Demand Gen is a modern type of Google Ads campaign that combines existing Discovery and Performance Max formats with powerful video and AI tools. Thanks to it, sellers of GSM accessories (cases, protective glasses, chargers, headphones, etc.) can reach customers on many Google channels – including YouTube (including YouTube Shorts), Discover Cards, Gmail, and Google Display Network – with attractive video and graphic ads.
New Demand Gen features (multimodal video creation studio, dynamic product videos, Google Maps ads, advanced targeting) make it easier to create effective campaigns, generate demand for GSM products, and more accurately measure ROI.
In the article, we will present practical examples (iPhone case promotion, seasonal bestsellers, complementing offline sales) as well as detailed steps and tips: how to prepare creatives, target audiences, budget, and measure campaign effectiveness. At the end, you will find an example campaign plan in a table, a short implementation checklist, and a call to action (CTA).
What is Demand Gen?
Demand Gen (demand generation campaign) is a Google Ads campaign designed to generate customer interest before they actively start looking for a product. It combines video, graphic, and display ad formats with the reach of YouTube and the Google network.
Demand Gen ads appear in key locations such as YouTube (In-Stream video and Shorts), Discover cards, Gmail, and the Google Display Network, reaching people at the moment they are considering a purchase. Thanks to this, GSM retailers no longer have to choose between brand building and sales – the Demand Gen campaign does both.
You can even use 5 different videos in one campaign, which allows you to test video variants and adapt to different display locations (e.g., shorter videos for Shorts, longer ones for In-Stream).
Compared to previous Discovery campaigns, Demand Gen offers:
What does a Demand Gen campaign offer?
Extended video reach
In-Stream ads before YouTube videos and display in YouTube Shorts allow reaching users where they consume video content.
More formats
In addition to graphics and carousels, you can use up to five videos in one campaign, making it easier to test different ways of presenting your product.
New creative tools
Ad previews and A/B tests help check different creative versions before the campaign launch and quickly choose the best-performing variant.
Advanced targeting
Similar audience segments, e.g., lookalike from customer lists or remarketing, allow reaching people with characteristics similar to your best customers.
Integrated ads
Demand Gen combines display and video ads in one campaign type, simplifying activity management and subsequent optimization.
Flexible bidding strategies
You can use, among others, maximize clicks, target ROAS/CPA, or maximize conversions, tailoring the campaign to the goal: traffic, sales, or store visits.
Google emphasizes that with Demand Gen, campaigns can reach over 3 billion active users monthly across Google platforms. According to research, 63% of consumers discover new products on Google channels, and as many as 91% of them immediately take action after discovering them. This includes mobile devices and computers – GSM customers most often look for accessories specifically on phones, which makes YouTube and Google channels an ideal place for advertising these types of products.
Latest Features of Demand Gen Campaigns
Asset Studio AI
The multimodal creative studio allows you to generate short advertising videos based on text or photos. AI can prepare ready-made material promoting products, e.g., cases, headphones, or chargers.
Creator Content
Campaigns can utilize videos from influencers and YouTube creators. This makes it easy to promote authentic content such as unboxings, reviews, or product tests.
Dynamic Product Videos
After uploading videos to Merchant Center, the system automatically selects the appropriate material based on user interests, increasing the relevance of the advertising message.
Ads in Google Maps
Ads can appear to users browsing the vicinity in Google Maps. This is particularly useful for physical stores looking to increase local traffic.
Checkout Links
Checkout links shorten the purchase path. Users can go directly from an ad to order finalization, which helps increase the conversion rate.
Product Feed
Enhanced support for product catalogs allows ads to be automatically matched to audience interests. Campaigns using product files achieve more conversions.
Advanced ROI Measurement
New attribution models, Demand Gen campaign reports, and Uplift experiments allow for a more accurate assessment of the impact of ads on sales and business results.
A/B Tests and Campaign Preview
Built-in tools enable comparing different versions of ads even before launching a campaign, as well as ongoing optimization of creatives and audience groups.
Use cases for GSM accessories
| Campaign Example | Goal | Target Audience | Creatives | Budget and Time | KPI / Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch of a new iPhone case | Sales | Existing case buyers and a segment of similar audiences, e.g., lookalike. | A short 15s video showing the case on a phone, product graphic, and a link to the product page. | 500 PLN/day; 2 weeks before launch and 2 weeks after launch. | Number of cases sold, conversion cost. Ads may appear, among others, on YouTube Shorts and Google Discovery. |
| Promotion of a seasonal hit — sports headphones | Website traffic or sales | Fitness enthusiasts and audiences similar to those buying sports equipment. | Dynamic video showcasing headphones in action and a product image carousel. | 300 PLN/day; all of June. | Number of visits to the product page, cost per click. Ads can direct the user directly to purchase. |
| Increase sales in a brick-and-mortar store | Local reach and store visits | People within a 10 km radius of the store, e.g., Warsaw residents, Polish language. | A short video encouraging visits, e.g., “New case delivery! Check us out!” | 100 PLN/day; a month before a seasonal promotion, e.g., new school year. | Number of store entries, increased local traffic, data from Google Analytics, Maps, or checkout surveys. |
| Assortment supplementation — dynamic product ads | Sales of products from a large assortment | Users interested in similar online accessories, e.g., chargers, cases, or protective films. | Product feed from Merchant Center combined with a Demand Gen campaign; automatic video ads or product carousels. | Budget depends on the number of products and campaign goal; continuous testing recommended. | Conversions, ROAS, cost of sale. Effectiveness can be tracked like regular conversions from Google Ads. |
How to launch a Demand Gen campaign step by step?
Prepare creative assets
Ensure high-quality product videos and graphics. Videos can show the accessory in use, e.g., putting a phone case on or the device charging process. The more engaging the product presentation, the greater the chance of attracting the audience’s attention. Also, remember format compatibility – YouTube Shorts requires vertical video, while In-Stream ads are best prepared in a horizontal layout. It’s worth creating several variations of materials, using different headlines, images, and videos. Google AI will automatically select combinations that achieve the best results.
Define your audience
Set the main goal of your Google Ads campaign, e.g., sales or website traffic. Then, select people interested in your industry, such as smartphones, consumer electronics, or GSM accessories. It is advisable to use remarketing segments covering people who previously visited your online store, as well as lookalike audiences created based on existing customers. At the same time, exclude groups that are not relevant to the campaign, such as people from regions you do not serve, or users who have recently made a purchase.
Configure targeting and budget
Determine the ad display location – this can be all of Poland or selected cities and regions. Also, decide whether ads should reach phone users, computer users, or all devices. Set a daily budget for the campaign. If you don’t have experience with Demand Gen yet, a good starting point might be a budget of several hundred zlotys per day, which can later be increased as results improve. Choose a bidding strategy appropriate for the campaign’s goal. For most online stores, maximizing conversions or target ROAS will work well, while for actions focused on traffic, maximizing clicks should be considered.
Add ad assets
Upload a complete set of advertising materials to the campaign in accordance with Google’s specifications. Prepare several headlines of about 40 characters, several descriptions of about 90 characters, a company logo with a resolution of 1200×1200 px, as well as product images and videos. Before publishing, use the ad preview tool available in Google Ads. This way, you can check how the creatives will look in various formats and display locations.
Dynamic Product Ads (optional)
If you promote a wide range of products, create a product feed in Google Merchant Center. It’s worth enriching it with video materials showcasing the most popular products. Google will automatically match products with users who previously browsed similar offers, increasing the chance of conversion and improving ad relevance.
Measure results from the start
Configure conversion tracking to include the most important user actions, such as online purchases, submitting a contact form, or signing up for a newsletter. Link the data to your Demand Gen campaign and use campaign-type attribution to accurately determine which transactions were generated by this advertising channel. Right from the start, establish KPIs such as cost per conversion, ROAS, CTR, or the number of new subscribers.
Conduct A/B tests
Use the built-in Google Ads tools to test different ad versions. You can compare different videos promoting the same product, alternative images in a carousel, or different calls to action. Regularly analyze the results and remove weaker variants. Google AI will automatically promote creatives that achieve the best results.
Optimize the campaign
Monitor results at least once a week. Increase the budget for the best-performing ad sets and audience groups, and exclude weaker ones or limit their funding. If the CTR is low, test new headlines, graphics, or video materials. Regularly check ROI and cost per conversion. In case of unsatisfactory results, consider changing audience groups or bidding strategy.
5 Reasons to Use Demand Gen
Huge Reach and Audience Attention
Ads can appear on YouTube, Shorts, Gmail, Discover, and other Google services. This allows you to reach a huge number of potential customers interested in electronics and GSM accessories.
The Power of Video Advertising
Video allows you to showcase the product in practice. You can present cases, screen protectors, headphones, or chargers in realistic situations, building trust and increasing the chance of purchase.
Advanced Targeting
Google algorithms use data on user behavior, interests, and lookalike segments. This ensures that ads reach people most likely to make a purchase.
Easy Campaign Optimization
Built-in A/B tests allow for quick comparison of ad creatives and audience groups. Google automatically increases the exposure of the best-performing ads.
Measurability of Results and ROI
Demand Gen offers extensive conversion reporting, measurement of brand awareness impact, and analysis of sales generated by video campaigns. This facilitates evaluating the effectiveness of actions and planning subsequent budgets.
Example Demand Gen campaign plan for GSM accessories
| Campaign Goal | Target Audience | Ad Creatives | Estimated Budget | Schedule | Key KPIs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. New iPhone 17 case | Existing customers and lookalike audiences interested in smartphones | 15s video – case presentation, product graphic, CTA “Check it out” | 400 PLN/day | 4 weeks: 2 weeks before launch and 2 after launch | Case sales, conversion cost |
| 2. Wireless headphones | Sports and fitness fans and lookalikes of audio buyers | Video showing use during a run, product photo carousel | 300 PLN/day | 1 month, e.g., June | Website traffic, cost per click |
| 3. Charger promotion | Xiaomi and Samsung smartphone users, location: Poland | Charger demo video, carousel graphic with different models | 200 PLN/day | 3 weeks before a large product delivery | Time spent on page, ROAS |
| 4. Local marketing — store | Warsaw residents + 10 km, phone users | Short store ad video with a call to visit, Map area | 100 PLN/day | 1 month, e.g., August | Number of store visits, new newsletter subscriptions |
In the plan above, the most important thing is to tailor the message to the audience: e.g., dynamic Shorts work well for younger users, and local advertising in Maps is effective for local customers. It’s also good to combine different formats (graphics + video) and constantly test what brings better results.
Checklist: Demand Gen campaign setup
Demand Gen is a tool that can significantly support the sale of GSM accessories – it allows combining the power of video with advanced targeting and the wide reach of Google channels. By using new features (AI creations, dynamic product ads, Google Maps ads, or A/B tests), you will quickly see how interest in your products and ROI indicators grow.
Remember that the key is regular optimization of campaigns and a creative approach (test different video formats, creatives, and audience groups).
