If you’re exploring programmatic advertising , you’ve probably come across platforms like DV360 , The Trade Desk , MediaMath , or Amazon DSP.
All of these are DSPs (Demand Side Platforms) tools that help you buy digital ad inventory automatically across various channels.
But the question is:
Why choose DV360 over other DSPs?
What makes it different or better?
Let’s break this down in simple , honest terms especially if you’re a brand or agency trying to decide which DSP fits best.
🚀 First: What Is DV360?
DV360 (Display & Video 360) is Google’s enterprise level DSP under the Google Marketing Platform (GMP). It lets you run programmatic display , video , audio , native , and YouTube ads all from one interface.
It’s ideal for:
- Brands who want cross channel advertising
- Agencies managing multiple clients
- Marketers who care about deep data integration and targeting
Now , let’s look at what makes DV360 stand out.
✅ 1. Access to YouTube Inventory
This is DV360’s biggest advantage.
DV360 is the only DSP that gives full programmatic access to YouTube inventory , including:
- Skippable and non skippable in stream ads
- YouTube Shorts
- Discovery ads
- Programmatic Guaranteed deals
❌ Other DSPs like The Trade Desk don’t have full access to YouTube you’ll need Google Ads or DV360.
Bottom line: If YouTube is a core part of your media strategy , DV360 is the most seamless and powerful option.
✅ 2. Native Integration with Google Ecosystem
DV360 works like a charm with other Google products:
- GA4 (Google Analytics 4) → share audiences & track performance
- Google Ads → share remarketing lists
- Campaign Manager 360 → centralized measurement & reporting
- BigQuery → advanced data activation
- Floodlight Tags → unified tracking system
Example: You can create a GA4 audience for “users who added to cart but didn’t buy” and run a DV360 campaign targeting them all without exporting/importing data manually.
✅ 3. Superior Brand Safety Controls
DV360 includes built in brand safety tools from:
- Google’s own policies
- Integral Ad Science (IAS)
- DoubleVerify
- MOAT
You can control:
- Where your ads appear
- Block adult , violent , or low quality content
- Exclude sensitive categories or specific domains
This makes DV360 a trustworthy choice for premium brands.
✅ 4. Cross Channel Buying from One Platform
DV360 allows you to run and manage:
- Display ads
- Video (YouTube + OTT)
- Audio ads
- Mobile app campaigns
- Native ads
- Digital Out of Home (in supported markets)
You don’t need multiple tools everything is centralized in DV360 with a unified report and audience strategy.
Example: A brand launch campaign can simultaneously run across YouTube , Times of India , Spotify , and MX Player all within DV360.
✅ 5. Advanced Audience Targeting & Data Activation
DV360 supports:
- 1st party data (CRM , GA4 , Floodlight)
- 3rd party data providers (BlueKai , Oracle , Lotame , etc.)
- Custom affinity & intent audiences
- Lookalike modeling
Plus , you can create dynamic creatives that change based on:
- Audience segments
- Weather
- Time of day
- Location
This makes your campaigns smarter and more personalized than generic ads.
✅ 6. Programmatic Guaranteed & Private Deals
DV360 makes it easy to do direct deals with publishers either programmatic guaranteed or private marketplace (PMP).
You can:
- Lock in premium placements at fixed rates
- Bypass open auction volatility
- Access high impact formats (mastheads , homepage takeovers , etc.)
Other DSPs offer this too , but DV360’s deal negotiation and execution is smoother due to deep publisher integrations.
✅ 7. Transparent & Unified Reporting
DV360’s integration with Campaign Manager 360 gives you:
- Transparent impression tracking
- Cross device conversion reports
- Viewability and brand lift data
- Offline + online performance insights
This helps you understand not just clicks but how users actually respond to your campaigns.
👎 Where DV360 May Not Be Ideal
While DV360 has many benefits , it’s fair to mention a few potential drawbacks:
- Not self serve by default You need access via a partner or Google
- Learning curve It’s more complex than Google Ads
- Minimum spends Best suited for mid to large advertisers (₹1L/month+)
- Limited access to Amazon inventory For eCommerce brands selling on Amazon , Amazon DSP may be better
🧠 Final Thoughts
DV360 is a powerful DSP especially for brands that are serious about cross channel media buying , YouTube advertising , and data driven marketing.
If your goals include:
- Running YouTube + OTT + display together
- Using GA4 or 1st party data for targeting
- Managing brand safe , premium campaigns
- Working with large media budgets
Then DV360 likely offers more value and control than other DSPs.
Still unsure if DV360 is the right fit?
Let’s connect we’ll help you compare it to other DSPs based on your brand , budget , and goals.