Google Ads Adds Channel Control to Demand Gen

Google Ads has begun rolling out a long-awaited feature for advertisers: channel control for Demand Gen campaigns. This update allows marketers to specify where their ads appear across Google’s ecosystem, offering more precision in campaign targeting. However, despite this progress, a major limitation persists—Google has yet to provide individual channel performance breakdowns, making it difficult for advertisers to optimise their campaigns effectively.

What Is the New Channel Control Feature?

Google’s Demand Gen campaigns are designed to help advertisers reach new audiences through visually engaging ads across Google-owned properties such as:

YouTube (including Shorts and In-Stream ads)
Google Discover (personalised content feeds on mobile devices)
Gmail (promotional and social tabs)

With the latest update, advertisers can now choose which of these platforms they want their ads to appear on, giving them greater control over their campaign placements. Previously, Google automatically allocated ads across all available properties, leaving advertisers with limited flexibility.

Why This Matters for Advertisers

This update is particularly significant for businesses looking to refine their Demand Gen strategies. By selecting specific channels, advertisers can tailor their campaigns to audiences that are more likely to convert. For example:

A retail brand might prioritise YouTube Shorts for visually-driven campaigns targeting younger audiences.
A B2B company might prefer Gmail ads, where professionals are more likely to engage with business-related content.
A news publication may focus on Google Discover, ensuring their sponsored articles appear within relevant content feeds.

This level of control enables advertisers to align their marketing strategies more closely with user behaviour on each platform.

The Reporting Challenge: A Major Drawback

Despite the benefits of channel control, there’s a major catch—Google has not yet introduced segmentation by individual channel in performance reports. Currently, all traffic from these channels is grouped under “Google-owned channels,” preventing advertisers from seeing how each specific platform is performing.

This lack of transparency makes it difficult to assess which channels are driving the most engagement, conversions, or return on ad spend (ROAS). Without granular performance data, advertisers cannot optimise their budget allocation effectively.

Industry Reactions: Mixed Feelings Among Marketers

Many advertisers have welcomed the new feature, but some remain hesitant to implement changes until Google improves its reporting capabilities. Greg Kholer, director of digital marketing at ServiceMaster, shared his thoughts on LinkedIn:

“While exciting, we won’t be making any changes until we’re able to see channel performance segmented out – as of today, it’s still all lumped together as ‘Google-owned channels.’”

This sentiment reflects a broader concern within the digital marketing community. While the ability to choose ad placements is valuable, the absence of detailed reporting means advertisers are still relying on guesswork when optimising their campaigns.

What’s Next?

1. Awaiting Better Performance Data

Until Google introduces individual channel reporting, many advertisers will take a cautious approach. Instead of immediately shifting their Demand Gen strategies, they may test placements gradually while monitoring overall campaign performance.

2. Potential Future Updates from Google

Given the demand for clearer insights, Google may roll out further updates in the coming months. Segmented performance reporting for YouTube, Discover, and Gmail would allow advertisers to:

Identify which platforms drive the highest engagement
Adjust bidding strategies accordingly
Allocate budgets more efficiently

3. Adapting Campaign Strategies

For now, advertisers looking to make the most of this update can:

Run A/B tests by selecting different platforms for separate campaigns to gauge effectiveness.
Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates to infer platform performance.
Engage with Google support and ad representatives to push for better reporting features.

Final Thoughts

The introduction of channel control for Demand Gen campaigns is a step in the right direction, offering advertisers more flexibility in ad placement. However, without individual channel performance data, the full potential of this feature remains untapped.

For now, marketers should test and refine their campaigns while keeping an eye on future updates from Google. As demand for greater transparency grows, it’s likely that Google will eventually enhance its reporting features—giving advertisers the insights they need to make data-driven decisions.

Would you use Google’s new Demand Gen channel control feature, or are you waiting for better reporting? Let us know in the comments!

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