In the world of digital advertising , reaching the right audience is everything. It’s not just about showing your ads to millions of people it’s about showing them to the right people at the right time on the right platforms. That’s exactly where Display & Video 360 (DV360) shines.
DV360 is Google’s enterprise level demand side platform (DSP) that allows advertisers to run advanced programmatic campaigns across the web , YouTube , mobile apps , OTT , and more. But what really sets DV360 apart is its powerful targeting capabilities.
In this blog , let’s explore the many ways you can target your audience using DV360 with easy examples and a friendly explanation.
🎯 Why Targeting Matters
Imagine you’re selling high end running shoes. You don’t want to show your ad to everyone you want to reach fitness enthusiasts , runners , and people who are actually interested in buying. Better targeting means:
- Less wasted ad spend
- Higher click through rates
- Better ROI
Now let’s break down how DV360 helps you do just that.
🔍 1. Demographic Targeting
DV360 allows you to target users based on:
- Age
- Gender
- Parental status
- Household income (in select countries)
Example:
You’re promoting a new skincare brand designed for women aged 25–40. With demographic filters , you can focus only on that specific group.
📍 2. Geographic (Geo) Targeting
You can serve ads based on:
- Country
- State/Region
- City
- Zip/Postal code
- Custom radius (e.g. , 5 km around a store)
Example:
If you’re launching a new restaurant in Delhi , you can run display ads within a 10 km radius of your location to attract nearby customers.
📱 3. Device & Technology Targeting
Choose the devices your ads appear on:
- Desktop
- Mobile
- Tablet
- Smart TVs (Connected TV/OTT)
- Mobile operating systems (Android/iOS)
- Browsers and connection type
Example:
If you’re running a mobile app install campaign , you can target only Android users on mobile phones connected to Wi Fi to improve performance.
👥 4. Audience Targeting
This is where DV360 gets really powerful. There are four major types of audience targeting:
A. Affinity Audiences
These are groups of people with long term interests.
Example:
Target “Sports & Fitness Enthusiasts” if you’re selling activewear.
B. In Market Audiences
People who are actively researching or considering a product or service.
Example:
Show ads to users in the “Auto – Luxury Vehicles” in market group if you’re promoting a premium car brand.
C. Custom Audiences
Create your own audience using:
- Specific websites people visit
- Keywords they search
- Apps they use
Example:
You can create a custom audience of people who visit Nike , Adidas , and Puma websites to target potential customers for your own sportswear brand.
D. 1st Party Data (Customer Match/CDP Integration)
Upload your own customer lists or connect with tools like Google Analytics , CDPs , or CRM platforms.
Example:
Retarget users who added items to the cart but didn’t complete their purchase or upsell to existing customers who bought from you last year.
E. Similar Audiences (Lookalike Targeting)
DV360 can automatically find new users who behave similarly to your existing customers.
Example:
If your customer list contains frequent gym goers , DV360 can find others who match that behavior across the web.
🧠 5. Contextual Targeting
Serve ads on relevant content based on keywords , topics , or website categories.
- Keyword targeting
- Category targeting (e.g. , “Health & Fitness”)
- Page content analysis using AI
Example:
If you sell protein shakes , your ad can appear on articles about post workout nutrition or diet plans.
💻 6. Inventory Based Targeting
You can choose where your ads appear:
- Specific websites , mobile apps , or YouTube channels
- Avoid certain websites (brand safety filters)
- Allow only premium inventory (e.g. , The Times of India , Bloomberg , etc.)
- Use Private Marketplace (PMP) or Programmatic Guaranteed deals
Example:
A financial brand may want to appear only on premium finance websites like Economic Times or Moneycontrol DV360 can make that happen.
⏰ 7. Day & Time Targeting (Dayparting)
Control when your ads appear:
- Only on weekdays
- Only during business hours
- Peak evening time for entertainment apps
Example:
A food delivery app can choose to advertise only during lunch and dinner hours for higher conversion rates.
📊 8. Audience Expansion (Auto Targeting)
Let Google’s AI help you find more people similar to your existing audience. This feature can be toggled on or off depending on how much control you want.
🧩 9. Combination Targeting
You can combine multiple targeting options to get highly specific.
Example:
A luxury skincare brand can target:
- Women , aged 30–50
- Living in metro cities
- Using iPhones
- Interested in beauty & wellness
- Who have recently visited Sephora or Nykaa
This layered approach helps you reach exactly the people who are most likely to buy.
🔒 10. Brand Safety Controls
DV360 lets you avoid showing your ads on:
- Low quality or inappropriate sites
- Certain content categories (e.g. , gambling , politics , etc.)
- Sites that don’t meet viewability or ad fraud standards
You can also use 3rd party verification tools like DoubleVerify or IAS for added protection.
🧠 Final Thoughts
DV360 offers incredibly powerful and flexible targeting that goes far beyond what you get in basic ad platforms like Google Ads. It’s built for marketers who want:
- Deeper control over who sees their ads
- Access to premium inventory across devices
- Smarter use of data for better ROI
If you want your campaigns to reach the right audience with precision , DV360 is a top tier solution.