Gmail Ads for Bike Shops: Why Resellers Should Use Them First

Gmail ads suit bike resellers more than bike brands. They do branding and light retargeting before Black Friday and the spring season: reminding people who looked at a bike in your shop, in the same inbox where other shops’ offers arrive. In the four bike shop accounts I’ve run over the last four years, resellers lean on Gmail, while bike brands lean on YouTube and Discover.

This post is part of the complete guide to Google Ads for bike shops. For the setup steps, see how to set up ads on Gmail.

Why should bike resellers focus on Gmail?

Because a reseller wins on the offer. You sell bikes people can buy in many shops, so what wins the order is price, availability, delivery and service. Gmail is a good place to show that: ads appear at the top of the Promotions and Social tabs, next to the offers people are already reading.

Bike brands are in a different position. They need people to remember their name, which YouTube and Discover do better.

When should a bike shop run Gmail ads?

Shortly before each peak:

• Before Black Friday, so visitors from the quiet autumn months see your offer before the week starts. In the bike accounts I run, CPCs around Black Friday are about double those of late September and October, so reminders that run before the rush are cheaper.
• Before spring, ahead of the first sunny days, when bike sales jump.

Who should a bike shop target with Gmail ads?

Target people who already know your shop:

• Visitors who looked at bikes but didn’t buy. Expensive bikes take time to decide on, so many visitors come back weeks later. Gmail keeps your shop in mind while they decide.
• Past bike buyers. They’re the best audience for large accessories such as car bike carriers, which are usually very profitable in the accounts I run.
• Custom segments built from brand + type and price-led bike searches, to reach new buyers.

Keep retargeting and new audiences in separate ad groups so you can see what each returns.

What should a bike shop advertise in Gmail?

Advertise bikes and large accessories, and leave small parts out. After delivery costs, small parts rarely earn enough to pay for the ad.

What works in the inbox:

• Bundles: a bike with a car carrier, or a carrier offer for recent bike buyers.
• Price-led offers for cheaper bikes, since cheaper bikes sell through price-led searches in the accounts I run.
• Clear reasons to buy from you: delivered ready to ride, sizing help, payment options, returns.

Across the 12 online stores whose Gmail ads I manage (not only bike shops), image ads usually do a bit better than product feed ads, and images with text work well. The headline matters most, because it’s all people see in the inbox before they click.

Do Gmail ads work the same in the US and Europe?

No. In the US, a Gmail ad opens and reads like a real email; in Europe the format is more limited. In my experience, Gmail ads work much better in the US for that reason. If you sell bikes in both, run them as separate campaigns.

How do Gmail ads fit with other bike shop campaigns?

Gmail reminds; Search and Shopping sell. For a reseller, Gmail is usually the main Demand Gen channel; for a bike brand, it sits next to YouTube and Discover. For the full budget split, read the complete guide to Google Ads for bike shops.