Remember Demand Gen campaigns? They’re Google’s relatively new way of helping businesses connect with potential customers on YouTube, Discover, and Gmail through visually stunning, immersive ads. Well, hold onto your hats, because Google just dropped a whole bunch of updates that are about to make Demand Gen even more powerful.
Why should you care? Because these updates give you, the advertiser, way more control over where your ads appear, how they look, and how they drive those sweet, sweet conversions. Think of it as Demand Gen going from a promising rookie to a seasoned pro—and you get to be the coach!
So, what’s the big news? On January 30th, Google announced a wave of changes, including new ways to customize your targeting, new creative tools, and enhanced product-based advertising.
Let’s break it down and see how these updates can help you level up your advertising game.
Expanded Channel Controls: More Flexibility for Advertisers
Ever wished you had more control over where your Demand Gen ads show up? Well, Google just granted your wish. With these new updates, advertisers can fine-tune their placements like never before, making sure their ads land exactly where they’ll have the most impact.
- Pick Your Playground – Want to focus only on YouTube? Prefer to stick to Discover or Gmail? Now you can. Advertisers can choose whether their Demand Gen ads appear on YouTube, Discover, Gmail, or across the Google Display Network. It’s all about running campaigns where they perform best for your brand and your goals.
- YouTube Shorts-Only Mode – If vertical video is your jam, this one’s for you. Google now lets you run Demand Gen campaigns exclusively on YouTube Shorts, tapping into one of the fastest-growing content formats. It’s a prime opportunity to engage mobile-first audiences with snappy, scroll-stopping ads.
- Full Inventory = Full Potential – While these new controls are great, Google still encourages advertisers to embrace all available placements for the best performance. The AI-driven nature of Demand Gen thrives on cross-channel optimization, meaning broader reach could lead to stronger results.
New Creative Enhancements: Stronger Ad Impact
Great ads don’t just get seen—they get remembered. And with Google’s latest creative updates, Demand Gen campaigns are about to pack an even bigger punch. These enhancements make it easier to create high-impact visuals that fit seamlessly into different formats, so your ads don’t just show up—they stand out.
- Vertical Image Ads for Shorts – You can now run 9:16 image ads on YouTube Shorts, giving advertisers a more immersive way to capture attention in the vertical video space. No more awkwardly cropped images—just full-screen, scroll-stopping creativity.
- Smarter Video Optimization – Got a longer video but need a quick, attention-grabbing version? Google now offers built-in tools to automatically generate shorter clips from existing videos, so you can test different lengths without extra editing hassle.
- Repurpose with Ease – Google is also rolling out tools that let you flip, trim, and tweak your video assets to fit different placements. Whether it’s a YouTube ad, a Discover placement, or a Gmail preview, your content can now be adapted without losing its impact.
- External Preview Sharing – Collaboration just got easier. A new ad creation workflow lets you share previews of your ads externally before they go live, so your team (or clients) can review and approve creatives without logging into Google Ads.
Use our Click Fraud Calculator to find out how much you can save by protecting your campaigns from fake traffic.
Completely free, no commitment needed.
Retail-Focused Features: Boosting Sales with Product Ads
For retailers, Demand Gen campaigns just got a serious upgrade. These new features are all about making it easier to showcase products, highlight availability, and drive both online and in-store sales. These updates put retailers in the driver’s seat, making it easier than ever to connect with shoppers at the right time. Here’s what’s in store:
- Product Feeds for Demand Gen – Now, you can display full product details directly within your Demand Gen ads. This means potential customers don’t just see an ad—they see the actual products, complete with images, descriptions, and pricing, making it easier for them to discover and buy.
- Local Offers & Real-Time Availability – Got a sale happening in-store? Need to move inventory fast? Google is introducing real-time stock level displays, allowing advertisers to showcase availability and drive foot traffic with accurate, up-to-the-minute info. No more guessing for shoppers—they’ll know exactly where to go and what’s in stock.
- Omnichannel Bidding for Maximum Conversions – Whether your goal is online purchases, in-store visits, or both, Google’s new omnichannel bidding ensures your campaigns are optimized for the best results. Now, you can fine-tune your bidding strategy to maximize conversions across all customer touchpoints.
Performance Insights: Comparing Demand Gen with Paid Social
Ever wondered how your Demand Gen campaigns stack up against your paid social efforts? Google’s got you covered with new performance insights designed to give advertisers a clearer picture of what’s working (and what’s not).
- View-Through Conversions – Now, Google is adding view-through conversions to Demand Gen reporting. This means you can track how many users saw your ad, didn’t immediately click, but later converted—just like you would with Meta Ads. If you’re running cross-channel campaigns, this helps you make apples-to-apples comparisons with social platforms.
- Better Attribution, Clearer Impact – With new reporting columns, you can now isolate Demand Gen’s impact from your other Google Ads campaigns. This makes it easier to understand how Demand Gen contributes to conversions without overlapping with search or standard display campaigns.
Learn more about the key differences between the two campaign types in our PMAX vs. Demand Gen comparison article.
Transitioning from Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen
If you’re still running Video Action Campaigns, it’s time to start planning your move to Demand Gen. Google has officially set the phase-out timeline, and here’s what you need to know:
🔹 April: You won’t be able to create new Video Action Campaigns anymore. If you’re still using them, it’s a good idea to start testing Demand Gen now.
🔹 July: Google will automatically upgrade all existing Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen. That means if you haven’t transitioned manually by then, Google will handle it for you—but it’s always better to be in control of the process.
To make the transition smoother, Google has introduced an upgrade tool that lets advertisers migrate their campaigns before the deadline. The best part? Your historical settings and performance learnings will carry over, so you don’t have to start from scratch.
What These Updates Mean for Advertisers
Google just handed advertisers a serious power-up. Here’s why that matters:
- More control over ad placement and audience targeting: You decide exactly where your ads appear, from YouTube Shorts to Discover and Gmail, giving you more precision in reaching the right audience.
- Stronger creative options for better engagement and conversions: With vertical image ads, auto-optimized video formats, and a smoother ad creation process, your campaigns will look better and perform even stronger.
- Enhanced shopping experience for e-commerce brands: Product feeds, real-time availability, and omnichannel bidding mean your ads aren’t just seen—they drive action, whether online or in-store.
- Improved performance tracking to refine budget allocation: The addition of view-through conversions makes it easier to compare Demand Gen with paid social, helping you make smarter budget decisions.
In short? Demand Gen is stepping up, and if you’re looking to maximize engagement, sales, and ROI, now’s the time to take advantage of these upgrades. Don’t wait! Start experimenting and see how these updates can level up your campaigns.
