August 17, 2026
Google pulls Demand Gen closer to the transaction
Holiday shopping is deeply personal. That’s why consumers seeking authentic human connection turn to video — and real people — for the visual validation that guides their choices. In fact, 94% of holiday shoppers who used YouTube reported taking further steps toward their purchase after watching a related video. 1
Turn holiday inspiration into bottom-line growth with these new retail best practices:
- Drive shoppers directly from Demand Gen campaigns to your website’s optimized checkout or cart page with Checkout Links, which are now available in nine new markets. 2 On average, advertisers who provided Checkout URLs boosted conversions by 6% on Demand Gen. 3
- Use upgraded Target ROAS (tROAS) bidding to prevent the system from being overly cautious early on so your campaigns hit their targets faster.
- Create frictionless commercial experiences by integrating product feeds, amplifying creator content with affiliate partnerships boost, and driving purchases directly from YouTube ads via checkout links or Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), (available in US only).
Ready to capture your next wave of seasonal growth? Access the new 2026 Demand Gen Retail guide.
Google commissioned Ipsos Holiday Shopping, Oct 2025-Jan 2026, Online Survey, US consumers 18+ who conducted Holiday shopping activities in the past two days, n= 4391 and watched videos on YouTube for shopping. \[GMI B2B2C Holiday Insights\]
Checkout Links are now available in: Switzerland, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, France, Poland, Israel, and Argentina.
Google data, US, 09/01/25 to 09/30/25.