Google Ads Demand Gen: Load your ICP and show ads only to real buyers

Build a high-match customer audience of your ICP, plug it into Google Demand Gen, and serve ads only to those buyers—across YouTube Shorts, Discover, and Gmail—without keyword or topic noise.
Expand Google beyond
Search without losing lead quality
Drive net-new, qualified conversions
on Display & YouTube
Lower CPL vs. broad interest
or keyword targeting

Applying Matched Audiences to Demand Gen in Google

The Problem

unqualified search conversions'

The Play: Step-by-Step

Step
1
Model Your ICP in the Audience Builder
In the Primer audience builder, stack filters for Industry, Company Size, Function, and Seniority until the audience looks like your ICP. Make sure the projected matched audience size is big enough to be performant.
Exclude existing customers if the goal is net-new pipeline.
Aim for ≥30k records; lists under ~10k may struggle to serve.
Exclusion AudienceSync That Audience to Meta Ad Account
Step
2
Sync to Google Customer Match
Primer automatically hashes emails & boosts match rates with a B2C identity graph.

Google populates the audience in <24h but it takes at least 72 hours to fully match.
Step
3
Attach Audience as Targeting
Create Campaign = Demand Gen (Leads or Website Traffic). Within the Asset Group: at least 5 images + 5 short headlines + 1 × 30-sec video.

For Audience: select only your new Customer List from your data segments.
Lead Ads CampaignLead Ads Campaign
Step
4
Set Bidding & Budget
Start with Maximize Conversions. Layer a tCPA once you hit 30 conversions.

Set daily budget = 5–10× your target CPA to let the algo learn.
Step
5
Measure Qualified-Lead Rate
Track Qualified Lead Rate in your CRM, not just Google form fills. Compare CPL & qualified rate to Search and Display benchmarks.
Tip: Rotate fresh creative every 4–6 weeks to avoid banner fatigue.
Lead Ads Campaign

Why It Works

Customer-Match guarantees impressions go only to high-fit prospects.
Demand Gen inventory (YouTube Shorts, Discover, Gmail) is cheaper than LinkedIn & Search, so qualified CPL drops.
No lookalike expansion means zero “algorithm drift” into non-ICP territory.
Use it when you want to trim fat — not muscle.

Results

Metric
No Audience
Matched Audience
CPL
$148
$83
Qualified-Lead %
28%
54%
Cost / Qualified Lead
$528
$154
CPL
No Audience
$148
Matched Audience
$83
Qualified-Lead %
No Audience
28%
Matched Audience
54%
Cost / Qualified Lead
No Audience
$528
Matched Audience
$154
Try This Play
Available on all plans
Works only with Google
No dev work—just audience sync
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