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Sr. Director - Media
DV360 | DV360
DV360 is Google's main tool for buying and managing display...
By Aditya Mohite
Jun 23, 2026 | 5 Minutes | 
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DV360 is Google's main tool for buying and managing display and video ads at scale. Large companies use it to plan, buy, and optimize ads across many channels and ad exchanges. Google Ads is easier and works on its own. DV360 is for big organizations that want more control over where ads run and who sees them.
Google Ads finds people ready to buy. DV360 reaches people before they search. Google Ads works best for quick sales. DV360 works best for brand building and awareness.
Google Ads uses Google's audiences and keywords. DV360 lets you use your own customer lists and reach them across the whole web. DV360 also connects to 80-plus networks, not just Google's.
See our features and benefits guide for details.
DV360 has five levels. Understanding them is key.
Partner. The top level. Usually an agency or reseller. Partners manage billing and the Google relationship.
Advertiser. Your brand. One partner manages many brands. Each brand has its own audience data.
Campaign. A main project with a budget and timeline (such as Q3 Brand Awareness for APAC).
Insertion Order. A sub-budget within a campaign (such as YouTube ads or display banners).
Line Item. Where you pick your audience, bid amount, and ad types. Each line item targets one audience at one price.
This setup lets teams work without stepping on each other's toes. It gives you full control at every level.
You can reach people across six major ad types.
Display. Banner ads on websites and the Google Display Network.
Video. Video ads before, during, or after YouTube content.
Connected TV. Ads on streaming platforms and smart TVs. In India, DV360 reaches 86% of CTV ads.
Audio. Ads on music and podcast apps.
Mobile. Ads in apps and on mobile websites.
YouTube. Native YouTube video ads through Google Marketing Platform.
You pick which ad types each line item uses. This is key for global brands running ads in many countries. You manage everything in one place instead of using separate tools.
You have three ways to find your audience.
Google's audiences. Built by Google from its data. Types include in-market (people researching), affinity (people who like a topic), custom intent, and age/location. No setup required.
Third-party data. Audiences from data partners. These cost more but offer niche groups.
Your customer lists. Upload your own customer data (emails, user IDs) and target them. Create lookalike audiences to find similar people.
As third-party cookies go away, DV360 moves to privacy-safe options: Google's Privacy Sandbox, your own data, and context-based targeting. This is good for Indian companies handling customer data under local privacy rules. You can target your customers without third-party tracking.
DV360 shows you real-time dashboards. You don't wait for reports. You see impressions, clicks, spend, and conversions as they happen.
Integration makes it more powerful. If you use Campaign Manager 360 as your ad server, data flows directly to CM360, then to GA4 and Looker Studio. You see all your ad data in one place. You can also export raw data to BigQuery for deep analysis.
Per Google Support's official DV360 docs, five modules work together (Campaigns, Audiences, Creatives, Inventory, Insights) to make managing ads simpler and faster.
DV360 is for:
DV360 is not free and not self-serve. You need a certified partner. The partner manages your top-level account. Fees are usually a percent of your spend or a flat monthly rate. Setup takes 2 to 4 weeks. Most teams start small with a test campaign before going big.
To get access in India, call us. We set up your account, plan campaigns, and help you optimize.
No. You need a certified partner and platform fees on top of what you spend on ads. Most teams need at least 50 lakhs per year to make it worthwhile.
Yes. Google's audiences are free to use. Many brands start with Google's groups and add their own customer data later.
You can bring audiences from GA4 into DV360 line items. You can track conversions in GA4 if you use Campaign Manager 360. Data shows up in Looker Studio right away.
Yes. One account can handle ads in any country. You choose which countries each line item targets.
Both are big platforms for buying display and video ads. DV360 works with Google tools (GA4, Looker). Amazon DSP uses Amazon shopping data. See our detailed comparison for more.
CPM changes by location, audience type, ad format, and ad source. Mix open bids with private deals to save money. Start broad, then narrow your targeting. See our CPM guide for India tips and tactics.
Two to four weeks from start to first ad going live. This depends on how fast you give us your audience details and ad creative. We handle setup, audience planning, and testing before you scale.
If you're thinking about DV360, first decide who you want to reach and how much you can spend. It gives you reach and control when you have a clear plan and enough budget for the system to learn. Ready to try DV360? Contact us today.