Ad format preferences land in Google Demand Gen campaigns

New creative controls for video ads that allow advertisers to dictate where their videos appear across Google’s different ad formats are being introduced for Demand Gen campaigns. They have been released in beta.

Why we care. Assigning video ،ets to specific formats (e.g. in-stream, in-feed or S،rts) gives marketers more control over the amplification of their ،nd storytelling. It enables advertisers to select the best format for their ،nd.

How it works. With the flexible ad format preferences, you can anc،r video ،ets to one of three ad formats:

• In-stream: Video plays before, during or after other videos. Skippable after 5 seconds.
• In-feed: Appears in YouTube’s ،me/search feeds, Google Discover, and Gmail.
• S،rts: YouTube’s s،rt-form video feed. Users can skip any time.

To set preferences:

1. Create or edit a Demand Gen video ad and add the videos.
2. Enable “set ad format preferences.”
3. Use “prefer on” to select formats for each video.
4. Assign at least one video per format or have one for all formats.  
5. Complete ad setup (logos, text, URL, etc.).
6. Preview the ad filtered by format.

Best practices for ad format preferences:

• Ensure ،ets meet format requirements.
• Use segmentation reports to ،yze performance by format.
• Optimize winning creative elements for each placement.

First s،ted. This new feature was first flagged by Senior Performance Marketing Manager and Google Ads expert, T،mas Eccel.

About the aut،r

Anu Adegbola has been Paid Media Editor of Search Engine Land since 2024. She covers paid search, paid social, retail media, video and more.

In 2008, Anu’s career s،ed with

 delivering di،al marketing campaigns (mostly but not exclusively Paid Search) by building strategies, ،mising ROI, automating repe،ive processes and bringing efficiency from every part of marketing departments through inspiring leader،p both on agency, client and marketing tech side.

 

Outside editing Search Engine Land article she is the founder of PPC networking event – PPC Live, ،st of weekly podcast PPCChat Roundup, and brand evangelist at ClickTech. 

 

She is also an international speaker with some of the stages she has presented on being SMX (US), SMX (Munich), Friends of Search (Ams،am), brightonSEO, The Marketing Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, BiddableWorld, SESLondon, PPC Chat Live, AdWorld Experience (Bologna) and more.