To help brands stay relevant in a visual-first digital landscape, Google is enhancing Demand Gen campaigns with new controls, creative features, and shopping capabilities. Key updates include: 1) Expanded channel controls (beta starting March) allowing precise ad placement across YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Google Display inventory, with the ability to target YouTube Shorts specifically. 2) New creative tools launching late February: 9:16 vertical image ads for Shorts, automated video shortening, and an improved ad creation flow that lets advertisers select video enhancements or opt out.
3) For retailers, product feeds (rolling out in weeks) enable seamless product discovery with instant details, local offers showing real-time availability, and omnichannel bidding to optimize both online sales and in-store visits. 4) New reporting columns (rolling out globally this month) include view-through conversions and isolate Demand Gen impact for cross-platform performance comparison. Additionally, Google provides upgrade milestones for Video Action Campaigns (VAC) to Demand Gen; a Nielsen analysis shows Demand Gen delivers 58% higher ROAS than VAC on average.
Case study: Marks & Spencer exceeded ROAS forecast by 186% with 66% lower CPA using Demand Gen. Advertisers are encouraged to leverage full inventory for cross-channel optimization and use the best practices guide for performance.
You Might Also Like
AppsFlyerWinning big with influencers: A comprehensive guide for app marketers
Influencer marketing drives app growth by building trust and authenticity beyond traditional UA. Budgeting should start with target markets, CPM benchmarks, and a 25% uplift in daily organic installs. Choose creators based on data: audience demographics, recent views, and content alignment. Measure performance with granular attribution links (e.g., AppsFlyer OneLink) to track installs, conversions, and ROI. Avoid vanity metrics; focus on CVR, retention, and long-tail effects. Start with small campaigns to gather benchmarks before scaling.
AppsFlyerThe marketer’s guide to buying an MMP
This guide helps app marketers select a Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) by covering essential features like privacy-first measurement, unified attribution, fraud protection, and advanced analytics. It emphasizes choosing an MMP that integrates easily, scales with business growth, and provides reliable data for optimizing marketing ROI across teams.
GoogleBoosting your reach and performance with Google Display Ads
Google Display Ads (GDA) expands inventory across Connected TV, news, sports, and gaming, and integrates with Demand Gen campaigns, lifting conversions 16% on average. Enhanced creative tools include Imagen 3 for image generation, a preview gallery for collaboration, and brand templates. Improved quality standards and protections against invalid traffic ensure better ad placements. These updates help ad ops decision-makers drive reach and performance while maintaining brand control across surfaces.
MetaUsing the power of AI to reach customers wherever they are
Meta is investing in AI models like Andromeda to optimize ad performance. New omnichannel ads drive online and in-store sales, showing 15% lower CPA and 12% higher ROAS. Updates include simplified checkout for Shops ads, ads in Facebook notifications, and generative AI for virtual try-ons and text generation. Advertisers can request emails before promo codes and use site links on Instagram. These tools help capture demand and improve margins.
AppsFlyer2025 App Marketer Survey
The mobile advertising industry is optimistic heading into 2025, with 80% of marketers expecting the year to be as strong or stronger than 2024. Non-gaming apps are driving growth, with downloads up 12% YoY and IAP revenue increasing 20%+. Marketers are prioritizing profitability and ROAS, with over half reporting more aggressive KPIs. Generative AI is already benefiting creative production and optimization. iOS re-engagement remains underleveraged, and most marketers are still adapting to SKAN. Budgets are increasing, with a focus on ad networks and self-attributing networks.
AppsFlyerBoosting your user acquisition strategy with preload campaigns
Preload campaigns are critical for UA in 2025, offering early brand presence, higher trust, and cost-efficient growth. Key benefits include increased visibility, engagement, and LTV. Practitioners should leverage advanced segmentation, automated recommendations, predictive analytics, extended attribution windows, and incrementality testing. Partnerships with OEMs and platforms like Appnext, Aura, AVOW, Digital Turbine, and InMobi can drive significant results, as seen with Magalu's 100k+ monthly installs and 4x ROAS.
GoogleChannel performance and more reporting coming to Performance Max
Performance Max now offers channel-level reporting, search terms reporting, and enhanced asset metrics. These updates provide granular insights across Google's channels, enabling advertisers to optimize performance. The open beta for channel reporting starts soon. Key data: over 90 quality improvements in 2024 boosted conversions by 10%+. Advertisers can drill into specific channels, view distribution tables, and get diagnostic tips. Actionable: use insights to refine assets, apply negative keywords, and improve landing pages.
UnityExtend Your Holiday Success: Q5 Strategies for Mobile User Acquisition | Unity
Unity trademarks are owned by Unity Technologies. Other names and brands are trademarks of their respective owners. This notice clarifies trademark rights in advertising.
More from Google
Enhanced Local Services Ads for Home Listings bring homebuyers and local agents together.
Local Services Ads (LSAs) for real estate are expanding across all 50 U.S. states, offering richer home listings with pr...
YouTube earns industry's first MRC accreditation for short-form video.
YouTube receives MRC brand safety accreditation for the sixth year, now expanded to include YouTube Shorts. This makes Y...
Here's how AI is rebuilding the foundation of modern marketing.
The Ads Decoded podcast final episode features Google product teams discussing Gemini models for Search and YouTube, plu...
Google Display Ads has a new home in Demand Gen.
Google Display Ads is transitioning into a unified Demand Gen platform, allowing display advertisers to manage GDN prese...
A new generation of ads for the AI era of Search
Google is introducing new ad formats powered by Gemini models for AI Mode in Search. These include Conversational Discov...
A new generation of ads for the AI era of Search
Google is testing new AI-powered ad formats in Search using Gemini models. Conversational Discovery ads answer specific ...