How to Run Profitable Google Ads in the Suit Industry: Lessons from spending over $7 Million.

If you’re in the suit industry—whether it’s Made to Measure, bespoke, or Ready to Wear

—you’ve probably heard about Google Ads, and maybe you’ve even tried running them. But if you’re finding it challenging to see results, you’re not alone.

After managing over $7 million in ad spend across this industry, I’ve identified key strategies and common pitfalls that can make or break your campaigns. Here’s how to run Google Ads that actually get you more suits out of the door, even if you’re not a marketing expert.

1. Understand Your Segment: MTM, Bespoke, and R2W Aren’t the Same

One of the biggest mistakes I see is treating all suit segments as if they’re the same thing when running ads. This confusion often leads to wasted ad spend because you’re targeting the wrong audience.

Think of it this way: A bespoke suit is like a custom-built home, while an R2W suit is more like a pre-fab house. They serve different needs and have different price points. If you’re a bespoke suit business, you don’t want to attract customers searching for “cheap suits” or “off-the-rack suits.” Similarly, if you’re selling R2W suits, you shouldn’t be paying for clicks on terms like “Savile Row tailor” or “handmade bespoke suit.”

2. Focus on Local Ads

In the suit industry, local targeting is essential. Most customers want to visit a store, get measured, and see the fabrics in person—suits are a personal purchase. When you expand your ad radius too far, you increase costs and lower your chances of making a sale, simply because the distance becomes inconvenient for the customer.

Start with a small radius and expand only when profitability is achieved.

3. Campaign Structure: Cold, Warm, and Direct Audiences

To get the most out of your Google Ads, you should structure your campaigns based on how interested potential customers are in buying a suit.

• Cold Audience: These are people who might be vaguely interested in suits but aren’t actively looking to buy. For them, you should run ads that introduce your brand or share a blog post about why a good suit matters. (lowest cost per click here is recommended + only use this segment if you have already mastered the next ones)

• Warm Audience: These folks are already interested in buying a suit but haven’t decided where to get it. Ads for this group could highlight your uniqueness, and the quality of your fabrics, or serve as invitations.

• Direct Audience: These are people ready to buy. They’re searching for specific terms like “custom suits near me” or “bespoke suit shop.” Your ads here should be clear, and direct, and drive them straight to your homepage to let viewers be sold on your suits from what they find on the page.

4. The Secret Sauce: Negative Keywords

Here’s a simple but powerful tip: Use negative keywords. These are words or phrases you tell Google to avoid when showing your ads so you don't overpay for unnecessary searches.

For example, if you’re a bespoke suit business, you don’t want to pay for clicks from people searching for “cheap suits” or “suit rental.”

Think of it like a bouncer at a club. Your negative keywords list is the list of people the bouncer shouldn’t let in—those who aren’t really interested in what you’re offering. It might take around a year or sometimes two (based on search volume) to get this list just right, but it’s worth the effort, as each month less of your budget will be wasted and more put to good use.

5. Avoid AI Optimizations at First

Google offers AI tools that promise to optimize your ad performance, but here’s the catch they rarely mention: They need a lot of data to work well.

Unless you’re getting dozens of sales every week (just form those ads that can be measured and attributed well), these tools might not be helpful.

If you’re just starting, stick with manual bidding, where you control how much you’re willing to pay for each click. This gives you more control and helps you learn what works best for your business.

6. Extensions and Landing Pages: Make Your Ads Stand Out

Use ad extensions like site links, images, and call buttons to make your ads bigger and more noticeable on the search results page. When someone clicks on your ad, make sure they land on the right page.

If they’re searching for “bespoke suits,” send them directly to your bespoke suit page, not your homepage. This lowers your cost per click (the amount you pay for each click) because Google rewards ads that provide a good user experience.

7. Exclude Display Network Ads

One of the most common mistakes is letting your ads show up on the Display Network—those banner ads you see on websites. This can drain your budget fast because people often click on them by accident, and they’re not specifically looking for suits. Stick to search ads where people are actively searching for what you’re selling.

Quick side note: this placement can be useful once you reach "maximum optimization" and want to grow the volume of sales by sacrificing some profitability.

8. Target the Right People

If you know your customers well, you can overlay your targeting so that your search ads only show up for people who match the demographics, income, lifestyle, or interests of your ideal client. This is like casting a net only where you know the fish are swimming.

Not a magic pill, but surely helps if conversion rate is lower than expected.

9. Run A/B Tests

Experiment with different offers, headlines, and images to see what works best. Maybe one group of customers responds better to a focus on price, while another cares more about customization. A/B testing helps you figure out what works, so you’re not guessing.

10. Set Up Proper Tracking and Evaluate Real Results

Before you start, make sure you’ve got proper tracking set up on your website. This includes tracking form submissions, phone calls, and visits to key pages. But don’t just rely on Google Analytics to tell you if your ads are working—look at the actual sales numbers. Some customers might prefer to call you or visit your store directly, and those sales won’t show up in your online data.

11. Don’t Be Afraid to Reevaluate

After a few months, take a hard look at your results. If you’re spending more than you’re making, it might be time to rethink your strategy. For example, if you’re paying $5 per click and it takes 100 clicks to get a sale, that’s $500 per sale. If your suits sell for $600, you might not be left with much profit. In cases like this, it’s time to seek advanced advice or rethink your approach.

Other approaches with google ads might be covered in the next articles if there is enough interest.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Give Up

Running Google Ads in the suit industry isn’t easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding when done right.

Start small, learn as you go, and don’t be afraid to make changes along the way. And remember, it’s not just about getting clicks at the cheapest price—it’s about making sales, and sometimes a higher cost per click is a way to go as you get seen more by the right type of folks.

If you’re struggling or just want some expert guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out. Sometimes, a little help can make all the difference. Good luck!

To your success,

Andris