Google has officially pushed several high-impact Demand Gen features into general availability as of late January 2026. These updates transform the campaign type from a “discovery” tool into a full-funnel performance engine, specifically targeting the gap between social-style browsing and hard conversions.
Key Features Now Generally Available:
- Shoppable CTV (Connected TV): Turning the living room into a storefront, this feature allows viewers to browse and purchase products directly from YouTube ads on their TV screens using scannable QR codes.
- The Impact: Google reports that including TV screens in Demand Gen campaigns drives an average of 7% additional conversions at the same ROI.
- Attributed Branded Searches: Advertisers can now see the specific volume of branded searches on Google and YouTube driven by their Demand Gen campaigns. This provides a much-needed window into how “top-of-funnel” visuals influence intent later in the journey. (Note: This requires activation through a Google representative.)
- Travel Feeds for Video: Hotel advertisers can now link their Hotel Center feeds directly to Demand Gen. This automatically generates dynamic video ads featuring real-time pricing, guest ratings, and availability, significantly shortening the path from “wanderlust” to “booked.”
Why This Matters
Google is positioning Demand Gen as a direct competitor to Paid Social (Meta/TikTok). By combining the reach of YouTube Shorts, Discover, and Gmail with these new commerce-focused tools, the platform is moving toward “chaos-ready” advertising—where the AI captures demand regardless of how non-linear a customer’s path to purchase might be.
Performance Highlight: LG Electronics
In recent case studies, LG Electronics utilized these new features to achieve a 24% higher conversion rate compared to their standard paid social campaigns, while reaching high-value customers at a staggering 91% lower cost-per-acquisition (CPA).
