Dv360 Vs Google Ads 8211 Which Tool Is Suitable For My Company
Management Summary
DV360 is a tool that enables a variety of options in digital marketing – options that are not offered by Google Ads. You can find out what the advantages are and whether the more expensive option is worth it for you here.
Handling & special features
Google Ads is clearly intended for everyone and is the entry-level model among the tools. It takes some time and a certain minimum budget (>10k) to fully understand DV360 and be able to use it optimally. Compared to Google Ads, the tool is more complex and in order to make the most of all the options, you have to be very familiar with it. Display & Video 360 enables the integration of all digital channels (display, video, audio, YouTube, DOOH, CTV, etc), A/B testing, deal management with publishers and much more, which is only possible to a limited extent in Google Ads.
In Google Ads, however, you can work with JavaScript. Scripts can be written to automate repetitive processes. Many basic scripts are freely available and can be adopted without modification. The use of external data sources and libraries also significantly increases the range of applications.
inventory
DV360 offers a more extensive inventory compared to Google Ads. For example, you can only run audio and DOOH campaigns in DV360. Display, video and YouTube campaigns, however, can be implemented in both tools. Google Ads relies on the Google Display Network inventory; DV360 uses inventory from the Google Display Network as well as many other inventory sources by connecting other exchanges.
DV360 also offers access to publisher deals via private marketplaces and programmatic guaranteed/audiences. Deals such as curated deals (publisher deals enriched with 1st party data) are becoming increasingly important because they represent an additional targeting option that works completely without cookies. Deals also enable us to play on certain platforms (e.g. Spotify) that are not accessible via the Open Marketplace.
The use of deals in Google Ads is currently not supported.
Creatives
In principle, common display formats (e.g. UAP, HPA) as well as video and YouTube can be switched via both platforms, but a display & Video 360 has greater scope to reach the user in a personalized way. In DV360 you can in theFormat GalleryIn addition to special formats such as native ads or audio ads, data-driven creatives can also be created. This means that I can control which creatives should be shown to my users or target groups.
Furthermore, DV360’s connector to “Campaign Manager 360 (CM360)” and Google’s creative tool “Studio” allows me to use dynamic advertising materials. The advertising materials are created based on a template in combination with a feed and enable my users to be addressed in a personalized manner. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a product feed. What does this look like in practice?
Let’s say a user is interested in changing his cell phone contract and has already found out about possible offers on various websites. We are a telecommunications provider and offer cell phone contracts, but the user has not yet been to our website. Based on surfing behavior, we know that the user is willing to buy a cell phone contract and we can use this knowledge in DV360 for precise targeting. As a result, we are now providing this user with a current offer for a cell phone contract.
This is a clear advantage of DV360. You can find more information about Dynamic Ads in this blog article:Dynamic Ads in DV360 or Studio? – A comparison
Bidding & targeting
Both tools offer extensive targeting options using 1st and 3rd party data. This also includes the valuable Google data, which allows us to target users based on their interests and purchasing intentions.
There are also advanced targeting options. Bidding and targeting in Google Ads is in the area of placements – content (topics, keywords), devices/device models, operating systems, mobile phone providers/WLAN, advertising schedule and language. DV360 makes its targeting even more granular and, on top of that, offers all well-known 3rd party data providers that can be linked. 2nd party data also plays a role. Apps/URLs, Content Categories, Environment, Viewability, Language, Browser, Device, Connection Speed and Carrier & ISP, to name just a few options.
Data & Audiences
The Google Ads Pixel is used for Google Ads and measures corresponding conversions, on the basis of which audience lists can be created. In the GMP Adstack the equivalent to the Google Ads Pixel is the Floodlight. The floodlights themselves are created in Campaign Manager 360 and sent to DV360. The campaigns of the two tools are optimized for these conversions.
Apart from that, raw conversion data can be collected for both tools, which forms the basis for extensive analyses.
What is the difference in both tools?
Campaign Manager 360 gives us the opportunity to measure not only the campaign performance of the programmatic campaigns via DV360, but also the campaign performance of the following channels, among others: SEA, paid social and fixed placements via publisher.
The campaign performance of all channels comes together in this tool. Above all, this makes reporting across channels easier and also has the advantage that the same conversions (floodlights) can be recorded across all channels.
Analysis & Reporting
Both tools offer comprehensive analysis and reporting options and allow connection to Google Analytics 360 and Google Analytics 4. Data can be analyzed and visualized with Looker Studio. Customer Journey & Attribution modeling is only possible to a limited extent in the Google Ads interface. Campaign Manager 360, the ad server in which all advertising materials can be hosted and reused in DV360, offers all GMP channels and also organic search. Consistent tracking management is possible here through a multi-channel view and extensive attribution. The two tools CM360 and DV360 form a strong team that Google Ads cannot offer to the same extent. In order to prevent ad collisions, for example, comprehensive frequency capping is required. The combination of CM360 and DV360 offers the solution here. Both tools can be used to measure data and make bid optimizations using Google Attribution.
Costs & Budget
Google Ads only requires an account, which anyone can create in just a few minutes. No minimum media budget is required and campaigns with a low budget can also be run. Tech fees that arise during use are automatically included in the CPM.
DV360 explicitly reports its tech fees, but the media budget and CPMs are controlled gross. However, it is possible that any fees will already be taken into account in the media budget. For using Campaign Manager as an ad server, different additional fees apply depending on which type of advertising material is booked.
DV360 only really gets going with a certain media budget per month. To run a campaign via Display & To use Video 360, you need your own license via certified GMP sales partners such as e-dialog. Licenses used by agencies do not inherit data ownership and do not allow customers their own access.
Moreto the GDPR
GMP vs. Google Ads, source: e-dialog
Conclusion:
DV360 and Google Ads are powerful advertising platforms with different focuses and functions. Google Ads is, if you will, the younger sibling of the two and offers all the basic options. In comparison, DV360 offers a wide range of options in every area. Measurement solutions including brand lifts and 3rd party measurement across various inventories are part of DV36. Another advantage is in the area of media consolidation, as YouTube can also be used in DV360, thus enabling comprehensive frequency capping.
But the most important thing is to know and take your individual goals and requirements into account in the first step in order to be able to choose the right tool for your advertising strategy. So nothing stands in the way of successful campaigns!
