What is DV360? The complete guide to Display & Video 360

Display & Video 360 — DV360 for short — is Google's enterprise platform for buying digital media programmatically. While Google Ads lets you buy Google's own inventory (Search, YouTube, Display Network), DV360 is a full demand-side platform (DSP): a buying console connected to the open programmatic ecosystem, where practically every major publisher and ad exchange sells its space in real time.

What can you buy with DV360?

DV360 gives one console access to formats and channels that normally live on separate platforms:

Buying everything from one place matters for more than convenience: frequency is controlled across channels, audiences are shared between campaigns, and reporting speaks one language.

How DV360 buys: RTB, deals and guarantees

DV360 supports every programmatic transaction type — open auction (RTB), Private Marketplaces, Preferred Deals and Programmatic Guaranteed. That flexibility is what separates an enterprise DSP from a regular ads platform: you can buy the open web at scale, or negotiate priority access to premium inventory with specific publishers.

Who is DV360 for?

DV360 makes sense for agencies and advertisers that already run digital campaigns and want more reach, formats or control — typically alongside what they already do in Google Ads and Meta. If you're weighing the two Google platforms, read our DV360 vs Google Ads comparison.

How do you get access?

This is the part most guides skip: DV360 is not self-serve. There are three real routes:

1. Direct contract with Google — for large advertisers with significant committed spend.
2. Through an agency that owns a seat and operates for you.
3. Through a seat partner like SeatNMD: you get access to a managed DV360 seat — operating it yourself (Self) or delegating the operation (Manage) — without Google's volume requirements. Costs and models are covered in how much DV360 costs.

The bottom line

DV360 is the step up from standard ad platforms when your operation needs premium inventory, advanced audiences, new channels like CTV and DOOH, and full control over how media is bought.