Demand Gen Brand Restrictions Expand Beyond Video in Google Ads

Google expanded Brand Restrictions in Demand Gen so advertisers can control which video and display surfaces their campaigns serve on — including non-video inventory that previously fell outside the restriction scope.

What you need to know

The update in four points:

• Restrictions now apply to image and display placements, not just video
• Easier to keep premium YouTube inventory separate from the open web
• Useful for brand-sensitive verticals: finance, health, premium retail
• Limiting inventory can raise CPMs — test carefully

What this means for advertisers

For premium brands that feared Demand Gen because their ads appeared beside unpredictable content, this removes the last excuse. For performance accounts, tighter placement control is a double-edged sword: cleaner brand surfacing, slightly higher costs.

Next step

Enable brand restrictions at campaign level if category safety or competitor-adjacent content is a genuine concern, then compare blended CPA with the unrestricted control. Most accounts see comparable efficiency.

Platform updates move budgets. Get the playbook applied to your campaigns with a free ad audit from ADZBE (Bengaluru & Hyderabad) — Google Ads, Meta Ads, ChatGPT Ads, JioHotstar, LinkedIn and Moj.