Demand Gen Campaigns: Google’s TikTok-Style Ad Format

Short, eye-catching videos are everywhere now. From TikTok to Instagram Reels, short-form video ads have become a dominant way for people to consume content. Google knows this and introduced Demand Gen campaigns to help businesses catch that same kind of attention.

Demand Gen is the next step in Google’s digital marketing approach, serving as a replacement for discovery campaigns. It helps brands utilize short-form content to connect with users through video formats and image ads on platforms such as YouTube, Gmail, and Google Discover.

In this article, we’ll explain what Google Demand Gen campaigns are, where these ads appear, why they matter, and how businesses—especially in e-commerce and B2C—can use them to increase visibility, engagement, and conversions.

What Are Google Demand Gen Campaigns?

Google Demand Gen campaigns are an upgrade from discovery campaigns, designed for businesses that want to run video ads and image-based ad campaigns before someone starts searching. These ads are designed to target users who are browsing content, rather than actively seeking to purchase at that moment. It’s a smart way to stay top of mind.

Google Demand Gen ads give advertisers more control over creative assets and audience targeting. These ad formats are built around short-form video ads and image ads that can appear in places where users are highly engaged.

From Discovery to Demand Gen – What Changed?

The switch from discovery campaigns to Demand Gen campaigns brought a significant shift in how ads perform. As a discovery campaign replacement, Demand Gen offers more flexibility and tools. Google has added stronger AI-driven audience matching, expanded placements, and increased focus on short-form ad strategies.

There are also new video content options, including YouTube Shorts and other short-form videos, which offer better ways to capture attention. The result is a more modern way to reach people through visually appealing ads.

Where Demand Gen Ads Appear

Demand Gen campaigns place your ads across some of Google’s most high-traffic and visually engaging platforms, including YouTube, Gmail, and the Discover feed. These channels allow you to reach users in moments when they’re actively consuming content, not just searching for it. On YouTube, your ads can appear in formats like Shorts, In-Stream, and In-Feed, helping you capture attention with immersive video storytelling.

Gmail placements enable you to appear directly in users’ inboxes, making it easier to re-engage leads or introduce your brand in a more personal setting.

YouTube Shorts and In-Feed

YouTube Shorts is Google’s answer to TikTok, focusing on vertical, short-form video ads that people can quickly watch on their phones. In-feed ads on YouTube appear among other videos in the user’s feed.

These ads aim to raise awareness by integrating brands into a user’s regular video experience. With YouTube short ads, businesses can effectively highlight their products or services in a way that seamlessly integrates with the content users are already watching. This is key to building a short-form ad strategy that feels natural and engaging.

Gmail and Discover Feeds

Ads on Gmail appear in the Promotions tab, and on Discover, they blend into a person’s mobile content feed. These placements are effective for showing new products or services to users who might not be actively searching but are still open to suggestions. Both placements help with mid-funnel actions, such as retargeting or driving traffic to your website. They allow for both video content and image ads, depending on the campaign goals.

Why Use Demand Gen Campaigns?

Demand Gen campaigns give brands the chance to connect through short-form video ads and visual content. These campaigns are not about waiting for someone to search but about reaching users while they’re browsing. Google Demand Gen ads are built for this exact purpose. They’re meant to help capture attention during moments of interest.

Using short-form content, you can tell a quick story about your product or service. These ads are designed to resemble the content users already enjoy, which increases the likelihood that they will pay attention. With the help of Google’s AI-driven targeting, your ads are shown to the most relevant audiences, improving performance.

Ideal Use Cases: Brand Awareness, Retargeting, and Product Launches

Google Demand Gen ads are great for growing brand awareness, re-engaging people who already interacted with your brand, or introducing new offers. For example, a fitness brand launching a new app can use short-form video ads to show people using the app. An online clothing store might create image ads that show new seasonal items in action. The key is using video formats and creative content to show products or services in everyday situations.

Who Should Use Demand Gen Campaigns—and Why

Not every business needs short-form content, but those that rely on strong visuals, emotional appeal, and impulse-friendly products are likely to benefit from it. Demand Gen campaigns are designed for how people consume content today: quickly, visually, and often without sound.

If your product or service looks great on video or can be effectively explained with a graphic or animation, this format offers a meaningful way to connect with potential buyers early in the sales funnel.

Which Businesses Should Use Demand Gen

Businesses looking to generate interest before a product or service is actively searched for should consider Demand Gen. These campaigns are particularly effective for brands focusing on inspiration, lifestyle alignment, or visual transformation. If your customers are swayed by how something looks or fits into their lives, showing it through short-form video ads or image ads can be more persuasive than traditional search ads.

Companies with seasonal collections, new product lines, or emotionally driven offerings tend to succeed with Demand Gen because it supports browsing behavior.

These ads keep your brand top of mind and introduce new ideas to people who are open to discovery, even if they weren’t looking for anything specific.

Best-Fit Industries and Business Models

Demand Gen campaigns are especially valuable for industries that rely on visual storytelling and impulse-friendly purchases. The following types of businesses tend to see strong performance:

• E-commerce brands that want to highlight their products in motion or context. These brands benefit from showing how items are used, styled, or featured in real-life scenarios through short-form video ads or dynamic image ads.
• Lifestyle businesses that promote aspirational or experience-based offerings, such as travel, decor, or wellness. These companies use emotional visuals to help users imagine their lives improved by the brand.
• Beauty and skincare companies that rely on transformation, texture, and routine-based storytelling. Short videos demonstrating before-and-after results or tutorials are especially effective.
• Consumer tech brands that aim to showcase product functionality, innovation, or unique design. Whether it’s a new gadget or software feature, Demand Gen can bring the product to life with compelling video content.
• Online education platforms need to explain the value of their programs quickly. Using short videos or testimonials, they can communicate course benefits in seconds.
• Personal fitness programs that rely on user results, training highlights, or community energy. Demand Gen is ideal for visualizing the lifestyle users could have by joining.
• Entertainment platforms that promote shows, movies, live events, or experiences. Short teasers or behind-the-scenes clips are well-suited for quickly capturing interest.

Google Demand Gen ads are particularly effective for targeting highly engaged users on platforms like YouTube Shorts or the Discover feed.

Setting Up a Demand Gen Campaign

Starting a Demand Gen campaign in Google Ads is similar to launching other campaign types, but there are key differences that require special attention. Since these campaigns run across highly visual placements—like YouTube Shorts, Gmail, and Discovery feeds—your creative assets should be eye-catching, mobile-friendly, and tailored to your audience’s interests.

Objectives and Audience Targeting

First, pick what you want the campaign to do. Choose goals such as driving website visits, increasing sign-ups, or building brand awareness. Then, select who you want to reach. Options include custom audiences based on interests, retargeting people who have interacted with your site, and lookalike audiences similar to your existing customers.

This targeting works well because it combines your input with Google’s AI-driven systems to find people more likely to engage.

Creative Requirements and Best Practices

To be successful, your ads need to feel fresh and relevant. Focus on short-form video ads and image ads that quickly show your product or service in use. Videos should be concise, clear, and optimized for mobile viewing. Use text on screen, show the product clearly, and end with strong calls to action.

This style of video content helps users quickly understand the benefit and take action.

How Demand Gen Fits Into a Full-Funnel Strategy

Demand Gen works best as part of a full Google Ads strategy. It helps brands get noticed during the early and middle stages of the buying process—when potential customers are discovering new products, exploring options, and forming preferences.

By using visually engaging formats across YouTube, Gmail, and the Discovery feed, Demand Gen builds awareness and consideration before users are ready to take action.

Combine with Performance Max for Lower-Funnel Conversions

While Demand Gen builds awareness and engagement, Performance Max can be used for the final push. This mix of campaigns enables businesses to track users from their initial interaction to the final purchase. Demand Gen attracts interest with short-form videos and image ads, while Performance Max uses detailed targeting and bidding strategies to close the deal.

Measuring Success with Demand Gen

Tracking performance is key in any digital marketing campaign. With Demand Gen, focus on key metrics such as click-through rate, cost per view, view-through conversions, and return on ad spend (ROAS). These show how well your ad campaigns are working.

Testing and Optimization Tips

To improve your results, test different versions of your video content and image ads through A/B testing, a reliable method for determining what works and what doesn’t. Switch up your headlines, visuals, or calls to action. Rotate your creative assets every few weeks to avoid fatigue. Watch where your ads perform best—on YouTube Shorts, Gmail, or Discover—and adjust your bidding strategies accordingly based on performance.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Demand Gen Campaigns

Some common issues can reduce the impact of your Demand Gen campaigns:

• Poor-quality videos or blurry image ads that fail to capture attention. These visual elements are often the first thing users see, and if they don’t make a strong impression, users will scroll past without engaging.
• Targeting too broadly can lead to a wasted budget on low-intent viewers. Without refined audience settings, your ads may reach people who are unlikely to be interested, driving up costs without yielding results.
• Missing or unclear calls to action make it harder for users to know what to do next. Even visually stunning ads need clear direction to drive clicks or conversions.
• Landing pages that aren’t mobile-friendly cause users to drop off quickly. Since most Demand Gen placements appear on mobile, your pages need to load fast, display well, and make it easy for users to take the next step.

Staying focused on high-quality visuals, sharp messaging, targeted audience settings, and consistent testing will help you get better results from your Google Demand Gen ads.

Setting an Effective Budget for Demand Gen Campaigns

Budget planning is a key part of making Demand Gen campaigns work. With Google continuing to expand ad placements and phase out Video Action Campaigns (VAC), advertisers now have more ways to grow their presence across platforms like YouTube Shorts, Gmail, Discover, and eventually even the Display Network.

To get started, it’s recommended to launch with a modest but focused budget, often between $1,000 to $5,000 per month, depending on your audience size, creative assets, and business goals. If you’re combining both prospecting and remarketing strategies, consider splitting your budget accordingly to avoid blending performance data.

Should You Use Demand Gen Instead of TikTok or Instagram?

Demand Gen campaigns aren’t a full replacement for TikTok, Instagram, or Meta Ads, but they can be a strong addition. If you’re already using Google Ads, adding Demand Gen can help you reach the same types of audiences across more platforms. Ads on YouTube, primarily through YouTube Shorts, add extra value by supporting your short-form ad strategy in a space where people already enjoy this kind of content.

Using Demand Gen also means you can connect all parts of your digital marketing efforts within the same system. You can use your past campaign data, audience lists, and bidding strategies across all formats to get more consistent results.

Ready to Launch Better Demand Gen Campaigns?

Short-form video ads and visual-first campaigns are a powerful way to connect with your audience before they even start searching. To maximize the effectiveness of your Google Demand Gen ads, the right strategy makes all the difference.

Let Oyova help you craft ad campaigns that stand out, speak clearly, and drive results. From content creation to smart targeting and performance tracking, we build campaigns that turn attention into action.

Reach out today to get started—and take the next step in making your brand impossible to ignore.