What is DV360 and how does it work for CTV advertising?

DV360 (Display and Video 360) is Google's demand-side platform (DSP) for programmatic advertising. For CTV, DV360 is the dominant DSP in India — used by GroupM, Publicis, Dentsu, and IPG agencies, as well as large direct advertisers. DV360 accesses India CTV inventory through two routes: Google's direct CTV publisher integrations (including access to JioHotstar programmatic inventory through Google Ad Manager) and SSP-based PMP deals with PubMatic and Magnite for Zee5, SonyLIV, MX Player, and other publishers. DV360 uses Google's identity graph (built on Android device IDs, Google account data, and YouTube viewing signals) for audience targeting — the deepest identity coverage available for India CTV programmatic buying.

Through DV360 in India, you can access: JioHotstar programmatic inventory (via Google Ad Manager connection — the most significant CTV inventory available in DV360); Zee5 and SonyLIV CTV inventory via PubMatic and Magnite PMP deals; MX Player and mid-tier AVOD publishers via SSP integrations; Samsung TV Plus via Samsung Ads programmatic integration in select DV360 configurations; and regional OTT platforms that are integrated with Google Ad Manager as their primary ad server. What you cannot access through DV360 standard buying: JioHotstar's full direct IO-equivalent inventory (premium sports and primetime requires direct engagement with JioHotstar's advertising team, not DV360 PMP alone).

Key setup steps for India CTV in DV360: (1) Set inventory source to Connected TV and Smart TV — this filters to device.devicetype 3 and 7, ensuring you are buying CTV only, not blended OTT. (2) Set geography to India, with city or state targeting as needed. (3) Apply CTV-specific audience segments (age/gender bands, Google affinity audiences, or custom intent segments). (4) Set frequency cap — 3–5 impressions per device per week for awareness campaigns. (5) Activate PMP deal IDs for premium publisher access — negotiate deals with Zee5, SonyLIV programmatic teams and enter deal IDs in DV360 Marketplace. (6) Upload VAST-compliant 1920×1080 MP4 creative (15 or 30 seconds). (7) Set bidding — CPM bidding with a floor at or above the PMP floor price. Monitor delivery in the first 48 hours to confirm deals are active and VCR is meeting targets (85%+ for premium publishers).