Online retailer Greekgear has seen a 33 percent increase in its mobile conversion rate and a 10 percent mobile conversion lift for pay-per-click campaigns after refocusing its Web site for smartphone users and doubling down on mobile text and display ads on Google, including using location targeting.

Greekgear targets sorority and fraternity members with themed merchandise. With 18-to-22-year-olds – who spend a significant amount of time on their smartphones – making up the majority of its audience, the retailer has taken a multi-pronged approach to driving both awareness and sales on mobile.

“Our average customer is 18 to 22 and lives on mobile,” said Joseph Tantillo, CEO and founder at Greekgear. “They can create custom product on the site, but all of that becomes difficult on a mobile phone.

“A lot of products are now pick a size and go,” he said. “We are showing the most popular colors and items.

“We are making it easy to get in and out quickly.”

The texting generation
Greekgear, which manufactures most of the merchandise it sells, has been working with Exclusive Concepts for 10 years on its SEO and pay-per-click Google campaigns.

As Greekgear’s mobile traffic has taken off, the retailer has shifted the focus of much of its marketing activity to mobile. A year ago, 30 percent to 40 percent of its traffic came from mobile. Now, the number tops 50 percent.

To drive mobile traffic and conversions, the retailer has made changes to its Web site and its digital marketing.

Creating customized products was a big focus on the site previously. But as mobile has grown in importance, Greekgear is making it easier for shoppers to quickly pick a size and check out by prominently displaying the most popular items and colors.

Users can also text Greekgear from their phone and get an answer to any of their questions right away. The text solution addresses how young consumers engage online, with most not as interested in email as previous generations.

Location targeting
On the digital marketing side, mobile ads were driving a lower conversion rate so what was driving performance was the lower cost-per-click rates on mobile.

One way Greekgear is trying to drive conversions from mobile ads is by including coupon codes in the ad copy to increase the click-through rate.

“When users see a sale, they are more likely to click and convert in the end,” said Kevin Cronin, paid search program lead at Exclusive Concepts Inc. “We’ve been doing that for about a year now.”

In the past two to three months, Greekgear has also started leveraging a display strategy that targets its audience when they are within 20 miles of a college. The display ad is different based on whether the recipient is male or female.

Clicking through on ads brings users to a mini site for each sorority or fraternity.

The goal is to drive users to the site and drive brand awareness.

In terms of results on the pay-per-click side for mobile, the conversion rate is up 10 percent to 2.98 percent, the average order value is up 11 percent to $42.07, revenue is up 304 percent and the number of clicks is up 230 percent.

“We have seen an overall increase in users searching for Greekgear happening on mobile, so it is helping,” Mr. Cronin said. “And, we are seeing an increase in direct traffic.

“For the most part, it has been fairly successful in helping drive brand awareness,” he said.