Turning Local Searches into Gym Visits and Free-Trial Sign-Ups
Class-specific Google Ads for a Columbia, Maryland martial arts academy: 1,077 recorded conversions in one quarter, including 702 store visits and about 211 calls, forms and sign-ups.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training · Ground Control Columbia
Client Type
Martial arts & fitness academy
Industry
Columbia, Maryland
Based In
Local Columbia area
Services
Google Ads · SEO · Google Business Profile · Website
Campaign Period
Jul 2022 – Oct 2026 (52 months)
The Results at a Glance
Search click-through rate
up from 0.48% in 2015–16
More Search clicks
298 → 2,139 per quarter
Recorded conversions
all campaigns, incl. 702 store visits
Calls, forms & sign-ups
vs. 17 in May–Jul 2018
Source: Google Ads · Mar 1 – May 31, 2026. Click-through rate and clicks are Search campaigns only; conversions cover all campaign types.
About Ground Control Columbia
Ground Control Columbia is a martial arts and fitness academy on Red Branch Road in Columbia, Maryland, serving adults, families and kids from the surrounding area.
Where the Account Started
Each gym serves its own local market, so ads have to reach people nearby who are looking for a specific class. The account’s early history shows how little of that was being captured or tracked.
Earliest available
Dec 2015 – Feb 2016
0
Tracked conversions
298
Clicks
0.48%
Click-through rate
First consistent lead tracking
May – Jul 2018
17
Tracked conversions
888
Clicks
1.91%
Conversion rate
A Campaign for Every Class
Campaigns targeted class-specific searches: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, Muay Thai, kids’ classes and self-defense. Ads led with free trials and local instruction, and sent people to the matching class page on the academy website.
Real ads from the account
Sponsored
Learn from top black-belt instructors Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay thai, kickboxing
Competitor campaign · 122 clicks · 80.2 conversions
Sponsored
Improve strength, get in top conditioning, train for faster speed, become more agile.
Boxing campaign · 213 clicks · 68.8 conversions
Sponsored
We Provide a Fun, Safe and Friendly Environment for All Fitness and Experience Levels.
Muay Thai campaign · 110 clicks · 34 conversions
Ad activity from Mar–May 2026, Google Ads.
[“Before” screenshot — GA4 traffic or Search Console baseline, with date range]
[Short problem headline — e.g. Invisible on Google, overspending on ads]
[2–3 sentences describing the situation before BoBella — what wasn’t working and what it was costing the business.]
- [Low visibility for core service keywords]
- [Ad spend with no conversion tracking]
- [High cost per lead / wasted spend on irrelevant searches]
- [Outdated Google Business Profile, few reviews]
What We Built
Active campaigns
Search plus Performance Max
Class ad groups
Grouped by program
Ads getting clicks
Out of 47 ads in the account
Landing pages
Home page plus class pages
Audit & Tracking
[GA4 + GTM setup, call tracking, conversion goals, site & ads audit.]
SEO Foundation
[Technical fixes, on-page optimization, local SEO & Google Business Profile.]
Content & Authority
[Service / location pages, blog content, citations and backlinks.]
Paid Search
[Google Ads restructure, keyword targeting, ad copy testing, landing pages.]
Account inventory with delivery, Apr–Jun 2024.
Conversion tracking
Beyond paid search
- SEO
- Google Business Profile
- Website development
Timeline
Dec 2015 – Feb 2016
Earliest ads in the account
May – Jul 2018
First consistent lead tracking
Mar – May 2026
7.05% Search click-through rate
A Search Strategy Built Around Leads
[1–2 sentences on the overall approach — how SEO and Google Ads worked together toward the client’s goals.]
SEO
- Technical SEO audit & fixes — [00] issues resolved
- On-page optimization of [00] pages
- [00] new service / location pages
- Google Business Profile optimization
- [00] blog posts published
- [00] local citations / backlinks built
Google Ads (PPC)
- Account restructure — [00] campaigns, [00] ad groups
- Keyword research & negative keyword lists
- [00] ad variations written & A/B tested
- Conversion tracking for forms & calls
- Landing page [built / optimized]
- Bid strategy & budget optimization
Month 1
Audit & setup
Months 2–3
Build & launch
Months 4–6
Optimize & scale
Ongoing
Monthly reporting
Search Click-Through Rate: 0.48% → 7.05%
Comparing Search campaigns only, March–May 2026 turned half the impressions of the account’s first quarter into 7x the clicks, at a much lower cost per click. Across all campaign types, most recorded conversions were store visits and direction requests from people heading to the gym.
Search campaigns over time
Click-through rate
Clicks
Search campaigns only. Average cost per click 64% lower than 2015–16.
Mar–May 2026 click-through rate by campaign type
What the 1,077 conversions include (all campaigns)
Calls, forms & sign-ups per quarter
Search campaigns, three quarters side by side
| Search metric | Dec 2015 – Feb 2016 | May – Jul 2018 | Mar – May 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impressions | 62,408 | 16,599 | 30,332 |
| Clicks | 298 | 888 | 2,139 |
| Click-through rate | 0.48% | 5.35% | 7.05% |
| Recorded conversion actions | 0 | ~17 | 892 |
| Recorded conversion rate | 0% | 1.91% | 41.71% |
The table compares Search campaigns only, so the click-through rates are like for like. The 1,077 conversions, the conversion breakdown and the 2026 screenshot cover all campaign types (Search, Performance Max and Video). All figures are Google Ads-reported actions, not verified enrollments or memberships. Store visits are modeled by Google, and calls, forms and sign-ups may overlap for the same person. The periods are years apart and not seasonally matched.
The proof
Services in this project:
Want more people walking through your door?
Let’s build a local Google Ads strategy that fills your classes.
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