Leveraging the Power of Google’s Demand Gen Campaigns: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you are a social marketer for a brand or business looking to expand its audience reach and convert even those who might not have a buying intent (as of now).

You are running PMax campaigns, Google Discovery Ads, but the need to target fresh audiences using channels with greater visual appeal, such as YouTube, including Shorts, Discover, and Gmail, is more pressing than ever. 

Interestingly, during Google Marketing Live 2023, the search engine giant unveiled the successor of Google Discovery Ads, none other than AI-powered Google Demand Gen campaigns.

If you are wondering whether you should make the switch, here are some fun facts Google has presented!

• Reach up to 3 billion active users monthly as they browse through Google feeds (including Gmail, Discover, and YouTube).
• YouTube Shorts now averages over 50 billion daily views.
• 1 in 3 consumers report making unplanned purchases through Google feeds.
• 63% of consumers discover new products or brands on Google feeds.
• Of those who discover new products or brands, 91% take immediate action.

The numbers are mouthwatering indeed, now all you need is clarity on the following topics before taking the plunge. And we at Mavlers are going to help you with just that today!

• Understanding the basics of Google Demand Gen campaigns
• When should you use Demand Gen campaigns?
• How to set up a Demand Gen Campaign in Google Ads

By the end of this blog, you will gain clarity on the basics of Google’s Demand Gen campaigns, their benefits, know whether they are the right fit for you (demand gen vs performance max)  and how to set one up. 

Sounds cool?! Well, it is gonna be one super cool ride! 😉

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Understanding the basics of Google Demand Gen campaigns

To begin with, Google Demand Gen campaigns are designed to create awareness and interest in your products or services among potential customers. 

Unlike traditional ads that target users with high purchase intent, Demand Gen campaigns focus on reaching a broader audience to build brand recognition and stimulate interest. 

These campaigns are particularly useful for businesses aiming to expand their market reach and attract new customers at the top of the sales funnel.

In case you are wondering about the benefits that you may seek to gain from making the switch, here are some;

1. Expand the impact of your ads

• Reach a massive audience: Show your ads on YouTube, Discover, and Gmail to connect with up to 3 billion monthly users.

• Engage with visual content: Use Google AI to create and place eye-catching ads that encourage people to make a purchase.

• Preview performance: Easily view your best-performing video and image ads on Google and YouTube to ensure they convey your message effectively.

2. Tailored ad experiences

• Create targeted ads: Use audience-focused content to generate demand. Google AI helps show your most engaging ads to the right people with just a few clicks.

• Reach new audiences: Lookalike segments let you find new, similar customers, including those who have made a purchase, visited your site, or watched your YouTube videos.

• Optimize with insights: Use audience insights to match your ads to the right people based on your goals. A/B testing helps you refine your ads for better performance.

3. AI-powered bidding & measurement

• Optimize your marketing funnel: Use Max Clicks bidding to drive goals like site visits and optimize across the entire marketing funnel.

• Measure success: Use tools like brand lift and search lift to see if your ads are effective. Google AI helps you optimize for traffic, convert valuable users, and measure campaign success with data-driven attribution.

You might want to peruse some Google Demand Generation examples.

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Interestingly, advertisers who run a combination of video and image ads with Demand Gen campaigns have witnessed 6% more conversions per dollar than those running ads that only have images.

When should you use Demand Gen campaigns?

If you want to know exactly when to use Search, Performance Max, or Demand Gen campaigns, here is an overview of which campaign might suit your unique needs best.

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How to set up a Demand Gen Campaign in Google Ads

Once you have figured out that the Demand Gen campaign is the right fit for your marketing needs, you might want to learn how to set it up. Here’s a step-by-step guide to set up your first Demand Gen campaign.

Step 1: Initiate a new campaign

You can manage your campaigns or ad groups, including duplicating and deleting them, from the left-hand navigation menu.

1. In your Google Ads account, click the ‘Create’ button and choose ‘Campaign’ from the options.
2. Enter a name for your campaign.
3. If you plan to use product feeds to display your products, enable the toggle for “Run a product feed campaign.”

Note: Enabling “Run a product feed campaign” will restrict the campaign to product ads only.

Step 2: Select an advertising objective

When setting up a Demand Gen campaign, you will need to choose an advertising goal from the following options: Sales, Website Traffic, Product and Brand Consideration, or Create a campaign without a goal’s guidance.

• Note: Choose a goal that aligns with your campaign objectives. For instance, select ‘Website traffic’ if you aim to drive visitors to your site.

• After selecting a goal, configure your conversion goals accordingly.

Step 3: Configure campaign-level targeting

Device targeting

Device targeting lets you specify which devices your ads will appear on.

• In the “Devices” section, you can either target all eligible devices or specify particular devices such as computers, mobile phones, tablets, or TV screens.

• For mobile phones and tablets, you can further refine targeting by operating systems, device models, and networks.

Language and location targeting

To ensure your ads reach the desired audience, you can set language and location preferences.

• By default, targeting is at the ad group level with language set to “All languages” and location to “All locations.”

• To switch to campaign-level targeting:

• Scroll to the “Location and Language” section.
• Enable the toggle for “Enable campaign level location and language targeting.”
• Use the “Advanced search” to target specific locations or a radius around a location.
• Note: Once published, you cannot revert language and location targeting to ad group level.

Step 4: Define bidding and budget

Your budget determines the frequency and visibility of your ads, while your bid strategy affects how your budget is utilized.

1. Choose a bid strategy from the following options:

• Maximize conversion value
• Target Return on Ad Spend (TROAS)
• Maximize Conversions
• Target Cost Per Action (CPA)
• Maximize Clicks

2. Select your budget type and enter the amount:

• Daily budgets: Specify an average daily spend.

• Note: Setting a start and end date is optional for this budget type.

• Total budgets: Set a total budget for the campaign duration.

• Note: A start and end date is required for this budget type.

• Note: If your budget is fully utilized, consider adjusting your targeting, bidding, or increasing the budget to optimize performance.

Step 5: Update ad group settings

With audience targeting, you can reach specific groups, such as those with particular interests, demographics, or locations.

1. Choose or create an audience using existing segments, custom segments, or detailed demographic information.
2. Decide whether to enable optimized targeting for improved campaign performance.

• Note: Optimized targeting may extend beyond your initial demographic selections.

3. Exclude specific audiences based on your strategy.

4. Adjust demographic settings to target specific segments.

Step 6: Create your ads

Ads are created at the ad group level. To create a new ad, select ‘New ad’ under the desired ad group.

1. Choose the ad format:

• Video ads: Single video ad

• Image ads: Single image ad

• Carousel ads: Multiple images in a carousel

2. Enter the ad name.

3. Select or upload media assets (up to 5 logos).

• Note: Refer to Demand Gen campaign ad asset specifications for guidelines.

4. Add your text assets.

5. Follow Ad Strength rules to optimize your ad’s performance.

The road ahead 

If you’d like to explore all about PMax campaigns, then we have a comprehensive guide for that, too!