Google Ads are a great fit for fitness equipment retailers. Why? Good question.

Imagine it’s January 2nd. Billy Joe makes a New Year’s resolution to get in shape, searches for “best home gym equipment” on Google. You’re running Google Ads, and your products show up right there at the top of the search results. Billy Joe clicks, makes a purchase. End of story.

Google Ads allows you to reach people and be visible to only those who are actively searching for fitness equipment. It’s the best kind of matchmaking.

If you own a local store, you can even target-specific locations and potentially get better results. You can also measure your results and get a cost per customer acquisition — which allows you to be in complete control of how much you want to spend.

Let’s help set up and run successful Google Ads campaigns for your fitness equipment store.

Google Ads Account

Lucky for you, setting up your Google Ads account is easy.

• Go to ads.google.com and click “Start Now”
• Enter your email address and website URL
• Set your billing country and time zone
• Enter your billing information

NOTE: If you’re new to Google Ads, you might be eligible for a promotional code to get some free ad credit when you start. Keep an eye out.

Your Campaign Structure

Think of your Google Ads account containing campaigns with ad groups, ads, and keywords. Let’s break it down:

• Account: Your Google Ads account
• Campaigns: Broad categories (e.g., “Cardio Equipment,” “Strength Training Gear”)
• Ad Groups: More specific categories (e.g., “Treadmills,” “Dumbbells”)
• Ads: The actual ads people see
• Keywords: The words or phrases that trigger your ads

For one client, we created separate campaigns for cardio equipment, strength training gear, and fitness accessories. The structure made it easier to manage her ads and budget.

Impeccable Keyword Research

Keywords are the foundation of your Google Ads. For fitness equipment retailers, you want to target keywords that show buying intent.

Here are some types of keywords to consider:

• Product-specific: “Bowflex home gym,” “NordicTrack treadmill”
• Category: “cardio machines,” “strength training equipment”
• Problem-solving: “equipment for weight loss,” “home gym for small spaces”
• Branded: Your brand name and product names
• Use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner to find relevant keywords and their search volumes

NOTE: Long-tail keywords are usually less competitive and can be highly targeted, and they work.

Bring Awesome Ad Copy

Phenomenal ad copy will always stand out, YOu want to grab your audience’s attention. Make sure it’s emotionally persuasive, smartly attention grabbing, and relevant.

1. Remember to include your primary keyword
2. Then highlight a key benefit — it’s all about the value and solution they gain.
3. A call to action

For the description, elaborate on your offer and include another call to action.

Use Many Ad Extensions 

Give your ads a boost with ad extensions. They enhance your ads’ performance by providing additional information and links. Even better? They’re free to add and can significantly improve your click-through rates.

Some ad extensions that work well for fitness equipment retailers:

• Sitelink Extensions: Add links to specific product categories or pages
• Callout Extensions: Highlight key selling points (e.g., “Free Shipping,” “Expert Assembly”)
• Structured Snippet Extensions: List specific products or services
• Price Extensions: Show prices for different products
• Location Extensions: Display your store’s address (great for local searches)

NOTE: Use as many relevant extensions as possible.

The Correct Bidding Strategy

Starting with Manual CPC (Cost-Per-Click) bidding because it lets you the most amount of control on your spending.

Take some time, watch what you’re spending per click, as you gain more insights with data, ,you can try to experiment with some built in automated bidding strategies.

You want it challenging enough to see results, but not so high that you burn out quickly.

Here are some bidding strategies to consider:

• Manual CPC: You set the maximum amount you’re willing to pay for a click
• Maximize Clicks: Google automatically sets your bids to get as many clicks as possible within your budget
• Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): You set a target return on ad spend, and Google adjusts your bids to meet that target

Set Up Conversion Tracking

Conversion tracking allows you to see what happens after someone clicks on your ad. Do they make a purchase? Sign up for your newsletter? Request a product demo? Measure what matters.

Here are some conversions you might want to track:

• Online purchases
• “Add to cart” actions
• Phone calls
• Form submissions (e.g., for catalog requests)
• Time spent on site

NOTE: To set up conversion tracking, you’ll need to add a small piece of code to your website. Don’t worry if you’re not tech-savvy — Google provides step-by-step instructions, or you can ask your web developer for help.

A Negative Keyword List

Negative keywords — they’re search terms that you don’t want your ads to show up for. They help you save marketing dollars, and improve relevance so you’re not showing haphazardly on search pages.

For example, if you sell high-end fitness equipment, you might want to add “cheap” or “budget” as negative keywords.

This ensures your ads don’t show up when people are searching for budget options, saving you money on clicks that are unlikely to convert.

Some negative keywords to consider:

• “Free” (unless you offer free products or shipping)
• “DIY” (for people looking to make their own equipment)
• “Used” or “Second-hand” (if you only sell new equipment)
• Competitor brand names (unless you sell their products)

NOTE: Regularly review your Search Terms report in Google Ads to find new negative keywords to add to your list.

Optimize for Mobile

People are now shopping on their smartphones, and fitness enthusiasts are no exception. Make sure your Google Ads campaigns are optimized for mobile users. You don’t want to miss out on on-the-go shoppers.

Here are some mobile optimization tips:

• Use mobile-preferred ad copy (shorter, punchier text)
• Ensure your landing pages are mobile-friendly
• Use mobile-specific ad extensions (like click-to-call)
• Consider creating mobile-only campaigns for certain products

For one client, we created a mobile-specific campaign for yoga and home workout equipment — items that were popular with his on-the-go customers. He saw a 40% increase in mobile conversions.

Remarketing

Bring those window shoppers back! Remarketing allows you to show ads to people who previously visited your website but didn’t make a purchase.

Setting up a basic remarketing campaign:

• Add the Google Ads remarketing tag to your website
• Create a remarketing list in Google Ads
• Create a new campaign or ad group targeting your remarketing list
• Design ads specifically for these potential customers

NOTE: Fitness equipment retailers might create different remarketing ads for people who viewed specific product categories. Someone who looked at treadmills might see an ad highlighting your best-selling treadmill models or a special offer on cardio equipment.

Leverage Seasonal Trends

Timing is everything. New Year’s resolutions, pre-summer fitness pushes, and holiday gift-giving seasons can all drive spikes in searches and sales. The fitness equipment industry has clear seasonal trends, so:

• Plan your Google Ads campaigns around these trends:
• Increase your budget during peak seasons
• Create season-specific ad copy and landing pages
• Use countdown timers for limited-time offers
• Adjust your bidding strategy to be more aggressive during high-demand periods

Monitor and Adjust

Are your campaigns staying in shape? Google Ad campaigns need constant monitoring and modifications. Review, make tweaks, and optimize.

• Identify underperforming keywords and make changes.
• Create separate ad groups for highly successful keywords, and even consider increasing bids
• Getting low CTRs? Pause the ad. High performing ads? Create variations to make the most of it
• With more ad relevance and website improvements (including speed and navigation pathways and site architecture), you can improve the quality score and get seen more often, without more effort.
• Pace yourself with budgets, and keep an eye on your spending.

NOTE: Some of Google Ads’ automated features will actually make these adjustments for you. For example, you could set a rule to pause keywords that have spent over $50 without a conversion.

Next Steps?

Master Google Ads — stick with it.

Start small if you need to. Maybe begin with a campaign for your best-selling product category. As you get more comfortable, you can expand to cover your entire product range. Test different approaches, learn from your data, and don’t be afraid to try new strategies.

Your potential customers are searching right now. Make sure they find you with Google Ads.