What are Demand Gen Google Ads? A B2B Strategic Playbook

What’s the Real Deal with Demand Generation? Let’s cut through the marketing jargon. Demand generation isn’t just about throwing ads into the digital void and hoping something sticks. It’s about creating awareness, nurturing curiosity, and guiding decision-makers through a seamless journey—from “Who are these guys?” to “We need this solution yesterday.”

For B2B companies, this process often involves longer sales cycles and multiple stakeholders. The goal is to create touchpoints that align with each stage of the buyer’s journey, from awareness to consideration to decision.

Google’s New Demand Gen Campaign Type: A Rebrand of Discovery Ads

Google Ads has introduced the Demand Gen campaign type, which builds upon the success of the previous Discovery campaigns. While Discovery ads have been a popular choice for reaching customers across Google’s feeds (like YouTube, Gmail, and Discover), the rebranded Demand Gen campaigns now offer even more refined tools for targeting high-intent users.

The key difference lies in the expanded features and improved targeting options, allowing advertisers to capture potential customers earlier in their buying journey. Demand Gen focuses on delivering ads that encourage engagement, helping brands build connections with users who may not yet be familiar with their offerings but are likely to be interested. This shift helps businesses generate more qualified leads and increase conversions across Google’s vast network.

In essence, while the Demand Gen campaign type is a new label, it’s an evolution of the Discovery ad format with enhanced targeting and better optimization for lead generation.

Incorporating Demand Gen in a B2B Ad Strategy

In a B2B context, Demand Gen can be an essential part of an overall ad strategy focused on lead generation. While search ads target users actively looking for solutions, Demand Gen helps you reach business decision-makers earlier in the funnel—before they’ve even started their search. This can be crucial for industries where purchase decisions are made over longer periods, or when you’re targeting niche markets with less immediate intent.

By combining Demand Gen with other B2B strategies like remarketing or account-based marketing (ABM), you can create a more holistic approach that keeps your brand top-of-mind, builds interest, and nurtures leads through every stage of the buying process.

Search Network Ads: The Intent Hunters

Search ads let you capture high-intent users actively seeking solutions. This is your direct line to decision-makers in the “consideration” or “decision” stage of their journey.

Pro Tips for B2B:

• Use long-tail keywords: Capture specific intent with terms like “B2B marketing automation software for tech companies.”
• Test competitor keywords: Bid on competitors’ brand names to showcase why your solution stands out.
• Leverage ad extensions: Add sitelinks, callouts, or structured snippets to share key features, pricing options, or testimonials directly in the search results.

Display Network: Your Brand’s Storyteller

Display ads are perfect for the top of the funnel, helping to build awareness and keep your brand in front of potential customers.

Pro Tips for B2B:

• Use account-based marketing (ABM): Target ads to specific companies or industries using customer match or placement targeting.
• Leverage custom intent audiences: Create audiences based on users searching for solutions similar to yours.
• A/B test visuals: Experiment with industry-specific imagery to resonate with decision-makers.

YouTube Ads: Captivating the Decision-Makers

For B2B, YouTube is an underrated gem. Use video ads to engage potential clients with storytelling, tutorials, or case studies.

Pro Tips for B2B:

• Create educational content: Position your company as a thought leader with how-to videos, webinars, or whitepaper overviews.
• Target by job title or industry: Use advanced targeting to reach decision-makers like CEOs or IT managers.
• Include a strong CTA: Guide viewers to book a demo, download a guide, or contact your sales team.

Remarketing: The Gentle Reminder

B2B buyers rarely convert on the first interaction. Remarketing campaigns ensure you stay top-of-mind for potential leads who didn’t initially take action.

Pro Tips for B2B:

• Segment audiences: Create separate campaigns for website visitors, whitepaper downloads, or webinar attendees.
• Dynamic remarketing: Show personalized ads featuring the exact products or services users viewed.
• Frequency capping: Avoid annoying users by limiting the number of times they see your ad.

Conversion Tracking and Optimization

The cornerstone of any effective B2B campaign is knowing what works and doubling down. Conversion tracking is non-negotiable.

Pro Tips for B2B:

• Set up micro-conversions: Track smaller actions like ebook downloads or time spent on pricing pages to measure engagement.
• Use offline conversion tracking: Link CRM data to Google Ads to track lead quality beyond clicks.
• Leverage smart bidding: Use strategies like Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) to focus on campaigns delivering real value.

The Strategic Playbook

Here’s the hard truth: No single ad type is a silver bullet. The real magic happens when you orchestrate multiple ad formats into a cohesive, data-driven strategy.

A Sample B2B Strategy:

1. Awareness (Top of Funnel): Use display ads and YouTube to build brand visibility.
2. Consideration (Mid-Funnel): Use search ads to capture high-intent users.
3. Decision (Bottom of Funnel): Deploy remarketing ads and case studies to close deals.
4. Nurturing: Use email sequences triggered by Google Ads leads to keep the conversation going.

Diversity in your ad strategy isn’t just good—it’s essential.

Final Thoughts

For B2B companies, demand generation with Google Ads is a blend of art and science. It’s about staying curious, continuously testing, and scaling what works. With the right strategies, you can transform your Google Ads account into a lead-generating powerhouse. Contact me if you need to implement a strategy for your business.