Google auto-upgrades Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen

All existing Video Action Campaigns (VAC) in Google Ads are now automatically being upgraded to the newer Demand Gen format, as Google phases out VAC in favor of its more versatile and visual ad solution.

Why we care. Demand Gen campaigns are designed to better align with how users browse and discover products across YouTube, Google Discover, and Gmail. It supports multi-format creatives, enabling advertisers to combine video and image assets to drive up to 20% more conversions at the same cost per action (according to Google).

This shift reflects how users browse and shop today – visually, across multiple platforms – so adapting to Demand Gen will benefit advertisers for maximizing reach in the new Google Ads landscape.

Catch up quick

April: Advertisers could no longer create new VACs.
July: All remaining VACs will be auto-upgraded to Demand Gen.

Zoom out. Demand Gen supports a wider range of formats and placements than VAC, making it more suitable for today’s omnichannel browsing habits. It’s optimized for discovery-based engagement, allowing marketers to reach users before they actively search.

Bottom line. With the upgrade from Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen already underway, advertisers who embrace multi-format creative and optimize for discovery-driven behavior are best positioned to capture attention, drive conversions, and stay competitive across Google’s most visual and intent-rich surfaces.

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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 started with delivering digital marketing campaigns (mostly but not exclusively Paid Search) by building strategies, maximising ROI, automating repetitive processes and bringing efficiency from every part of marketing departments through inspiring leadership both on agency, client and marketing tech side.

Outside editing Search Engine Land article she is the founder of PPC networking event – PPC Live and host of weekly podcast PPC Live The Podcast.

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

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