Google Ads advertisers running Demand Gen campaigns now have access to two new campaign capabilities. Google confirmed in its April 2026 "Demand Gen Drop" blog post that view-through conversion (VTC) optimization is available in Google Ads and that Commerce Media Suite now supports Demand Gen inventory, both announced ahead of Google Marketing Live.
View-Through Conversion Optimization Now Available in Google Ads
In Google Ads, advertisers can now enable Demand Gen campaigns to optimize toward view-through conversions for YouTube. A view-through conversion is recorded when a user sees an ad, does not click, but later converts.
A view is counted when at least one pixel of an ad is on-screen for any duration. A view-through conversion is counted when Google can match a conversion request to a view within the conversion window set by the advertiser, which is typically 24 hours.
New and existing campaigns have VTC optimization disabled by default. The setting currently applies only to YouTube traffic for both images and videos, with additional inventory to follow. Advertisers enable or disable the setting at the campaign level through the Conversions Optimization dropdown in campaign settings, according to Google's support documentation.
Google states that VTC optimization drives more conversions in less time, aligning with capabilities available on other ad platforms. The Google Ads Help documentation notes a specific limitation: VTC optimization does not currently support offline conversions, store visits, or OCI, and currently only supports online web conversions created through Google Ads and Floodlight conversions in Display & Video 360 that are directly tracked through Google website tags.
Google also flags an incrementality caveat in its support documentation. VTC optimization is expected to have no impact on conversion lift tests. While it aims to increase overall conversions, it does not directly focus on incrementality, conversions that would not have happened otherwise, and Google states it will continue analyzing how VTC optimization affects it.
Commerce Media Suite Extended to Demand Gen in Google Ads
Google is expanding Commerce Media Suite to support Demand Gen inventory in Google Ads, building on existing support in Display & Video 360 and Search Ads 360. With this update, advertisers can use retailers' first-party catalogue and conversion data to reach high-intent shoppers across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.
The expansion continues a broader rollout of Commerce Media Suite capabilities across Google's advertising platforms. Google describes its Commerce Media solutions as powered by retailers' first-party data and Google AI, designed to convert commercial intent across the customer journey, available across Google Ads, Display & Video 360, and Search Ads 360 in limited beta.
Performance Data Sourced From Third-Party Vendor
In its April Demand Gen Drop post, Google cited external research to support the campaign type's effectiveness. Google referenced Fospha's Demand Gen and YouTube Playbook, a third-party vendor report, which attributes an 18% higher share of new-customer conversions to Demand Gen versus the paid media average, based on 127 retail brands across fashion, cosmetics, and consumer goods from 2024 to 2025. Fospha is a marketing attribution vendor with a commercial interest in measurement across advertising platforms, and Google did not publish its own performance data alongside the announcement.
Context: Demand Gen Feature Additions Since 2024
The two updates follow a period of incremental expansion for the campaign type. Since last year, Google has added Demand Gen optimization levers, including in-store sales optimization and shoppable CTV. For marketers running cross-channel campaigns, VTC optimization introduces a measurement approach already standard on paid social platforms, which may simplify performance comparisons across channels. Advertisers activating the setting should verify their view-through conversion windows in advance, as Google's support documentation notes that windows set above the recommended one-day default may produce a spike in reported primary VTCs.
YouTube will take centre stage at Google Marketing Live, where Google has indicated new Demand Gen solutions will be showcased.
