How to Effectively Set Up Your Demand Generation Campaigns

As digital marketing continues to evolve, mastering demand generation (demand gen) campaigns has become essential for businesses seeking to enhance their visibility and engage potential customers. In this article, I will guide you through the step-by-step process of setting up successful demand gen campaigns, based on insights from my experiences and strategies.

Understanding Demand Generation

Demand generation is often considered a secondary or tertiary level of marketing campaigns. It is particularly effective for creating awareness about your business or services when there is limited high-intent search traffic. For brands with high search intent, starting with search and shopping campaigns is advisable before layering in demand gen efforts.

Key Considerations Before Launching a Demand Gen Campaign

1. Audience Size:

• Ensure you have at least 100 users in your audience. This number is crucial for creating lookalike audiences, which help target new potential customers based on existing data.

2. Content Creation:

• Develop specific video ads tailored for your campaign. Each ad should include:

• A strong hook to capture attention.

• A clear identification of the problem your product solves.

• An introduction of your product as the solution.

• Elements that build trust and authority.

• Strong calls-to-action (CTAs) that guide viewers on the next steps.

3. Google Ads Setup:

• Navigate to Google Ads and select "Create Campaign." Choose between goals such as sales or leads based on your objectives.

Step-by-Step Setup Process

1. Campaign Creation:

• Start by naming your campaign descriptively (e.g., "MC Leads" for masterclass leads). This internal name helps track performance without being visible to the public.

2. Budgeting:

• Set a daily budget or total campaign budget. Options include unlimited spending or specifying an amount (e.g., $1,000 over a month).

3. Targeting:

• Define your location and device targeting. For example, target users in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom while excluding devices like TVs if the goal is to drive traffic to a website.

4. Ad Group Creation:

• Create an ad group within your campaign, adding relevant audiences based on previous data or new custom segments.

5. Ad Development:

• Choose the type of ad (single image, video, or carousel) and upload your content. Ensure you include URLs and additional site links that lead to different parts of your website.

6. Review and Launch:

• After setting up all components, review your campaign settings and publish it.

Optimizing Your Campaign

Once your demand gen campaign is live, continuous optimization is key to success. Monitor performance metrics closely and be prepared to adjust targeting, budgets, and ad creatives based on real-time data.

Conclusion

Implementing a demand generation campaign requires careful planning and execution. By following these steps and leveraging insights from my experience in digital marketing, businesses can create effective campaigns that raise awareness and drive meaningful engagement with potential customers.