Client: Steve Madden
Services: Full-funnel media strategy, end-to-end TikTok activation, customer acquisition, creative alignment, and cross-platform measurement
Overview and Challenges:
With growing competition in fashion retail and rapidly evolving digital behaviors, Steve Madden faced dual challenges: standing out in a crowded category and converting high-intent shoppers efficiently. The brand needed to increase discoverability, support key product categories, and build brand equity, all while ensuring performance-driven return on media investments.
Recognizing TikTok as a platform where fashion discovery and purchase intent intersect, Steve Madden partnered with January Digital to build a scalable TikTok Search strategy. The strategy was focused on turning search interest into revenue by capturing and converting high-intent users actively seeking style inspiration.
Goals:
- Drive incremental eCommerce revenue through TikTok Search
- Acquire new, high-intent customers in priority product categories
- Build an always-on, full-funnel TikTok strategy grounded in keyword relevance
- Improve media efficiency across CPC, CPA, and return on ad spend
- Advance measurement using cross-platform tools and incrementality insights
Our Work:
January Digital designed and executed a robust TikTok Search Ads strategy tailored to Steve Madden’s goals:
- Built a Keyword-Driven Media Structure
We segmented campaigns by key product categories (sandals, heels, sneakers), layering in both branded and non-branded keyword groups to target loyal fans and acquire new shoppers. - Aligned Bidding to Campaign Objectives
Using TikTok’s best practices, we applied a Cost Cap bidding strategy for branded terms to manage CPA, while optimizing for landing page views (LPV) on non-branded terms to expand reach without compromising efficiency. - Integrated Creator Content to Maximize Performance
To improve search ad performance, we repurposed high-performing influencer content and aligned creative with keyword intent, boosting engagement and driving stronger alignment between what users searched and what they saw. - Activated Always-On Search
Our evergreen strategy allowed Steve Madden to consistently capture high-intent traffic across the funnel, seamlessly complementing broader brand efforts on TikTok. - Leveraged Advanced Measurement
We measured success through TikTok platform data, GA4, and third-party tools like Measured to validate incremental performance across key metrics.
Results and Business Impact:
- In just one month, TikTok Search became one of Steve Madden’s top-performing digital channels
- $4.08 iROAS on branded campaigns (as measured by Measured)
- 54% lower CPA vs. non-search TikTok campaigns
- $0.63 avg. CPC across branded and non-branded keywords (GA4)
- High-efficiency sessions and incremental revenue growth across priority product categories
