Editor's note: This post was updated October 2026 to reflect current Display & Video 360 exchange and inventory availability.
Most media plans we see pull from more sources than they need. A single campaign can run across several ad networks, a few direct publisher buys, and two or three DSPs, and each source brings its own setup, reporting, and negotiation.
Adding platforms and running head-to-head tests between them rarely makes a plan more efficient. More often it creates duplication, with parallel workstreams and the same ads reaching the same people because no single frequency cap covers every buy.
Display & Video 360 often gets lumped in as just another inventory source in this crowded media buying game... ahem strategy. But it actually works better as the center of your DSP inventory strategy, becoming the platform most of your inventory runs through.
What inventory can you buy through DV360?
DV360 is a DSP, like its peers The Trade Desk, Basis, and Simpli.fi, and it's built to give buyers one place to reach most of the inventory on a media plan. It connects to dozens of ad exchanges and publishers, along with the audiences and integrations that make those buys easier to manage.
Unlike many other DSPs, DV360 not only connects to more than 60+ ad exchanges — including Adform, AdsWizz, Digital Turbine, Equativ, FreeWheel, Hivestack, InMobi, Magnite, Microsoft Monetize, Netflix, Sharethrough, Spotify, Taboola, Triton, Tubi, Vistar, and Yieldmo — but also opens exclusive access to Google-owned inventory.
This includes premium properties like YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and the Google Display Network, as well as additional CTV-specific inventory sources such as YouTube TV and YouTube Select. Demand Gen line items bring several of these surfaces together in a single buy.
As a result, you can access Display, Video, Mobile App, DOOH, CTV, Audio, Podcast, and Native inventory all without the need to juggle multiple direct deals or platforms.
The problem with head-to-head DSP tests
When buyers conduct a “head-to-head” test across two or more DSPs, they often serve ads to the same audiences using the same inventory. At that point, it becomes an attribution scenario rather than a test of which DSP can reach the desired audiences, especially if they use the same creatives and exchanges.
Since sell-side players aim to maximize their inventory’s monetization, having too many inventory sources on your plan can oversaturate your audience while offering minimal insight into what really drove success.
Start with the inventory you plan to buy
Instead of choosing DSPs based on performance alone, start by identifying which DSP gives you access to the majority of the inventory you plan to use, and make that platform your primary DSP. Odds are, it's DV360. According to Comscore, DV360 reaches 98% of CTV households, and it connects to more than 60 exchanges plus Google-owned and -operated inventory like YouTube.
Then, invest time in learning the platform and understanding its inventory nuances to achieve the performance you're after. Focusing on inventory consolidation benefits your campaigns, clients, and business over the long term. You’ll spend less time trafficking tags, negotiating deals, integrating reporting signals, and managing overlap. And your audience will appreciate it, too, since Display & Video 360 allows frequency capping across campaigns and inventory types, preventing them from seeing the same ads 10 times across each inventory source each day.
Keep your media inventory strategy simple
Before anyone adds a new DSP or a direct buy to a plan, I ask one question: can we already reach that inventory from the platform we're in? Most of the time, we can. If you are considering using a DSP or a few, along with ad network or exchange inventory directly, first check if you can access that same inventory through Display & Video 360.
Chances are the answer is yes, and you are unnecessarily introducing complexities, paying more, and overburdening your team. When the answer is no, you'll know exactly which buys belong outside the platform. Consolidating doesn't mean every dollar lives in one platform. It means choosing a primary DSP on purpose and having a clear reason for anything that sits outside it.
Display & Video 360 isn’t just another inventory source in your channel mix; it can be the hub for most of it. By embracing DV360's consolidated approach, you can regain valuable time, optimize your budget, and deliver a better experience to your audience.
Want to lock in your DV360 inventory strategy for maximum impact? Let's connect. Our experienced media activation and consulting experts are ready to meet you where you are and help you maximize your impact.
