're thinking about removing products. Obviously, ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) is important. However, I'd say conversion rate is actually the main thing to look at initially. If a product has a really poor conversion rate, it might mean there's something wrong with the product page itself. Maybe the images aren't great, the description is lacking, or the pricing isn't quite right. Dig into *why* it's not converting before you decide to ditch it altogether.

Sometimes, a little bit of tweaking on the website can make a big difference. A product might actually be good, but it's just not being presented in the best light. We often see this with clients - sometimes its just one tiny thing putting people off like they can't see shipping costs, but it's enough to make people leave.

You probably should pause products rather than removing them...

Now, about removing products entirely... I get why that can be a bit scary, especially if you're worried about seasonal items. My advice? Don't delete them. Just pause them instead. Make a note in your calendar to switch them back on closer to the relevant season or event. We do this all the time.

We are actually running a similar campaign for a client that sells ski gear, and that's exactly what we do. We pause the ski gear campaigns out of season and then reactivate them a month or two before winter hits. It's much easier than trying to remember which products you deleted six months ago and then having to recreate them all!

You'll need a budget for experimentation...

With a budget of €1200 a month, you're right, you need to be smart about how you spend it. I'd try experimenting with a small portion of your budget. Try different ad copy, try different audiences. Use some high quality product images, make sure your descriptions are compelling and explain all the benefits that customers can look forward to when buying.

If you have some budget leftover, get professional photos taken if the product photos aren't up to scratch. This can make a huge difference to the click through rate if you have better quality images.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

Anyway, I hope this helps give you a clearer direction! Paid advertising can feel overwhelming when you're starting out, but with a bit of testing and tweaking, you can definitely start to see some improvements.

Of course, if you'd like some more in-depth help with your Google Ads campaigns, we're always happy to chat. We offer a free consultation where we can take a look at your current setup and give you some tailored recommendations. It might be something to consider if you're struggling to get the results you want and want to chat with someone who's done this for other sportswear companies.

Regards, Team @ Lukas Holschuh