r/googleads • u/-Hidden-Karma- • 15h ago
Demand Gen Ads No More Google Display Ads? Display Ads Are Moving to Demand Gen
Just came across Google's latest announcement, and this feels like a pretty big change.
Google is gradually retiring standalone Display campaigns and moving everything into Demand Gen.
Here's the timeline:
- May 2026: Google recommends creating Demand Gen campaigns instead of Display.
- January 2027: You won't be able to create new Display campaigns.
- Later in 2027: Existing Display campaigns will be migrated automatically.
Google says this will bring more inventory (Discover, Maps), better creative options, and improved reporting. They're even claiming 24% lower CPA and 19% higher conversions in one case study.
I'm curious how this will play out in the real world. Display has always been great for placement control and specific targeting, while Demand Gen leans much more on automation.
What do you think? Is this a genuine improvement or just another push toward Google's AI-driven campaigns?