Google is giving advertisers access to Demand Gen’s new features to upgrade thier Discovery ads.

By signing up for the platform’s beta, marketers can explore the redesigned UI, create new Demand Gen campaigns and begin optimising them for maximum performance using the platform’s latest tools.

Why we care. It’s important to stay up-to-date with Google’s latest products as Demand Gen’s new tools offer improved reach, enhanced engagement and more effective campaign optimization, which all lead to a higher ROI.

Who is eligible for an upgrade? Marketers with an active Discovery campaign are currently eligible. In October 2023, access to Demand Gen campaigns will be extended to everyone using Google Ads.

How to upgrade. Sign up for the Demand Gen beta by filling in this short form. A Google Ads account is required for the process.

New features. Once you sign up for the Demand Gen beta, you will be able to explore the platform’s new features, including:

• Different ad formats in one campaign – You will be able to experiment with a variety of different ad formats, including short-form videos, carousels, portraits, and square images to try to engage your audience more effectively.
• Lookalike segments – This feature will help you find customers similar to those who have already engaged with your brand through a custom-built Seed list. The ability to test from Narrow to Broad also provides the ability to restrain or expand reach.
• Unique goals – Similar to Discovery ads, you can optimize Demand Gen for conversions or use value-based bidding strategies.
• Maximize Clicks bidding – You can use this tool to optimize for site visits and actions, helping to drive high-value customers to your website .
• Ad previews – This feature enables you to see how your creatives will look across different surfaces. 
• A/B experimentation – Use this feature to optimize placements and find the perfect mix for your campaigns. 

What has Google said? A Google spokesperson said via a press release:

• “Demand Gen is a new AI-powered campaign designed to multiply your creativity and drive demand.”
• “It was built to help advertisers who buy on social platforms find and convert consumers with immersive, relevant, and visual creatives that grab attention and spur action in the right moment.”
• “Demand Gen drives conversions, site visits, and actions (like sign-ups and adds-to-carts) on our entertainment-focused touchpoints — YouTube, including Shorts, Discover and Gmail.”
• “In the coming months, we’ll share more resources and best practices to help ensure your upgrade process is as smooth as possible.”

function getCookie(cname) {
let name = cname + “=”;
let decodedCookie = decodeURIComponent(document.cookie);
let ca = decodedCookie.split(‘;’);
for(let i = 0; i <ca.length; i++) {
let c = ca[i];
while (c.charAt(0) == ' ') {
c = c.substring(1);
}
if (c.indexOf(name) == 0) {
return c.substring(name.length, c.length);
}
}
return "";
}
document.getElementById('munchkinCookieInline').value = getCookie('_mkto_trk');

Timeline. Google provided an overview of what you can expect and when as it prepares to roll out the next set of upgrades:

• 15 August 2023 – Advertisers are invited to sign up for the Demand Gen beta to upgrade Discovery ads.
• October 2023 – Demand Gen campaigns will be rolled out to all advertisers in Google Ads, meanwhile, Discovery campaigns will also be eligible for upgrades.
• January – March 2024 – Google will launched automatic upgrades for all remaining Discovery campaigns.

Deep dive. Visit the Google Ads Help Center for more information and follow @GoogleAds on X (Twitter) to stay updated throughout the process.