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New Report Reveals Nike Dominates Online Footwear Sector Growth

07-11-2024   


According to a new report, Nike has achieved the largest increase in online visibility within the UK footwear market over the past year. 

Salience Search Marketing’s 2024 online footwear market performance report uncovers the industry’s leaders based on their online prominence and visibility.   

The report analysed 11 crucial performance indicators, including year-on-year visibility, search volume trends, and brand awareness, for online footwear brands to reveal the industry’s most successful names. The full report is available to view here. 

Online Visibility Growth 

Central to this analysis is each brand’s online visibility ranking, which is determined by the organic search traffic their website attracts. This metric is vital for understanding the website’s overall growth or decline.

RankBrands with the biggest growth in visibility YoY Traffic Score 2024Traffic Score 2023YoY Visibility Change
1Nike5,545,152 4,100,896+35%
2Adidas2,611,927 2,052,205 +27%
3New Balance1,315,747 882,597 +49%
4UGG861,339 591,606 +46%
5EGO383,693 153,226+150%

Nike leads the online footwear industry, boasting a 35% increase in visibility over the past year. 

Following closely behind, Adidas secures second place with a 27% rise, underlining the enduring dominance of these industry giants in captivating online audiences. 

New Balance takes the third spot with a notable 49% increase year on year, highlighting its commitment to innovative designs and comfort. 

The iconic Australian brand UGG experiences a resurgence in popularity, showcasing a remarkable 46% increase and reaffirming its status as a beloved global brand.

EGO makes waves with an impressive 150% increase in visibility, driven by its chic and affordable footwear collections. 

These brands stand out as ones to watch, experiencing the most significant growth in the market and demonstrating the success of their strategies in enhancing brand awareness and boosting customer numbers.

Online Visibility Decline

RankBrands with the biggest drop in visibility YoY Traffic Score 2024Traffic Score 2023YoY Visibility Change
1JD Sports3,875,916 5,326,904 -27%
2Sports Direct3,792,202 5,096,457-26%
3On83,009 224,983 -63%
4Footasylum 745,887 878,298 -15%
5Sportsshoes.com165,366 280,225 -41%

Meanwhile, JD Sports, a once prominent player in the online footwear market, has experienced a significant setback, with a 27% decline in organic search traffic. 

Similarly, Sports Direct, renowned for its extensive range of sports apparel and footwear, has seen a 26% drop in traffic. 

On, a brand recognised for its innovative running shoes, has faced the most substantial decline among the mentioned brands, with a staggering 63% decrease in organic search traffic. 

These declines highlight these brands’ challenges in maintaining their online presence and attracting potential customers.

Despite these declines, the online footwear sector has seen a 5% increase in search traffic, indicating that demand for online footwear retailers remains strong.

Brett Janes, managing director at Salience Search Marketing, said: “Online visibility is a great way of measuring the brand awareness of any company operating within a highly competitive industry.

“Nike continues to dominate the online market with its cutting-edge designs and compelling marketing campaigns, solidifying its position as a leader in the footwear industry.

“The 5% increase in search for this sector highlights the growing demand for online footwear brands and the opportunity for brands to implement a solid marketing strategy for their website to compete within the e-commerce market.”

The full Online Footwear report 2024 is available to read and download here.

Top image courtesy of Salience, street style images by JoJo Iles




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