Display & Video 360 (DV360) Agency Management

DV360 vs. Google Ads: who can access it and where they differ

There is no self-serve sign-up for DV360. An account is opened directly with a Google Marketing Platform contract or through a partner that holds one. The structure is layered: partner, advertisers below it, and below them campaigns, insertion orders (IOs) and line items. Budget, dates and frequency caps are set on the IO; line items bid while sharing that budget.

Google Ads also buys YouTube and the Display Network, but only in Google's auction. In DV360 we access third-party exchanges alongside Google Ad Manager, private deals set up with publishers, and Programmatic Guaranteed reservations. Verification services such as IAS or DoubleVerify can be added at line item level, and hundreds of line items can be edited in bulk with Structured Data Files (SDF). That flexibility also means extra workload; for small, single-channel plans, Google Ads stays more efficient.

DV360 insertion order types and what they change

The IO type determines which line items can go inside it and the default settings. Fixing a campaign that started with the wrong type often means rebuilding it, so we do not choose the type before the media plan is approved. For example, an open web display line item cannot be added to a Connected TV IO, and a DOOH IO works only with deals tied to screen inventory.

• Standard IO: carries line items such as display and native, open web video, audio, YouTube and partners, and Demand Gen.
• Connected TV IO: an IO type dedicated to connected TV publishers and YouTube on the TV screen; it works with target CPM or CPM, with TV-appropriate device and player settings preselected.
• Digital Out-of-Home IO: a separate flow for screen inventory agreed through the DOOH tab in Marketplace.
• Optimization mode: automated bidding and budget at IO level, manual control at line item level, or automated budget allocation only.

DV360 measurement: Floodlight or GA4?

We read conversions in two ways. For brands using Campaign Manager 360, Floodlight tags feed both reporting and automated bidding. In accounts without Campaign Manager 360, we link the GA4 property to the DV360 advertiser; GA4 audiences and conversions flow into DV360 and can be used for custom bidding. We usually deploy tags through Google Tag Manager and test counting methods and double counting before going live.

With the NewFront announcements in March 2026, Gemini-based features came to DV360: the Ads Advisor assistant that turns a media plan into a campaign setup and diagnoses creative disapprovals, pre-curated media packages in Marketplace, AI-assisted bidding for live sports on CTV, and Confidential Publisher Match, which matches first-party data with publisher signals in a secure environment. They speed up the setup draft; targeting and deal control remain our job.

Display & Video 360: when do we recommend it?

How we manage Display & Video 360

1. Access and account structureWe set up partner and advertiser layers, user roles and the billing structure.
2. Measurement linksWe install Floodlight tags or the GA4 link and test conversion counting.
3. IO and line item planWe turn the media plan into IO types, budget shares and frequency caps.
4. Inventory and dealsWe choose auction exchanges, PMPs and guaranteed deals and agree terms with publishers.
5. Brand safetyWe add advertiser-level suitability settings and, where needed, IAS or DoubleVerify tags.
6. Weekly reviewWe review unique reach, frequency distribution, viewability and conversions by line item and shift budget.

Display & Video 360: metrics and requirements

The Brand Move DV360 Team

To learn more about DV360 ad formats, contact The Brand Move DV360 team today.

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