If you have not been paying close attention, Google’s Demand Gen campaign parameters are undergoing some serious updates—and they are setting the stage for a major shift in how advertisers approach paid media on Google’s ecosystem.
For marketers used to traditional Google Ads structures, these changes might feel surprising at first. But for anyone familiar with social advertising platforms like Meta or TikTok, the direction Google is moving will feel instantly familiar—and full of opportunity.
In this post, we will break down what is changing in Google Demand Gen campaigns, why it matters, and how to start preparing your creative and targeting strategies for the new era of Google advertising.
Demand Gen Campaigns Are Evolving to Look More Like Paid Social
At a high level, Google’s Demand Gen campaign updates are pulling the platform closer to how paid social advertising has operated for years.
This is a major development because, for most of its history, Google has been firmly rooted in intent-based marketing. You bid on keywords. You capture demand already in motion.
Demand Gen campaigns signal a full-throated push toward proactive demand creation.
Rather than waiting for someone to search, Google now wants to help brands actively generate interest through media placements across YouTube, Gmail, and Google Discover.
The new tools being rolled out for Demand Gen campaigns make this shift real—and potentially transformative for advertisers who know how to leverage them.
Key Demand Gen Campaign Updates You Should Know
Google is rolling out several major updates that make Demand Gen more powerful, flexible, and measurable.
1. Placement Selections Are Now Available
This might be the most exciting update for many advertisers.
You can now choose specific placements where your Demand Gen campaign ads will appear.
Before, placement was mostly automated, leaving advertisers with limited control.
Now, you can decide if you want your ads prioritized in YouTube Shorts, Gmail, Discover, or standard YouTube video feeds.
This control opens up strategic possibilities:
- Testing creative by platform mood: You can customize ads for the casual browsing experience of Discover vs. the fast-swipe energy of Shorts.
- Optimizing budgets based on placement performance: If your ads crush it on YouTube Shorts but underperform in Gmail, you can shift spend accordingly.
More control over placement means more precise targeting—and better results when used strategically.
2. New Creative Flexibility Across Placements
In the past, running a multi-placement campaign often meant compromising on creative fit.
An ad designed for YouTube’s long-form environment might not feel right inside Discover or Gmail.
Google’s Demand Gen updates introduce creative tools that make it easier to design and test creative that matches the user mood and platform behavior.
For example:
- YouTube Shorts: Vertical, fast-paced, attention-grabbing videos
- Discover: Engaging headlines and bold thumbnail images that invite a swipe
- Gmail: Email-style promotions that feel native to the inbox experience
This shift mirrors how successful social advertisers design creative to fit the specific vibe of Instagram Stories versus Facebook News Feed versus TikTok.
Google finally giving advertisers this flexibility across its surfaces is a massive improvement.
3. New Attribution Columns for Demand Gen
Another critical improvement: Google is introducing new reporting columns for Demand Gen campaign that better align with paid social attribution models.
Traditional Google Ads reporting was heavily click-focused.
Now, Demand Gen campaigns offer new views that reflect view-through conversions, impression assist metrics, and multi-touch attribution paths.
This is a game-changer for top-of-funnel and mid-funnel campaigns, where:
- Users may not click immediately
- Branding and influence happen before conversions
- Attribution needs to credit multi-step journeys
It means Demand Gen campaigns will finally be easier to measure apples-to-apples against social campaigns—and you can better understand how Demand Gen activity influences pipeline and revenue over time.
Hot Take: Why This Move Toward Paid Social Mechanics Is a Good Thing
Some Google traditionalists may grumble that Demand Gen is drifting too far from Google’s “search-first” DNA.
But for modern B2B and B2C marketers, this evolution is a huge positive.
Here’s why:
- More control over placements improves campaign precision
- More creative flexibility unlocks better user experiences
- Better attribution modeling brings full-funnel impact into view
Demand Gen is no longer a clunky imitation of paid social.
It is emerging as a true cross-channel performance engine within Google’s ecosystem.
If Google can continue improving how Demand Gen campaigns capture attention, drive interest, and create measurable pipeline—they might finally start generating real demand.
Strategy Pivots to Make Now for Demand Gen Success
If you want to capitalize on these updates, here are strategic moves you should start making immediately.
1. Rethink Your Creative Development Process
Do not treat Demand Gen creative like standard search display banners.
Start building platform-specific variations, just like you would for social media:
- Vertical videos for YouTube Shorts
- Rich image assets for Discover
- Email-native templates for Gmail
Tailoring creative to placement boosts engagement, drives stronger recall, and shortens the path to conversion.
2. Test Placement-Specific Campaigns
Take advantage of placement control.
Test YouTube Shorts-only campaigns, Discover-only campaigns, or blended approaches.
Track:
- Engagement rates by placement
- Conversion volume and cost by placement
- Audience quality (downstream metrics like MQLs or closed-won revenue)
Over time, you will uncover which placements deliver the highest ROI for your brand.
3. Update Your Attribution Expectations
Top-of-funnel media behaves differently than search ads.
Be ready to:
- Track assisted conversions, not just last click
- Use impression-based metrics
- Monitor multi-touch journeys inside Google and your CRM
Building realistic expectations around how Demand Gen impacts pipeline will prevent frustration—and set you up to measure success more accurately.
4. Coordinate Demand Gen with Other Paid Social
Because Demand Gen now behaves more like paid social, you can coordinate creative and audience strategies between:
- Google Demand Gen
- Meta Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- TikTok Ads
Unified messaging across platforms amplifies brand impact and shortens the time from awareness to action.
Treat Google as part of your demand creation ecosystem, not just your demand capture machine.
Final Thoughts: Get Ready Now
Google’s Demand Gen updates represent one of the most exciting shifts in paid media for 2025.
Advertisers who adapt quickly—who embrace platform-specific creative, smart placement testing, and full-funnel attribution models—will have a massive head start.
If Demand Gen actually starts generating scalable demand this year, remember where you heard it first.
The future of Google Ads is not just about capturing search intent anymore.
It is about creating demand—across channels, across surfaces, and across the entire buyer journey.
Hi there! I’m Scott, and I am the principal consultant and thought leader behind Stratus Analytics. I have a Master of Science degree in marketing analytics, and I’ve have been providing freelance digital marketing services for over 20 years. Additionally, I have written several books on marketing which you can find here on Amazon or this website.
DISCLAIMER: Due to my work in the packaging industry, I cannot take on freelance clients within the packaging manufacturing space. I do not want to provide disservice to your vision or my employer. Thank you for understanding.