Display & Video 360 (DV360) is Google's demand-side platform and the most widely used DSP for programmatic CTV buying in India. Its dominance comes partly from its integration with YouTube (the largest digital video platform in India) and partly from its SSP connections to Magnite, PubMatic, and other supply sources that carry India CTV inventory. For agency trading desks and large advertisers, DV360 is typically the first — and often the only — DSP used for India CTV programmatic campaigns.
How DV360 accesses India CTV inventory
DV360 reaches India CTV inventory through two primary paths:
YouTube CTV inventory: YouTube is available on smart TVs and connected devices as a native CTV app. YouTube CTV ad inventory is accessible exclusively through DV360 — no other DSP can buy it programmatically. For India advertisers targeting the ~40–50 million monthly YouTube CTV viewers, DV360 is the only programmatic route.
Third-party CTV inventory via SSPs: DV360 connects to Magnite, PubMatic, Index Exchange, and OpenX, which carry inventory from India publishers like Zee5, SonyLIV, Sun NXT, and mid-tier AVOD apps. This inventory is accessed through open auction or via deal IDs for PMP and preferred deals.
Setting up a CTV campaign in DV360
The key DV360 settings for India CTV:
- Insertion order type: Set to "Over-the-Top" (OTT) or use a Connected TV line item. DV360 has CTV-specific line item types that apply the right inventory filters and reporting dimensions.
- Inventory source: Under Inventory → Inventory Source, filter for "Connected TV" device type. You can also add specific deal IDs from publisher PMPs here.
- Geography: India city-level targeting is available. For CTV specifically, target metro cities first (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune) where CTV penetration is highest.
- Audience targeting: Google Audiences (affinity, in-market) can be layered on CTV line items. Note that Google audience match rates on CTV are lower than on web/mobile — users are often signed into YouTube but not all third-party CTV apps share user IDs with Google.
- Frequency management: Set frequency caps at the campaign level, not line item level, to prevent over-serving to the same household across YouTube CTV and third-party publishers.
- Creative format: CTV requires non-skippable VAST video (15s or 30s). Ensure creatives are uploaded as VAST tags or hosted video — DV360's HTML5 display formats will not serve on CTV.
DV360 for YouTube CTV vs third-party CTV
The experience buying YouTube CTV vs third-party CTV through DV360 is meaningfully different:
YouTube CTV benefits from Google's identity graph — audience targeting is accurate, measurement is consistent, and delivery pacing is reliable. CPMs for YouTube CTV in India typically run Rs 150–350 for standard placements, higher for masthead and homepage units.
Third-party CTV through DV360's SSP connections is less consistent. Identity signals are weaker (many publishers use device IDs rather than logged-in user IDs), audience match rates are lower, and reporting granularity varies by publisher. Expect CPMs of Rs 80–200 for open auction third-party CTV, and Rs 150–300+ for PMPs with audience targeting.
Common DV360 CTV mistakes in India
- Not separating YouTube CTV and third-party CTV: Combining both in one line item makes optimisation impossible — they have different CPMs, completion rates, and audience behaviour.
- Ignoring frequency caps: CTV households watch for hours. Without frequency caps, a single household can see the same ad 15+ times in one evening.
- Using display-style creatives: HTML5 banners and non-video formats will not serve on CTV. All CTV creatives must be video (VAST).
- Over-targeting: Applying too many audience filters on a small India CTV pool results in very low fill rates and delivery failure. Start broad and narrow once you have delivery data.
- Not using deal IDs for premium inventory: Running everything through open auction means you miss PMP inventory that requires a deal ID. Ask your publishers for deal IDs and add them to your DV360 inventory source settings.