Google announced two updates to Demand Gen ahead of Google Marketing Live.
Conversion after display (VTC) optimization is now available for Demand Gen campaigns in Google Ads. This setting allows campaigns to optimize post-view conversions on YouTube.
Google is also expanding Commerce Media Suite to support Demand Gen inventory in Google Ads. This adds Google Ads to existing Commerce Media Suite support in Display & Video 360 and Search Ads 360.
What’s new
VTC optimization
When enabled, VTC optimization allows Demand Gen campaigns to optimize for view-through conversions on YouTube. A view-through conversion occurs when a user sees an ad, doesn’t click through, but later converts.
Commercial Multimedia Suite
With the expansion of Google Ads, advertisers can use retailers’ proprietary catalog and conversion data to reach shoppers. The inventory covers YouTube, Discover and Gmail.
The performance claim
In the announcement, Google cited Demand Gen and Fospha YouTube Playbooka third-party vendor report. Fospha awards a 18% Higher share of new customer conversions to Demand Gen compared to the paid media average. The coverage covers 127 fashion, cosmetics and consumer goods retail brands from 2024 to 2025.
Fospha is a marketing attribution provider with a commercial interest in measurement across advertising platforms. Google did not release its own performance data alongside the announcement.
Why it matters
VTC optimization brings Demand Gen closer to capabilities advertisers already use on other advertising platforms. For teams running Demand Gen alongside video campaigns on these platforms, optimization configuration should no longer differ by channel.
The Commerce Media Suite extension allows Google Ads advertisers to access retailers’ proprietary catalog and conversion data. This adds Google Ads to existing Commerce Media Suite support in Display & Video 360 and Search Ads 360.
Since last year, Google has addition of Demand Gen optimization leversincluding in-store sales optimization and shoppable CTV. VTC optimization and Commerce Media Suite support continue this model.
Looking to the future
This announcement comes ahead of Google Marketing Live, where Google says other Demand Gen solutions will follow.
