2025 will be the year of Demand Gen campaigns.
Launched in 2023, Google’s Demand Gen campaigns help businesses drive stronger customer connections and boost sales and leads across YouTube and other visual platforms. Now, with expanded AI-driven controls, Google offers deeper customisation that helps you target the right customers at every stage of their buying journey.
The latest updates include enhanced creative options, richer product details in ads, and more granular channel control—setting the stage for an exciting change for marketers this year. That’s not all, a timeline update is now available to transition your Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen.
Google’s Latest Updates For Demand Gen
Here are the latest updates Google has announced:
Take Control of Ad Placements
- Expanded Channel Controls (March): Choose where ads show up across YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and YouTube Shorts.
- Google Display Reach: Access over 90% of the global internet population.
- Full Inventory Use: Optimise across channels for maximum reach and effectiveness.
Maximise Creative Impact
- 9:16 Vertical Ads: Run immersive vertical ads on YouTube Shorts (late February).
- Video Scalability: Create shorter video versions at scale for different formats.
- Streamlined Workflow: Refined ad creation process with customisation and shareable previews.
Drive Sales with Seamless Shopping
- Product Discovery: Integrated product feeds in Demand Gen for richer product details.
- Local Offers: Display real-time product availability at nearby stores.
- Omnichannel Bidding: Optimise both online and in-store sales with advanced bidding.
Compare Performance Across Platforms
- New Reporting Columns: Evaluate Demand Gen vs. paid social.
- View-Through Conversions: Assess cross-channel performance.
- Separate Campaign Impact: Compare Demand Gen results alongside other Google campaigns.
Why Do These Updates Matter to Marketers?
These updates highlight Google’s push to help advertisers create more engaging visual content and better measure its effectiveness, especially in comparison to social media campaigns.
With YouTube a top platform for Gen Z, it’s clear why this matters. Google reports that 61% of Gen Z feel a stronger connection to YouTube creators than those on other platforms. Moreover, YouTube outperforms paid social media, delivering 2.3x higher long-term ROAS, according to Nielsen.
In short, these updates offer marketers a significant opportunity to use YouTube’s influence, maximise returns, and optimise campaign performance across platforms.
Important Upgrade for Video Action Campaigns
Last year, Google introduced the upgrade of Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen. Starting in April, you will no longer be able to create new Video Action Campaigns in Google Ads or Display & Video 360 platforms. Upgrade to Demand Gen before the automatic transition begins in July to maintain full control of your campaigns.
Key Dates for Video Action Campaigns Upgrade
- No New Video Action Campaigns After April
You won’t be able to create new Video Action Campaigns starting in April. Upgrade to Demand Gen before the automatic transition in July. - Upgrade Tool Available in March
Access the upgrade tool in March to apply your historical settings to new Demand Gen campaigns. Until updated, your campaigns will run on YouTube and Google video partners, just like before. - Create New Demand Gen Campaigns for Expanded Features
To unlock new features (like expanded inventory and lookalike segments), create new Demand Gen campaigns or use the copy-and-paste tool for an instant upgrade. - Automatic Upgrade in July
Starting in July, Google Ads will automatically upgrade the remaining Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen. The process will take time, but the campaigns will retain their historical learnings. - Preserve Inventory Settings
Your inventory settings will stay the same until you make adjustments, ensuring ads continue to run on YouTube and Google video partners.
Google is streamlining video ads under Demand Gen and adding powerful new features to help you compete with social media. The enhanced controls and creative tools allow you to create and optimise content across platforms without starting from scratch.
With Nielsen data showing stronger ROAS than paid social, and new features like local inventory integration, Demand Gen drives better performance by connecting your online and offline efforts.
Need a fresh perspective? Let’s talk.
At 360 OM, we specialise in helping businesses take their marketing efforts to the next level. Our team stays on top of industry trends, uses data-informed decisions to maximise your ROI, and provides full transparency through comprehensive reports.
