Pakistan
USA
Canada
UK
Dubai
Australia
Germany
- Demand Gen is for visual, social-style ads that create interest rather than capture searches.
- It never shows on Google Search results; pair it with Search.
- Creative quality and audience signals matter more than keywords.
- Measure it with conversions plus view-through and brand search lift, not last click alone.
What is a Demand Gen campaign?
Demand Gen is Google's campaign type for image, carousel and video ads shown in feeds and on YouTube. It replaced Discovery campaigns and has been taking on more of the work that standard Display campaigns used to do. Google has signalled that Display buying is moving towards Demand Gen, so check the current Help page for how your existing Display campaigns are affected.
Think of it as Google's answer to Meta-style advertising. People are scrolling, watching or reading email, not searching for you. The ad has to earn attention with a strong image or video and a clear reason to click. That makes it a good fit for products people do not yet know to search for, and a poor fit for urgent needs such as emergency repairs.
Where do Demand Gen ads show?
Demand Gen ads can run on YouTube, including Shorts, in-feed, in-stream and watch-next placements, as well as Discover, Gmail, the Google Display Network and video partner sites. Google has also been adding new inventory over time. They do not appear on Google Search results, so Demand Gen will not help you catch people who are already typing your service into Google. That job belongs to Search campaigns.
Channel controls let you choose which of these placements each ad group uses. That is useful when you only have vertical video, or when you want to keep Gmail out of a test. By default, Google spreads delivery across all channels, which usually gives the system more room to find conversions. Restrict channels only when you have a clear reason, such as missing creative formats or a placement that consistently brings poor-quality traffic.
How does Demand Gen compare with Performance Max and Display?
Choose by what you need to control.
Demand Gen | Performance Max | |
|---|---|---|
Main job | Create interest with visual ads | Capture conversions across all Google channels |
Search results | Not shown | Included |
Audience control | You choose audiences and lookalike-style segments | Audience signals only guide the system |
Creative control | Ad-level previews and channel controls | Assets mixed by Google |
Best for | Prospecting, product launches, video-led brands | Sales and leads where tracking is solid |
How do audiences and lookalike segments work?
Demand Gen lets you target audiences you define: your own customer lists, website visitors, people interested in topics, and custom segments built from search terms or websites. Lookalike segments find people similar to a seed list, such as past customers. Google has been shifting lookalikes towards acting as suggestions alongside optimised targeting rather than strict limits, so expect delivery beyond the list itself.
The quality of your seed list matters. A customer list of real buyers is a better starting point than all website visitors. If you are reaching people who have already visited, our notes on remarketing cover the basics, and our guide to Search versus Display ads explains how feed-based ads differ from search intent.
What creative does Demand Gen need?
Weak creative is the most common reason Demand Gen underperforms.
Several image ratios
Supply landscape, square and portrait images so the ad fits each feed without awkward cropping.
Vertical video for Shorts
A short vertical video with the message in the first seconds performs very differently from a cut-down TV advert.
Clear product or offer
Show what you sell. Abstract brand imagery gives people no reason to tap.
Readable on a phone
Text inside images should be large and short, because most impressions are on mobile.
Regular refresh
Feed audiences tire of the same image quickly. Plan new variations before results fade.
Which bidding and measurement should I use?
Demand Gen supports Maximise Clicks, Maximise Conversions with an optional target cost per action, and Maximise Conversion Value with an optional target return on ad spend. Start with conversion-based bidding if your tracking is reliable and the campaign can collect enough conversions; use clicks only for very early testing.
Last-click reports undervalue Demand Gen, because many people see the ad, then search for you later. Look at conversions including view-through, branded search volume during the campaign, and, where your budget allows, Google's conversion lift studies. Compare against Search, not instead of it. You can also read our guide to enhanced conversions, which help recover conversions that cookies miss.
How does Demand Gen work for Pakistani, Gulf and UK audiences?
In Pakistan and the Gulf, YouTube and Shorts are a large part of mobile time, so vertical video in Urdu, Roman Urdu or Arabic often suits Demand Gen better than polished English banners. Many people prefer to message rather than fill a form, so a clear WhatsApp or call route on the landing page helps.
For the UAE and Saudi Arabia, plan creative around local timing, such as Ramadan and Eid, and show prices in local currency. UK campaigns need consent mode in place, because audience building and measurement for UK visitors rely on consent signals. Without them, remarketing and lookalike seed lists shrink.
How we handle this for clients
We use Demand Gen when a business needs more people to know about it, not as a replacement for Search. First we check tracking and build seed audiences from real customers where the data allows. Then we produce or adapt creative for each placement, with vertical video for Shorts.
Campaigns are reviewed on conversions, view-through conversions and changes in branded search, alongside the Search campaigns they feed. It sits within our wider Google Ads management work, planned around the whole funnel. Creative is refreshed on a schedule, and channels or audiences that bring poor-quality traffic are cut back.
Demand Gen mistakes that waste budget
Demand Gen behaves more like a social campaign than Search, and most errors come from treating it like Search.
- Judging it on last-click conversions onlyDemand Gen often starts the journey that Search finishes. Look at view-through conversions, brand search and assisted conversions as well as last click.
- Reusing old display bannersSmall static banners struggle in YouTube and Discover feeds. Produce vertical and square images and short videos made for scrolling audiences.
- Launching with no audience signalsWithout customer lists or website visitors, lookalike segments have little to work from. Upload a consented customer list or build remarketing audiences first.
- Ignoring channel controlsLetting ads run everywhere when you only have horizontal video can produce poor placements. Use channel controls to match each ad group to the creative you have.
- Using it for urgent needsPeople needing an emergency service search rather than scroll. Keep those budgets in Search and use Demand Gen for products people discover.
- Editing too oftenFrequent changes to bids, budgets and audiences keep the campaign unsettled. Give it time to gather data before you make big changes.
Junaid has more than 18 years in SEO, paid media, web development and custom software. He founded SEOnumber1, builds WordPress plugins, CRMs and web applications, has served 500+ clients in 48 countries, and holds Google Ads, Analytics and Google Blue and Green Belt certifications. He is a National Level Award Winner in Digital Marketing. Read his story or ask a question about this article.