What Are Google Demand Gen Campaigns?
Google Demand Gen campaigns (formerly known as Google Discovery Ads) are AI-powered campaigns that serve visually rich ads across Google's highest-impact placements: YouTube (in-feed and Shorts), Gmail, and Google Discover. They're designed to reach new audiences and drive demand before people actively start searching.
Google rebranded Discovery Ads as Demand Gen in 2023, adding new features including video creative support, lookalike audience targeting, and more granular bidding controls.
Where Do Demand Gen Ads Appear?
Demand Gen ads can show up in four placements:
- YouTube in-feed – alongside recommended videos
- YouTube Shorts – between short-form video content
- Gmail – in the Promotions and Social tabs
- Google Discover – in the personalized news feed on Android and the Google app
How Are Demand Gen Campaigns Different from Other Google Ads?
Unlike Search ads that target people actively looking for something, Demand Gen campaigns reach users based on their interests and browsing behavior — similar to how social media ads work. This makes them particularly effective for brand awareness and reaching potential customers earlier in the buying journey.
Key differences from standard Display campaigns: Demand Gen uses Google's AI to optimize delivery, supports both image and video creatives in one campaign, and offers lookalike audience targeting based on your existing customer lists.
Demand Gen for Shopify Stores
For Shopify store owners, Demand Gen campaigns are a strong tool for prospecting — finding new shoppers who match the profile of your existing customers. By uploading a customer list, Google can build a lookalike audience and serve your ads to people most likely to convert. Combined with product imagery or short video showcasing your products, Demand Gen can drive high-quality traffic at the top of the funnel.