If you’re running performance or brand campaigns and wondering ,
“Can I use my own customer data in DV360?”
the answer is: Yes , you definitely can!
In fact , first party data is one of the biggest strengths of DV360. It helps you create highly personalized , targeted , and effective campaigns by using the data you already own.
In this post , we’ll explain in simple terms:
- What first party data means
- How you can use it inside DV360
- Examples of how it works
- Privacy considerations
Let’s make this easy.
👥 What Is First Party Data?
First party data is any data that you collect directly from your customers or users.
It’s typically collected through:
- Your website (via forms , cookies , analytics)
- Mobile app interactions
- CRM or loyalty programs
- Purchase history
- Email sign ups or phone numbers
This data is owned by you which makes it highly reliable , relevant , and privacy friendly.
✅ Yes , DV360 Supports First Party Data Here’s How
You can use your first party data in DV360 by linking it through Google’s Customer Match and audience integrations with:
- Google Ads Customer Match lists
- GA4 audiences
- Floodlight activities (for remarketing)
- Offline data via CDPs or CRMs
These methods allow you to use your data for:
- Retargeting site visitors
- Creating lookalike audiences
- Suppressing existing customers
- Personalizing creative messaging
🔄 Common Ways to Use 1st Party Data in DV360
1. Website Visitors (Remarketing Lists)
Set up Floodlight tags to capture user actions like:
- Product views
- Add to cart
- Checkout started
- Lead submitted
Then retarget users with relevant ads based on their behavior.
Example: A user viewed a red jacket but didn’t buy. DV360 can show them a reminder ad with that exact product.
2. Customer Email/Phone Lists (CRM Upload)
You can upload hashed emails or phone numbers of your customers (via Customer Match) , and DV360 will match them with Google IDs.
This helps you:
- Show new offers to existing customers
- Cross sell or upsell to loyal buyers
- Exclude existing users from awareness campaigns
Example: A bank can show a credit card offer only to customers who already have a savings account.
3. GA4 Audience Sharing
If you use Google Analytics 4 , you can create audience segments based on behavior like:
- Time on site
- Session frequency
- Viewed a category but didn’t convert
And push those audiences directly into DV360 for activation.
Example: Send an ad to users who visited your pricing page more than 3 times in the last week.
4. CDP or DMP Integration
Advanced advertisers can connect Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) or Data Management Platforms (DMPs) like:
- Segment
- Adobe Experience Cloud
- Tealium
- BlueKai
This enables richer audience creation using offline + online data together.
🔐 What About Data Privacy?
Google has strict policies for using first party data:
- You must have user consent to use their data for advertising
- All uploaded data is hashed (encrypted)
- You must follow GDPR/CCPA rules depending on the region
- You must agree to Google’s Customer Match policy
⚠️ DV360 may reject your list if these rules aren’t met , so it’s important to follow best practices.
📊 First Party Data + DV360 = Smarter Campaigns
Using your data with DV360 lets you:
- Reach the right people at the right time
- Spend less on irrelevant impressions
- Improve conversion rates
- Build long term brand customer relationships
And as 3rd party cookies phase out , first party data will be the new fuel for digital campaigns.
🚀 Final Thought
Yes you can absolutely use first party data in DV360 , and you should.
Whether it’s a simple remarketing campaign or a complex customer journey using CRM + GA4 + CDP DV360 has the flexibility to handle it all. And when used right , it can significantly improve the effectiveness and personalization of your campaigns.
Need help setting up 1st party audiences or linking your GA4 to DV360? Let us know we’re happy to assist!