Major SA 4×4 & Outdoor Retailer

Client X, a major South African retailer and distributor of 4×4 and outdoor lifestyle products, is also a well-established fitment centre. They offer a wide range of high-quality products from trusted brands, including suspension kits, bull bars, roof racks, canopies, fridge-freezers, recovery gear, and complete overlanding and campaign solutions.

100.60%

increase in conversions (purchases and conversion touch points)

119.86%

increase in revenue

44.16%

increase in clicks across campaigns

Brief & Objectives

The Company approached Ruby Digital to leverage our Google Ads expertise with the goal of driving measurable business growth. Their primary objectives were to increase lead volume and, ultimately, grow revenue generated through their website. This included attracting more customers to their fitment centres while also boosting online sales across their extensive range of 4×4 and camping products.

In response, our objective was to design and implement highly optimised Google Ads campaigns customised to Client X’s unique business needs. These campaigns were structured to generate high-quality leads for their fitment centre services while also driving direct product sales online. Through strategic audience targeting, compelling ad copy, and optimised bidding strategies, we aimed to deliver a measurable uplift in customer enquiries and online revenue, ensuring a strong return on ad spend.

Challenges

No previous trends or data to leverage

As Client X’s account was completely new, we had no historical data or performance trends to guide our strategy. Typically, such data allows us to quickly identify high-performing campaigns, keywords, and ad creatives, as well as areas needing optimisation. Starting with a blank slate gave us the opportunity to build the account from the ground up, applying industry best practices and Ruby Digital’s proven strategies. This approach enabled us to strategically structure campaigns, implement precise targeting, and continuously test and refine ads based on real-time performance data, allowing every decision was informed and optimised to drive maximum results from the outset.

Competitor lifespan in Google Ads

With no prior Google Ads history for The Company, our competitor analysis highlighted that other brands had a significant head start in the digital space. Most competitors had been running campaigns consistently for over a year, building repeated exposure, brand familiarity, and stronger click-through rates. For Client X, this meant entering a market where potential customers were already accustomed to competitor ads. To overcome this, we implemented a dual approach: consistently running well-structured, optimised campaigns while continuously refining targeting, creatives, and bidding strategies. This allowed us to gradually build brand recognition and effectively compete within the same ad space.

Our Solutions

Structured campaigns by product category

We developed highly structured and optimised campaigns for The Company, focusing on their top-performing and most in-demand products, while also placing strong emphasis on promoting their fitment centre services. Each campaign was intentionally structured around individual product categories, with budgets allocated at a category level rather than grouping multiple products together. This approach enabled each product or service to receive focused exposure, allowing it to be promoted on its own merits. As a result, ad relevance and messaging alignment improved, supported by customised bidding strategies and audience targeting, ultimately driving more qualified traffic and stronger conversion potential for product sales and services.

Creation of a Performance Max (PMax) shopping campaign

The Performance Max (PMax) shopping campaign was developed to fully leverage the breadth of products available on Client X’s website and within their Google Merchant Center feed. This campaign showcases individual products across Google’s inventory, enabling dynamic ad placements that align with user intent throughout the buying journey. By optimising targeting, bidding, and placements automatically, the PMax campaign delivers maximum visibility for each product, with a strong strategic focus on driving online purchases and supporting revenue growth across multiple product categories.

Creation of a display campaign

The display campaign was implemented to build brand awareness and increase visibility for The Company among relevant audiences. Its primary objective was to introduce the brand to potential customers while highlighting both the extensive product range and the fitment centre offering. Visual creatives were used to allow users to see the products, supporting stronger engagement and consideration. The campaign was designed to communicate the brand’s quality, reliability, and industry expertise, reinforcing trust and credibility. By targeting users based on interests and online behaviour, the display campaign helped strengthen brand recognition and attract new prospective customers.

Results

Performance Overview (3-Month Comparison)

Comparing two consecutive three-month periods (June 2025 – August 2025 vs September 2025 – November 2025), the impact of the newly launched campaigns is already evident, despite their relatively short run time.

  • Conversions increased by 100.6%, driven primarily by purchases, along with additional conversion touchpoints such as contact form submissions.
  • Revenue grew by 119.86%, with the Shopping campaign contributing the majority of this uplift.
  • Clicks increased by 44.16% across most campaigns, indicating stronger visibility and engagement.

These results demonstrate strong early momentum and highlight the effectiveness of the campaign structure and targeting strategy.

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