Article
Google's Demand Gen Update Makes Horizontal and Vertical Video Testing Easier
A new Asset Studio feature lets advertisers build both video orientations in one workflow, opening a low-effort test for local service ad campaigns.
Owners of independent local service businesses in the United States who run or oversee Google Ads campaigns
- Supporting sections
- 3
- Questions answered
- 3
- Research captured
- 2026-09-24
In August 2026, Google announced general availability of Multimodal Video Creation in Asset Studio, a feature that lets advertisers produce both horizontal and vertical video assets within a single workflow for Demand Gen campaigns. The announcement came through Google's own Demand Gen product update post.
For a local service business running Demand Gen ads, this is a production change more than a strategy change. It does not alter targeting, bidding, or where ads appear. What it changes is how easy it is to create comparable video assets in different aspect ratios, which matters because Demand Gen inventory spans placements that expect different orientations.
This piece lays out what changed, why it is relevant to a local service business's ad account, and a specific, contained test worth running before committing to a broader creative overhaul.
The argument
The thesis
Because Asset Studio now supports building horizontal and vertical video in one workflow, local service businesses can test whether matched-orientation creative improves Demand Gen delivery, engagement, and conversions without a proportional increase in production effort.
The case
What the research shows
What changed
Google's August 2026 Demand Gen product update announced general availability of Multimodal Video Creation in Asset Studio. The feature lets advertisers create horizontal and vertical video assets for Demand Gen campaigns within one workflow, rather than producing each orientation as a separate creative task.
Why it matters for a local service business
Demand Gen inventory includes placements that display in different orientations. Previously, producing a matched set of horizontal and vertical assets required separate creative effort for each format. With this update, agencies and in-house marketers can prepare comparable assets for both orientations within the same production workflow, which makes format-specific creative testing more practical for businesses that do not have large video production budgets.
The proposed test
Create matched horizontal and vertical versions of a video asset for one eligible Demand Gen campaign. Keep the offer and audience consistent where practical so the orientation is the primary variable being tested. Compare delivery, engagement, and conversion metrics between the two versions before deciding whether to expand the matched-asset approach to other campaigns.
Takeaway
The change is limited to production workflow, not targeting or bidding. Local service businesses running Demand Gen campaigns can use it to run a small, controlled comparison before investing further.
Recommended first step
Run one matched-pair test
Create horizontal and vertical versions of a single video asset for one eligible campaign, holding the offer and audience constant, then compare delivery, engagement, and conversion results before expanding the approach.
Questions
Frequently asked
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