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Google Ads Demand Gen Campaigns: The Complete Guide

Demand Gen campaigns are built to create demand where people discover content, rather than to capture an existing search. They serve visual ads (images, videos, carousels, products) on YouTube, including Shorts, as well as on Discover and Gmail (About Demand Gen campaigns, Google FAQ).

They have become Google’s main format for acquisition on YouTube: the former Video action campaigns were upgraded to Demand Gen (Video Action Campaigns are being upgraded to Demand Gen, Google FAQ). This guide explains when to use them, how to build them, which bid strategy to choose and how to measure their real effect.

What a Demand Gen campaign is for

A Search campaign answers an intent already expressed. A Demand Gen campaign comes before: it introduces an offer to people who are not looking for it yet but resemble your customers. It suits:

It suits less well an account that has not yet captured existing demand: searches for your products and brand usually remain the most profitable traffic.

Formats and creative

A Demand Gen campaign accepts image, video, carousel and product ads (About Demand Gen campaigns, Google FAQ). Creative drives most of the performance, because there is no keyword to qualify the audience: the image is what stops the scroll.

  • Provide several image ratios (landscape, square, portrait) and video in several orientations, to cover every placement, including vertical Shorts.
  • Show the product or benefit in the first seconds of a video.
  • Vary the messages rather than resizing one image: price, use, proof, brand.
  • For e-commerce, link the product feed to show catalogue prices and images (Use a product feed to show your products in Demand Gen campaigns, Google FAQ).

Audiences: who sees the ads

Demand Gen relies on Google audience segments: your own data (visitors, customer lists), interests and intents, and lookalike segments built from your lists (About Demand Gen campaigns, Google FAQ). Optimised targeting can extend delivery beyond the chosen segments.

In practice: start with an audience based on your data (customers, qualified visitors) and its lookalikes, then test interests. Exclude recent customers if the goal is acquisition, otherwise the campaign will claim sales that would have happened anyway.

Which bid strategy to choose

Demand Gen offers conversion-based and click-based strategies: Maximise conversions, Target CPA, Maximise conversion value, Target ROAS, Maximise clicks and Target CPC (Demand Gen Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Google FAQ). However, Google states that Demand Gen supports neither portfolio strategies nor maximum CPC bid limits (Demand Gen Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Google FAQ).

Google’s recommendation if you are new or have no specific goal: start with Maximise conversions, then move to Target CPA or Target ROAS once the campaign has reached at least 50 conversions (Demand Gen campaign performance guide, Google FAQ). Value-based strategies also require a minimum volume of conversions with value (Value based bidding for Demand Gen campaigns, Google FAQ).

Google also notes that click-based bidding should not be used to pursue conversion efficiency (Demand Gen Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Google FAQ): it suits a traffic goal, not a profitability goal.

Measuring the real effect

Discovery campaigns raise a measurement problem: part of their effect happens later, often through a brand search or a direct visit. Three precautions:

  • Test with A/B experiments: Google offers Demand Gen experiments that compare creative or audience variants on separate groups (Create A/B experiments for Demand Gen campaigns, Google FAQ).
  • Track brand searches and direct traffic during and after the campaign, against a reference period.
  • Allow time: judging a campaign on its first week, during learning, often leads to stopping it too early.

Demand Gen or Performance Max?

Performance Max serves across all Google networks, Search included, with little control over the split. Demand Gen is limited to visual placements and gives more control over audiences and creative.

The choice follows the goal: Performance Max to maximise conversions across all inventory, Demand Gen to build new demand with controlled audiences and messages. The two often complement each other in the same account.

Conclusion

Demand Gen is Google’s tool for creating demand on YouTube, Discover and Gmail. It works with varied creative adapted to each format, an audience based on your data, Maximise conversions at launch then a target once 50 conversions are reached, and measurement that accounts for delayed effects.

For the cost of YouTube placements, see how much YouTube advertising costs. Want to test Demand Gen on your account? Let’s talk.

Frequently asked questions

Where do Demand Gen ads show?

On YouTube (videos, feed and Shorts), Discover and Gmail (About Demand Gen campaigns, Google FAQ).

Which bid strategy should I start with?

Maximise conversions, then Target CPA or Target ROAS from at least 50 conversions, as Google recommends (Demand Gen campaign performance guide, Google FAQ).

Can I set a maximum CPC on Demand Gen?

No: Google states that Demand Gen supports neither maximum CPC bid limits nor portfolio strategies (Demand Gen Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Google FAQ).

What happened to Video action campaigns?

They were upgraded to Demand Gen campaigns (Video Action Campaigns are being upgraded to Demand Gen, Google FAQ).

Updated 28 October 2026. Sources: Google’s official documentation, checked on that date.

About the author: Alain Vanhee is an independent paid search consultant based in Lille, France. He has managed Google Ads and Search Ads 360 accounts for more than fifteen years, with budgets from 1 to 20 million euros a year, in e-commerce and lead generation. Request an audit

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