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Client: Portumna GAA
Location: Portumna, County Galway, Ireland
Project: Paid Social Advertising Campaign for Club Lotto Sales
Duration: September 2024 – March 2025
Partners: Go Click Media (in collaboration with Clubforce)
Overview
In 2024, Portumna GAA partnered with Clubforce to revitalise its club lotto and generate sustainable fundraising revenue. The club recognised the need to shift supporters from offline purchasing to a more scalable, digital model. That’s where Go Click Media, a digital advertising partner of Clubforce, came in—delivering a paid social campaign that supercharged lotto ticket sales and transformed engagement levels.
Running across Meta platforms (Facebook and Instagram), the campaign combined strong creative content, powerful GAA voices, and strategic targeting. The results spoke for themselves—compressing years of expected growth into just a few months.
Objectives
• Drive Lotto Player Growth: Build a recurring player base from a standing start.
• Increase Digital Sales: Shift weekly lotto participation from traditional in-person channels to online platforms.
• Maximise Fundraising Impact: Generate strong return on a modest ad budget.
• Build Awareness: Position Portumna GAA Lotto as a compelling and convenient way for supporters to give back.
Strategy
1. Authentic, Influencer-Led Content
To emotionally connect with supporters, the campaign featured prominent, local GAA voices:
– Joe Canning – Iconic Portumna and Galway hurler
– Ollie Canning – Respected former Galway captain
– Veronica Curtin – Celebrated Galway camogie player
This content brought instant credibility and local pride to the campaign, tapping into shared values of community, tradition, and GAA heritage.
2. Precision Targeting
A layered Meta Ads strategy ensured each message reached the most relevant audiences:
– Local Supporters in Portumna and surrounding towns
– National GAA Audience across Ireland and Northern Ireland
– Top Demographics: Males aged 35–54 delivered the highest conversion rates
3. Phased Campaign Rollout
A structured rollout over 7 months helped keep the campaign fresh and top-of-mind:
– Content updates based on lotto milestones and GAA calendar
– Message testing to identify winning creative
– Touchpoints timed to build momentum through jackpot increases and holiday periods
4. Continuous Optimisation
Go Click Media closely monitored campaign performance and made live adjustments to:
– Allocate budget to top-performing ads
– Refresh creatives when engagement dipped
– Refine audiences based on behaviour and conversions
– Track cost-per-result and scale what worked
Key Results
Rapid Player Acquisition: Portumna GAA went from 0 to 220 online players in just 12 weeks.
High Autorenewal Rate: By week 12, over 166 players (78%) had enabled autorenewal—providing reliable, recurring revenue.
Exceeded Goals: The club aimed for 100 weekly players purchasing 3 lines for €5. It surpassed this target, with 126 players now recurring at this amount each week.
Strong Weekly Revenue: €800+ per week from online lotto sales, and €350–€450 from offline channels (e.g., pubs and shops).
Outstanding ROAS: With just €2,200 in ad spend during the first 12 weeks, the campaign delivered a Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) of over 5:1.
Success Factors
Targeted Paid Advertising – Portumna’s willingness to engage, collaborate, and provide video content was essential. Go Click Media handled the rest.
Engaging Content – The combination of compelling visuals and a jackpot that topped €15,000 kept audiences interested and invested.
Reliable Tech – Switching to Clubforce gave the club a platform with less than 1% downtime—critical for a seamless player experience after issues with their previous provider.
Conclusion: A Blueprint for GAA Club Success
Portumna GAA’s digital-first campaign proved that with the right strategy, tools, and content, GAA clubs can fast-track their fundraising goals in just weeks—not years.
By embracing paid social ads and leveraging trusted community figures, Portumna built a stable lotto player base, generated recurring income, and laid the groundwork for future digital growth.
Key takeaway for clubs: Paid social advertising isn’t just for businesses—it’s a powerful tool grassroots clubs can use to engage with their community and generate funding.
