Drive Better Performance by Upgrading Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen
3 min read
Learn about the upcoming upgrade from Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen and how this change can drive better performance for your advertising efforts.
With new features and broader reach, enhancing your campaigns has never been easier.
Why Upgrade to Demand Gen?
Consumers expect multi-format content experiences when researching and buying products. Upgrading to Demand Gen captures this demand by merging the best of Video Action Campaigns and Demand Gen.
Starting in Q2 2025, Video Action Campaigns will be upgraded to Demand Gen, allowing advertisers to adopt a multi-format strategy for improved performance. Advertisers who used both video and image assets in Demand Gen saw 20% more conversions at the same cost per action.
Expanded Reach and Multi-Format Creative
With Demand Gen, advertisers can engage with up to 3 billion monthly users by expanding reach beyond YouTube to platforms like Discover and Gmail. This broader reach ensures that your ads get seen by more potential customers.
A tailored, multi-format approach allows for video and image ads within a single campaign, providing granular insights for creative optimization. Additionally, features like partnership ads, powered by BrandConnect, help bring innovative creator content into campaigns.
Targeting and Audience Expansion
Demand Gen offers the ability to reach more specific and relevant audiences.
Through Lookalike segments, advertisers can target users who are similar to their existing customer base, potentially increasing engagement and conversions.
Omnichannel bidding will be available soon, and support for buying Demand Gen campaigns in Display and Video 360 will roll out in October.
Maintaining and Enhancing Performance
Advertisers can expect similar performance with their existing video assets when upgrading to Demand Gen, with similar conversion rates and cost per action.
For those looking to leverage new features like Lookalike segments or image ads, creating new Demand Gen campaigns is recommended instead of migrating existing ones.
The migration tool launching in early 2025 will help advertisers seamlessly transfer their historical settings and learnings, ensuring consistent performance.
Real-World Success: DoorDash Case Study
DoorDash, an online food delivery platform, tested Demand Gen and saw a 15x higher conversion rate at a 50% more efficient cost per action compared to Video Action Campaigns. Partnering with Kepler, they used a mix of image and video assets to enhance impact.
Advertisers around the world are finding that multi-format storytelling drives better performance across Google and YouTube’s visually immersive surfaces.
Preparing for the Upgrade
Start running Demand Gen campaigns now to get acquainted with the new format and its benefits. You can create new campaigns or duplicate settings from Video Action Campaigns using the upcoming copy-and-paste tool.
Starting in March 2025, you won’t be able to create new Video Action Campaigns, so transitioning early will ensure a smooth upgrade process.
Automatic upgrades of existing Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen will begin in Q2 2025, with notifications provided in advance. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the new format today.
Ongoing Support and Resources
In the coming months, more updates and information will be shared to assist advertisers through the upgrade process, starting with an upcoming webinar.
Resources such as the Google Ads Help Center and the creative excellence guide are available for further support and best practices.
Upgrading to Demand Gen unlocks new features and broader reach, driving better campaign performance.
Start preparing now by familiarizing yourself with Demand Gen to make the most of the transition.
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