Global giants like Nike and Adidas have historically dominated the sportswear market, brands with billions in annual revenue and decades of market leadership.
In our latest Sportswear Industry Analysis, we’ll explore the key market trends, online visibility, and consumer trust factors and highlight why a UK-based startup, Gymshark, is poised to disrupt this longstanding duopoly.
Who’s Leading in Sportswear Online Visibility?
When it comes to organic online visibility, Sports Direct emerges as the clear market leader, boasting an impressive traffic score of 6.43 million, marking a 20% year-on-year growth. Nike (5.89 million, +12%) and JD Sports (4.59 million, +13%) are closely behind. Brands like Adidas and Gymshark also show strong performance, particularly Gymshark, which surged by an outstanding 49% in organic visibility over the past year.
Yet, some big names faced declines. Notably, Lululemon saw a dramatic 47% drop, and Speedo and The North Face also experienced significant visibility setbacks.
| Overall rank | YoY Change | Website | Traffic Feb 16, 25 | Traffic Feb 19, 24 | YoY Change |
| 1 | 0 | sportsdirect.com | 6,425,130 | 5,339,974 | 20% |
| 2 | 0 | nike.com | 5,894,635 | 5,240,238 | 12% |
| 3 | 0 | jdsports.co.uk | 4,592,937 | 4,082,057 | 13% |
| 4 | 0 | adidas.co.uk | 4,007,324 | 3,679,052 | 9% |
| 5 | 1 | newbalance.co.uk | 1,791,732 | 1,607,082 | 11% |
| 6 | -1 | decathlon.co.uk | 1,779,539 | 1,676,399 | 6% |
| 7 | 1 | mandmdirect.com | 981,029 | 920,796 | 7% |
| 8 | -1 | thenorthface.co.uk | 914,126 | 1,107,729 | -17% |
| 9 | 2 | uk.gymshark.com | 906,458 | 609,016 | 49% |
| 10 | 0 | footasylum.com | 726,981 | 645,851 | 13% |
| 11 | -2 | asics.com | 640,285 | 689,945 | -7% |
| 12 | 3 | prodirectsport.com | 599,842 | 401,739 | 49% |
| 13 | 4 | cotswoldoutdoor.com | 514,306 | 349,777 | 47% |
| 14 | 4 | converse.com | 444,962 | 328,092 | 36% |
| 15 | -2 | adanola.com | 442,922 | 416,149 | 6% |
| 16 | -4 | vans.co.uk | 398,926 | 424,685 | -6% |
| 17 | -1 | uk.tommy.com | 393,152 | 393,153 | 0% |
| 18 | 2 | underarmour.co.uk | 392,374 | 325,365 | 21% |
| 19 | -5 | lululemon.co.uk | 379,655 | 410,829 | -8% |
| 20 | 1 | hugoboss.com | 372,644 | 322,082 | 16% |
| 21 | -2 | on.com (Migrated from on-running.com) | 351,139 | 325,936 | 8% |
| 22 | 2 | puma.com | 299,573 | 221,065 | 36% |
| 23 | 0 | sportsshoes.com | 252,968 | 221,945 | 14% |
| 24 | 1 | hoka.com | 240,205 | 220,433 | 9% |
| 25 | -3 | sweatybetty.com | 210,646 | 246,273 | -14% |
| 26 | 1 | lacoste.com | 185,339 | 157,461 | 18% |
| 27 | 2 | runnersneed.com | 182,894 | 150,302 | 22% |
| 28 | -2 | columbiasportswear.co.uk | 176,000 | 180,671 | -3% |
| 29 | 4 | kitbag.com | 158,570 | 136,591 | 16% |
| 30 | 1 | salomon.com | 150,612 | 144,040 | 5% |
Which Sportswear Brands Are Winning Consumer Trust?
Trust remains paramount in e-commerce, particularly in a competitive niche like sportswear. Based on TrustPilot analysis, brands excelling in customer satisfaction include:
- Tiso: 4.7 rating (12,152 reviews)
- SportsShoes: 4.6 rating (79,437 reviews)
- Sport Pursuit: 4.6 rating (47,243 reviews)
- Kitlocker: 4.6 rating (5,823 reviews)
Who Holds the Largest Digital Reach?
Regarding branded searches and social media reach, Nike reigns supreme with 1.5 million monthly searches and a social engagement score of 384,100.
Despite this dominance, it’s clear Gymshark is gaining ground quickly, particularly within social media, amassing significant consumer engagement through community-driven marketing strategies.
Here’s how some leading brands stack up:
| Brand Name | Site | Brand Searches Per Month | Owned Social Score | Rank |
| Nike | nike.com | 1500000 | 384100 | 1 |
| Adidas | adidas.co.uk | 823000 | 117750 | 2 |
| Converse | converse.com | 368000 | 106194 | 3 |
| JD Sports | jdsports.co.uk | 2740000 | 10553 | 4 |
| Sports Direct | sportsdirect.com | 4090000 | 5313 | 5 |
| Vans | vans.co.uk | 301000 | 55750 | 6 |
| New Balance | newbalance.co.uk | 550000 | 27161 | 7 |
| Gym Shark | uk.gymshark.com | 823000 | 12063 | 8 |
| Under ARmour | underarmour.co.uk | 246000 | 31720 | 9 |
| Puma | puma.com | 165000 | 59850 | 10 |
| Lacoste | lacoste.com | 110000 | 41750 | 11 |
| The North Face | thenorthface.co.uk | 165000 | 19926 | 12 |
| Asics | asics.com | 165000 | 10071 | 13 |
| Tommy | uk.tommy.com | 33100 | 45350 | 14 |
| Footasylum | footasylum.com | 673000 | 1773 | 15 |
| M And M Direct | mandmdirect.com | 550000 | 2164 | 16 |
| Fabletics | fabletics.co.uk | 110000 | 9981 | 17 |
| Oakley | oakley.com | 60500 | 13825 | 18 |
| Hugo Boss | hugoboss.com | 165000 | 4243 | 19 |
| Armani | armani.com | 49500 | 11362 | 20 |
Digital brand awareness describes how familiar consumers are with your brand or products online, whether they are searching for your brand or interacting with it on social media. To calculate this ranking, we blend branded search metrics with the performance and reach of social channels for brands across the sector.
Owned social score considers followers and engaged conversations on all major social platforms. A strong owned audience now influences SEO more than ever—brand queries feed Google’s entity understanding, soften the impact of core updates and now, social content such as TikTok videos and Instagram reels are starting to be pulled into the SERP!
Gymshark Marketing Strategy
Gymshark began as a humble UK startup operating from a garage. It’s rapidly becoming a serious threat to established sportswear brands in one key market: the gym. By focusing exclusively on the gym niche, Gymshark effectively leverages deep community relationships, something broader-focused brands like Nike struggle to match. Click here to view the full case study
Future Outlook & Key SEO Opportunities
Looking ahead, market volatility is rising, driven by factors like AI and shifting consumer behaviour. The latest market report highlights significant shifts in keyword search trends. Emerging interests include niche products like “carbon plate running shoes” (+143%) and “burgundy tracksuits” (+904%). For brands, understanding and capitalising on these emerging SEO opportunities is critical.
What’s Next for Sportswear Brands?
Major sportswear brands must double down on technical SEO, digital PR, and user-focused content strategies. According to our 69-page market report, visibility, page speed, keyword opportunities, and social scores are vital metrics to track, and while larger brands currently dominate, opportunities for disruption remain plentiful.
If you’d like deeper insights into sportswear industry trends, get the free 69-page report for deeper insight. To learn how we can enhance your e-commerce visibility and boost sales, visit our e-commerce SEO services page.
For a closer look at how Gymshark is challenging industry giants, explore our case study: Gymshark Is Eating Nike’s Lunch (In One Key Market).
Ultimately, the takeaway for sportswear brands is clear: deep community connections and focused expertise can disrupt even the most entrenched competitors. Brands that embrace these principles now will be best positioned for future success.