Google Ads remains one of the most effective platforms for capturing existing demand through Search and Shopping campaigns. However, its effectiveness has limits when it comes to generating new demand. This article explores why Google Ads functions primarily as a demand capture tool and how marketers can complement it with other channels that create demand upstream.

The Limitations of Google Ads in Demand Creation

Google Ads campaigns operate by displaying ads to users after they perform specific search queries or browse shopping content. This means that the platform relies fundamentally on user intent that already exists in the market. If there is no demand or very limited search volume, even the most optimized campaigns will struggle to scale beyond capturing the small pool of active searches.

Marketers often aim to increase reach by expanding targeting through tools like broad match keywords or AI-powered campaign types such as Performance Max. While these strategies can surface adjacent and related queries, they still require an existing underlying intent from users. Essentially, Google Ads does not subsidize market demand; it only captures what is presently there.

Why Impression Share Can Be Misleading

Impression share metrics may make campaign performance appear impressive, for example, a 90% impression share suggests dominance in available queries. But if the overall search volume is limited, high impression share translates only to a small absolute audience. This means the ceiling on growth is defined by total demand rather than spend or optimization alone.

“Google Ads is exceptional at closing the deal when buyers are searching. The challenge is that it cannot open the storefront to new customers who aren’t looking yet,” explains marketing analyst Dr. Ellen Ramirez.

Demand Creation Through Owned, Earned, and Paid Media

To overcome the ceiling imposed by pure demand capture campaigns, marketers must invest upstream in channels that build brand awareness, trust, and interest. Traditionally, marketing channels are segmented into three categories that support demand creation and cultivation.

Owned Media

Owned channels include assets controlled directly by the brand such as websites, email lists, and CRM systems. While owned media rarely spawns brand-new demand independently, its role in nurturing interested prospects and converting early curiosity into branded search queries is vital.

For example, a direct-to-consumer brand might build a VIP list before a sale event, priming potential customers to search for the brand during the promotion period. SaaS companies often publish educational blogs designed to influence early consideration and encourage direct branded searches once a prospect is more knowledgeable.

Earned Media

Earned media encompasses organic exposure earned without direct payment: public relations placements, SEO rankings, online reviews, and organic social media reach. Positive earned media builds credibility and frequently stimulates demand by encouraging consumers to search for a brand by name or product type.

High-impact examples include product features in holiday gift guides, viral social content shared widely, or glowing third-party reviews on platforms like Trustpilot — all contributing to rising brand awareness evident in search trends.

Paid Media for Demand Generation

Paid media extends beyond channels designed simply to capture demand through Search and Shopping. Display, video, social platforms like Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube are potent for creating demand by exposing users to a brand or product before they actively seek it.

Examples include TikTok ads demonstrating product use, YouTube pre-roll videos narrating brand stories, or promoted Pinterest pins placed on user boards ahead of seasonal buying. These impressions cultivate curiosity and familiarity that later result in branded queries and higher intent searches on Google.

Marketing strategist Simon Clarke notes, “Investment in demand creation on platforms like TikTok or YouTube directly feeds demand capture campaigns. Without awareness, the pool of engaged searchers simply isn’t large enough to fuel scalable growth.”

While advanced Google Ads features may uncover new intent signals, the true source of demand is the upstream awareness and engagement generated elsewhere.

The Buyer Journey Funnel and Where Google Ads Fits

An effective marketing strategy recognizes how different channels serve stages of the buyer journey: awareness, consideration, and conversion. Google Ads excels in the latter two, particularly capturing demand during consideration and closing sales at conversion.

Awareness Stage

At the awareness stage, potential customers first encounter the brand or product through exposure rather than active searching. Ads on Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, influencer mentions, and PR placements play critical roles here by sparking initial interest. This exposure creates a foundation for subsequent brand searches and research.

Consideration Stage

During the consideration stage, users compare options, research features, read reviews, and seek reassurance. Generic search terms (like “best vitamin C serum”), shopping ads with comparative intent, and retargeting campaigns across platforms support decision-making. Owned media here further nurtures leads with helpful content and exclusive offers.

Conversion Stage

The final conversion stage is where Google Ads—through branded search and high-intent shopping queries—can effectively close transactions. Remarketing via Performance Max or retargeting cart abandoners also plays a significant role in sealing the sale.

Failing to engage in awareness and consideration phases limits the funnel’s effectiveness, reducing it to a narrow drinking straw rather than a broad pathway to growth and sustainable demand.

Strategic Implications for Marketers

Understanding that Google Ads functions primarily as a demand capture tool challenges common assumptions about paid search strategies. Simply increasing ad spend or broadening keyword targeting will not generate sustainable growth if market demand is limited.

Instead, marketers should build integrated campaigns that deliberately invest in demand creation across owned, earned, and paid channels, ensuring a steady flow of new interested prospects entering the funnel. This multi-channel approach amplifies branded and generic search volumes, enabling Google Ads to perform optimally.

Regular analysis of search volume trends, engagement metrics from demand creation channels, and attribution models that capture upstream influence are crucial to evaluate effectiveness beyond immediate ad impressions and clicks.

Jessica Nguyen, VP of Marketing at a SaaS company, shares, “We’ve doubled our Google Ads conversion rates since coordinating with our content marketing and social advertising teams to build awareness and consideration. Without that upstream demand, our search campaigns just hit a wall.”

Conclusion

Google Ads is unmatched for capturing intent-driven demand during consideration and conversion, but it is not a standalone solution for demand creation. To unlock scalable growth, marketers must identify and invest in channels and tactics that build awareness and nurture interest upstream. A balanced marketing ecosystem using owned, earned, and paid media ensures a robust demand pipeline supporting search performance and overall business objectives.