Demand Gen campaigns have officially replaced Discovery campaigns in Google Ads, bringing a significant shift in how advertisers reach audiences on visually-driven platforms. This transition introduces video assets, expanded creative testing, and new targeting capabilities like Lookalike segments. If you were previously managing Discovery campaigns, moving to Demand Gen is now the standard procedure for your visual ad inventory on platforms like YouTube, Discover, and Gmail. Understanding these functional differences ensures your account remains aligned with the latest platform features.
What are the core differences between Discovery and Demand Gen?
The primary difference lies in the breadth of creative options and audience targeting. While Discovery campaigns relied heavily on static image assets to reach users across the Google feed ecosystem, Demand Gen expands this to include video assets. This shift acknowledges that visual engagement is not limited to static imagery. By allowing video content, Google provides more ways to capture attention, which is a major update for brands that already invest in video production for social media channels. The move simplifies the workflow by centralizing these visual formats into one campaign type.
Another shift involves the internal mechanics of campaign delivery and testing. Demand Gen introduces more control over creative assets, allowing for more specific testing protocols. In a typical account managing high-volume campaigns, this means you can iterate on video and image combinations more effectively than before. The system is designed to prioritize visual impact, making it a natural choice for e-commerce brands or businesses with strong visual identities. You should review your existing assets to ensure they meet the new technical specifications required for video integration.
How do Lookalike segments change your targeting?
Lookalike segments represent a new addition to the targeting repertoire within Demand Gen. These segments allow you to reach new users who share similar characteristics to your existing customer base or high-value website visitors. By uploading your first-party data, the system identifies common traits and expands your reach to relevant prospects. This is a practical step for scaling accounts that have reached a plateau with traditional remarketing or interest-based targeting. Using these segments requires a clean, updated customer list to ensure the system has a strong foundation to build from.
| Feature | Discovery Ads | Demand Gen |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Asset | Images | Images and Video |
| Targeting | Audience-based | Audience + Lookalike |
| Creative Testing | Limited | Enhanced |
Why should you integrate video into your campaigns?
Video assets allow you to convey brand messaging in a format that users engage with across the Google ecosystem. Many advertisers find that short-form video content performs well on platforms like YouTube Shorts and Discover. By including video, you are not just relying on the user to stop and read text; you are providing an active viewing experience. For a retail business, this might mean showcasing a product in motion or highlighting a specific feature that is difficult to explain with a static image. A common pattern is to repurpose successful social media video content for these placements.
How Alien Road applies Demand Gen
At Alien Road, we approach the transition to Demand Gen by auditing the client’s current creative assets. We start by identifying top-performing images from previous Discovery campaigns and benchmarking them against newly created video content. Our process involves a structured testing phase where we isolate variables to see which assets drive higher engagement. We focus on ensuring that landing pages are optimized for the traffic arriving from these visual placements. For a typical client, we begin with a small budget to evaluate performance before scaling, ensuring that the Lookalike segments are populated with relevant, high-quality data.
What is the best way to transition your account?
- Audit existing image assets to ensure they meet the latest quality requirements.
- Select your best-performing videos for integration, prioritizing those that work well without sound.
- Create new audience lists and establish your Lookalike segments for testing.
- Set up a separate campaign for creative testing if you have a high volume of assets to evaluate.
- Review your budget allocation to balance existing Search campaigns with your new visual-first approach.
Checklist for your first Demand Gen campaign
- Check that your Google Tag is correctly firing on all conversion pages.
- Ensure your customer match lists are updated and healthy.
- Verify that your video assets are uploaded to a connected YouTube channel.
- Set your bidding strategy based on your primary conversion goal, such as CPA or ROAS.
- Define your target audience segments using a mix of first-party data and relevant interest categories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still run Discovery campaigns?
No, Discovery campaigns have been replaced. Google has transitioned all accounts to Demand Gen. You should migrate any active or paused Discovery campaigns to the new format to take advantage of the updated features and ensure your ads remain eligible for delivery across the inventory. This ensures you do not lose access to the visual placements where your audience is active.
Do I need video assets to run Demand Gen?
While Demand Gen is optimized for video, you are not strictly prohibited from running image-only ads. However, the platform is designed to be visually-driven, and the inclusion of video content is recommended to maximize performance. If you lack video assets, start by creating simple motion graphics or high-quality product images that align with your brand’s visual identity.
How does Demand Gen bidding work?
Bidding in Demand Gen utilizes automated strategies similar to other Google Ads campaign types. You can optimize for conversions, conversion value, or clicks depending on your specific goals. It is a standard practice to start with a target CPA if you have sufficient historical conversion data, allowing the system to refine its delivery based on your performance history.
Where can I manage my Demand Gen audiences?
You can manage your audiences within the Audience Manager section of your Google Ads account. This is where you upload customer lists, create custom segments, and build your Lookalike segments. Keep these lists updated regularly to ensure the system is always working with the most accurate information regarding your high-value customer profile and recent site visitors.
Where to start this week
Start this week by reviewing your account’s asset library and identifying which assets are ready for a Demand Gen campaign. If you have not yet created a Lookalike segment, gather your first-party customer data and upload it to the Audience Manager. Once your data is ready, set up a pilot campaign with a modest budget to test the new creative formats. Focus on monitoring the performance of your video assets versus your static images to determine which format resonates best with your target audience.
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