Kitlocker uses Google Search to expand and consolidate its position in a crowded retail sports market

The difference between running a disastrous in-house loss-making exercise and managing successful Google Search campaigns

141%

Year on year increase in paid traffic

168%

Year in year increase in conversions

167%

Year on year increase in eCommerce revenue

£9.95 ROI

For every pound spent in Google Ads

The challenge

Competing against established players such as JD Sports, Footasylum, Adidas.co.uk and Nike, Kitlocker wanted to increase brand awareness and generate greater revenue and sales through its website. Operating in a highly competitive market demands an intelligent approach which is driven by data and focused on the customer. For Kitlocker, blending content marketing, link-building campaigns, data analysis and paid strategies was the key to getting the right people engaging with the site.

The approach

As the sportswear industry is a very volatile and seasonal market, we identified Google Ads as a good platform for Kitlocker to understand and adapt more quickly to competitive pressures and changes to its range of products. However, we knew immediately that this account wasn’t just about sales—It was about forging a relationship that can help the brand grow. With a comparatively low social reach and far lower budget for high-profile endorsements, we needed to think smartly. To increase Kitlocker’s profile and get its name in front of the most relevant industry publications, we based our organic strategy on content that answered commercial informational user intent and original research translated into copy tailored for those publications.

The results

Conducting original research and interview-style content has seen our work published in a number of football publications and generated interest for relevant grassroots football sites. Additionally, we successfully positioned Kitlocker at the top of Google Search for core keywords such as ‘nike teamwear 2017 18’, ‘nike teamwear catalogue’ and ‘adidas teamwear’. Our approach to search has seen organic traffic increase by 56% year-on-year and transactions rise by 63%, effectively increasing the organic revenue by 74%.

  • Expert Content
  • Industry Interviews
  • Original Research
  • Search Campaigns
  • Shopping Campaigns
  • Display Remarketing


Our eCommerce was treading water until Ignition sorted out our account and tripled the conversion rate. They’ve been trustworthy, helpful and reliable; they’ve got our best interests at heart and I can’t recommend them enough.

Mike Kent, Managing Director, Kitlocker

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