Google Ads Optimization: 3.2x ROAS in 30 Days

When Sydney-based fitness equipment retailer FitGear Pro approached us, their Google Ads account was bleeding money. $15,000 monthly spend, 0.9x ROAS, and ready to give up on paid advertising entirely. Here’s the exact playbook we used to transform their campaigns.

The Initial Diagnosis

Campaign Performance (Before)

• Monthly Spend: $15,000
• ROAS: 0.9x ($13,500 revenue)
• Cost Per Conversion: $156
• Conversion Rate: 1.2%
• Average Order Value: $187

Key Problems Identified

1. Broad match keywords eating 67% of budget
2. No negative keyword strategy
3. Single campaign structure (no segmentation)
4. Desktop-only bid adjustments
5. Generic ad copy across all products
6. Landing page mismatches

Week 1: Stop the Bleeding

Day 1-2: Search Term Audit

We downloaded 6 months of search term data and found:

• 73% of spend on irrelevant terms
• “Free fitness equipment” - $2,100 wasted
• “Used gym equipment” - $1,800 wasted
• Generic terms like “exercise” - $3,400 wasted

Action Taken:

• Added 1,847 negative keywords
• Paused 62 poor-performing keywords
• Immediate Result: 31% cost reduction

Day 3-4: Campaign Restructure

Before: 1 campaign, 15 ad groups, 500+ keywords

After:

Shopping Campaigns (Smart Shopping)
├── High Margin Products (>50% margin)
├── Best Sellers (top 20 products)
└── Clearance Items (30-50% off)

Search Campaigns
├── Brand Campaign
│   ├── Pure Brand
│   └── Brand + Category
├── High-Intent Commercial
│   ├── Product-Specific
│   ├── "Buy" Intent Keywords
│   └── Competitor Terms
└── Research Phase
    ├── "Best" Keywords
    ├── Comparison Terms
    └── Review Keywords

Day 5-7: Bidding Strategy Overhaul

Old Strategy: Manual CPC (guessing)

New Strategy:

• Brand: Target Impression Share (95%)
• High-Intent: Target ROAS (200%)
• Research: Maximize Clicks ($2 cap)
• Shopping: Target ROAS (300%)

Week 2: Optimization Phase

Advanced Audience Targeting

Implemented:

1. Customer Match Lists

   • Past purchasers (300% ROAS)
   • Cart abandoners (250% ROAS)
   • Email subscribers (180% ROAS)

2. In-Market Audiences

   • Fitness enthusiasts
   • Home gym equipment
   • Weight training

3. Custom Intent Audiences Based on competitor URLs and keywords

Ad Copy Testing Matrix

We created a systematic testing approach:

Control: Generic product-focused ads

Headline: Premium Home Gym Equipment
Description: Shop fitness equipment. Free shipping over $100.

Test A: Urgency + Social Proof

Headline: 2,847 Aussies Transformed Their Home Gym This Month
Description: Limited stock. 4.9★ from 500+ reviews. Ships today.

Test B: Problem/Solution

Headline: Gym Closed Again? Build Your Home Gym in 48 Hours
Description: Complete setup from $299. Expert advice included.

Test C: Benefit-Focused

Headline: Save $2,400/Year on Gym Fees - Start Today
Description: One-time investment. Lifetime fitness. 5-year warranty.

Winner: Test A - 43% higher CTR, 67% better conversion rate

Landing Page Alignment

Problem: Sending all traffic to homepage

Solution: Created dedicated landing pages

• Matched ad copy exactly
• Removed navigation distractions
• Added urgency elements
• Streamlined checkout process

Results:

• Bounce rate: 73% → 41%
• Conversion rate: 1.2% → 3.8%

Week 3: Scale What Works

Budget Reallocation

Based on performance data:

Before:
- Generic keywords: 60% ($9,000)
- Brand: 5% ($750)
- Shopping: 20% ($3,000)
- Display: 15% ($2,250)

After:
- Shopping: 45% ($6,750)
- High-Intent Search: 30% ($4,500)
- Brand: 15% ($2,250)
- Remarketing: 10% ($1,500)
- Display: 0% (paused)

Dayparting Insights

Analyzed conversion data by hour:

• Peak performance: 6-9 AM, 7-10 PM
• Worst performance: 2-5 AM, 2-4 PM

Implementation:

• +40% bid adjustment during peak hours
• -60% bid adjustment during low hours
• Result: 23% improvement in ROAS

Device Optimization

Discovery:

• Mobile: 65% of clicks, 23% of conversions
• Desktop: 25% of clicks, 68% of conversions
• Tablet: 10% of clicks, 9% of conversions

Actions:

• -30% mobile bid adjustment
• +50% desktop bid adjustment
• Created mobile-specific ads
• Improved mobile landing page speed

Week 4: Advanced Tactics

Dynamic Keyword Insertion

Implemented DKI strategically:

Headline: {KeyWord:Home Gym Equipment} - Australia's #1
Description: Shop {keyword:fitness gear} with same-day shipping

Caution: Only used for tightly grouped keywords

Promotion Extensions

Added time-sensitive promotions:

• “SAVE20” - 20% off orders over $500
• “FREESHIP” - Free shipping (normally $50)
• “BUNDLE15” - 15% off equipment bundles

Result: 18% increase in CTR

Price Extensions

Showcased product ranges:

• Dumbbells from $29
• Benches from $149
• Full Sets from $599

Result: Pre-qualified traffic, higher conversion intent

The Final Results

Campaign Performance (After 30 Days)

• Monthly Spend: $15,000 (same)
• Revenue Generated: $48,000
• ROAS: 3.2x (256% improvement)
• Cost Per Conversion: $48 (-69%)
• Conversion Rate: 3.8% (+217%)
• Average Order Value: $245 (+31%)

Key Metric Improvements

• Click-Through Rate: 1.8% → 4.2%
• Quality Score Average: 4/10 → 7/10
• Impression Share: 28% → 61%
• Wasted Spend: 73% → 18%

Ongoing Optimization Strategy

Weekly Tasks

1. Search term review and negative additions
2. Bid adjustment analysis
3. Ad copy testing (always testing)
4. Landing page optimization
5. Competitor monitoring

Monthly Reviews

1. Audience performance analysis
2. Product feed optimization
3. Budget reallocation
4. Seasonal adjustment planning
5. New feature implementation

Key Takeaways

1. Data Drives Decisions

Every change was based on data, not hunches. We tracked everything and let performance guide budget allocation.

2. Structure Matters

Proper campaign structure isn’t just organization - it’s the foundation for optimization and scaling.

3. Test Relentlessly

Our winning ad copy was 4x better than the control. You can’t guess what will work.

4. Mobile ≠ Desktop

Treating all devices the same is leaving money on the table.

5. Speed Wins

Fast implementation of insights is crucial. Every day of poor performance is money wasted.

Your Action Plan

Immediate Actions (Today)

1. Run search term report for last 30 days
2. Add obvious negative keywords
3. Pause keywords with 0 conversions and 50+ clicks
4. Check mobile vs desktop performance

This Week

1. Restructure campaigns by intent level
2. Create dedicated landing pages
3. Implement conversion tracking properly
4. Set up remarketing audiences

This Month

1. Test 4 new ad variations
2. Implement bid adjustments
3. Create shopping campaigns
4. Build customer match lists

The Bottom Line

FitGear Pro went from nearly abandoning Google Ads to making it their most profitable marketing channel. The $15,000 monthly spend now generates $48,000 in revenue - a $33,000 monthly profit increase.

This isn’t a lucky accident. It’s the result of systematic optimization, constant testing, and data-driven decision making.

Ready to transform your Google Ads performance? Get a free account audit and discover how much money you’re leaving on the table.