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Case Study
May 19, 2025
Thomas Bosilevac

Case Study: Optimizing the Conversion Funnel for a Global Gaming Equipment Brand

Client: Leading International Manufacturer of Gaming Equipment
Industry: Gaming & Entertainment Manufacturing
Focus: Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), Analytics Strategy, and Cross-Team Enablement
Outcome: +52% Increase in Conversions, Accelerated Reporting, Executive-Level Digital Adoption

Overview

A global manufacturer of gaming equipment had a strong paid media presence. Their campaigns consistently delivered above-average click-through rates (CTRs), signaling that the message and audience alignment were spot on. But once users arrived on the site, engagement dropped…fast.

The culprit? A series of friction points within the user journey - most notably a legally required age-gate that created a hard stop in the conversion flow.

MashMetrics was brought in to unravel the problem, design a smarter pathway for users, and support internal stakeholders with data-driven, legally sound improvements.

This client reflected the core profile we specialize in supporting: a global enterprise with a heavy investment in paid media, high traffic volume, and a clear need to turn marketing performance into measurable outcomes. Like many organizations we work with, they were eager to leverage real-time insights to drive growth but faced internal alignment challenges and limited development resources. Our agile, tailored approach allowed us to deliver impact quickly and effectively within a complex, compliance-driven environment.

The Challenge

Paid media was doing its job. The brand was seeing solid traffic volumes and high CTRs. However, post-click performance told a different story:

  • Bounce rates spiked at critical entry points
  • Conversion rates for high-value actions like “Where to Play” were underwhelming
  • There was little visibility into how friction impacted drop-off

On top of that, there were no tools in place for controlled experimentation (RIP Google Optimize), and internal development teams were already stretched thin.

The client needed clarity, a strategy, and cross-departmental buy-in to move forward.

MashMetrics’ Roadmap to Results

We launched with a simple, yet strategic approach: Diagnose, Experiment, Improve. Here’s how we turned insights into action.

1. Analyzed for Friction Points

We conducted a comprehensive behavioral analysis to pinpoint exactly where users dropped off. The data showed:

  • Significant abandonment right after the age-gate
  • Repeated user paths that ended in non-converting loops
  • Mobile users were disproportionately affected

These insights fueled the need for a comprehensive audit of customer experience (CX) best-practices.

2. Designed a CRO Roadmap

Unfortunately, the audit showed several opportunities to improve, so we utilized the VICE (Velocity, Impact, Confidence, and Ease) framework to propose where to concentrate first that would result in the highest outcome with low-code user experience (UX) improvements including:

  • Simplifying language and layout on the age-gate page
  • Optimizing user prompts to reduce decision fatigue
  • Testing alternate paths for mobile-first experiences

Even without a native experimentation tool, we helped the internal team simulate performance comparisons using custom code deployed through Google Tag Manager and data manipulated through BigQuery and reported with Google Looker Studio.

3. Reviewed Results and Recommend Iterations

The test results were compelling and we wanted to make sure everyone understood the impact potential.  So the MashMetrics team didn’t just show reports: we told stories (yes, a song was also involved - do ask!). This manifested in:

  • Legal teams had peace of mind - UX improvements could live in harmony with compliance
  • The consumer marketing team was able to unlock tremendous opportunities with a dramatically improved cost per engaged user rate
  • Executives saw the value of investing in enterprise-level CX tools for consistent improvement

Overcoming Real-World Challenges

Multi-Stakeholder Complexity

The project required alignment across Marketing, Legal, IT, and Compliance teams. We facilitated working sessions that balanced user experience with regulatory concerns.

No Experimentation Tool On Record

We modeled experimental outcomes using behavior-based segments and timestamped comparisons. This gave the team actionable “before and after” views without needing to deploy a traditional testing platform.

Development Bottlenecks

With internal dev teams already overcommitted, we focused on low-effort, high-impact recommendations that could be quickly tested or implemented by marketing.

Tools & Technologies Used

  • Google Analytics 4 (GA4): For user journey tracking and engagement modeling
  • Google Tag Manager: For custom event tracking and behavioral segmentation
  • BigQuery: To centralize and normalize cross-platform data
  • Looker Studio: For scalable, visual reporting accessible to every stakeholder

The Results

Within weeks of implementing the CRO roadmap, the client saw measurable improvement in both user engagement and business outcomes:

  • 40% increase in Age Gate completion while complying with all regulations 
    • resulting in over $50K in previously “wasted” monthly ad spend‍
  • 52% increase in “Where to Play” conversion rate further decreasing the cost per engaged user 
  • Expanded coordination utilizing MashMetrics wide skill sets to compensate for internal limitations
  • Executive level buy in to continue the CX improvement roadmap
  • Enterprise level CX measurement tools being evaluated with executive buy-in

More importantly, executive leadership now had clear visibility into the ROI of digital initiatives and began prioritizing digital experience improvements across the organization.

Strategic Outcome

This wasn’t just about fixing one user journey. It was about building a repeatable model for data-driven improvement. Thanks to cross-functional collaboration, data transparency, and a clear roadmap, digital engagement became a boardroom priority.

What started as a conversion problem became a digital transformation in which compliance, content, and customer experience aligned.

Conclusion

What started as a conversion challenge reflected a much larger set of pressures faced by modern marketing and revenue teams: the struggle to prove ROI, navigate internal alignment across marketing, legal, and IT, and drive measurable outcomes with limited resources. By addressing these broader pain points, not just the symptoms at the page level, MashMetrics helped this client build a scalable foundation for ongoing digital transformation. This approach has proven critical for organizations looking to move beyond one-off wins and toward long-term, data-driven growth.

At MashMetrics, we help brands like this global gaming equipment leader uncover hidden opportunities in their digital data. Whether you're facing engagement issues, internal roadblocks, or complex stakeholder dynamics,we're ready to build the roadmap with you.

Let’s talk about how we can optimize your digital ecosystem today.

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