Did you know that 91% of people have taken action immediately after seeing a new product or brand on Google feeds?
If only there was a way to reach those people more effectively, right?
Good news: there is. Meet Demand Gen campaigns, the newest addition to your 2024 Google Ads strategy. Read on as we share what you need to know about Google’s latest AI-powered, social-first advertising solution for brands — plus tips for getting started.
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What are Demand Gen campaigns on Google & YouTube?
Demand Gen campaigns are Google’s latest advertising offering, which they rolled out in late 2023 after a quick beta that summer. These campaigns enable you to use image and video (including both regular YouTube videos and YouTube Shorts) to reach customers across Google’s most engaging touchpoints, including YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.
Google refers to these platforms as Google Feeds, and their immersive format has shown to be particularly effective with consumers — and the advertisers hoping to reach them. For example, one in three consumers have purchased something through Google Feeds that they weren’t even shopping for in the first place.
In addition to their social-forward format, Demand Gen boasts a new setup flow which makes it easy and intuitive to develop your campaigns. And, you can leverage Google’s automation and machine learning to optimize your targeting and bidding.
If you’ve created Performance Max campaigns before, Demand Gen will feel familiar to you. A key difference between the two is which part of the marketing funnel they target. Demand Gen focuses primarily on the top of the marketing funnel while Performance Max targets the entire funnel.
Benefits of Demand Gen campaigns
Google Demand Gen campaigns have a lot to offer brands, including:
- Unparalleled reach: Advertising on Google Feeds grants you access to over 3 billion users, including over 50 billion daily views on YouTube Shorts alone.
- Proven performance: Google Feeds encourage discovery and action. Over 90% of users take action after discovering a new product or brand on Google Feeds — including one in three who went on to buy something they weren’t even shopping for.
- Trusted platforms: Consumers are twice as likely to rely on YouTube to research new products and brands. And, they trust YouTube ads 16% more than those they see on other platforms.
How to get started with Demand Gen campaigns on YouTube
To get started with Demand Gen campaigns, you’ll need to set up conversion tracking on your website (or confirm that it is working properly). Then, you’ll need to get your creative assets in order. This includes your:
- Images (Landscape 1.91:1, Logo 1:1, Portrait 4:5, Square 1:1)
- Text (Headline, description, final URL, business name, and CTA)
- Video (Landscape, portrait, square, vertical)
- Carousel ad (Headline, description, final URL, business name, CTA, logo 1:1, and 2–10 image cards in Landscape 1.91:1, Portrait 4:5, Square 1:1
- Product feeds in Google Merchant Center (if applicable)
Google recommends using images and videos that have minimal text, fantastic lighting, and inspirational vibes. Think about what would perform well on social media, and choose that. Or, better yet, use assets that have already proven to be top-performers in your other social and email marketing campaigns.
Finally, you’ll want to set a budget for your campaign. If you’re using target CPA bidding, Google recommends setting a budget that’s at least 15 times higher than your target CPA.
Even with all its automated features and straightforward ad creation tool, there’s still a lot that goes into optimizing Demand Gen campaigns for the absolute best performance possible. That’s where the advertising experts at Your Marketing People come in. Contact us today to learn how we can supercharge your campaigns and take your digital marketing to new heights.
