GDN vs DV360: Choosing The Display Media Platform That’s Right For You – Adcore Blog

Key Features of Google Display Network 

The key difference between GDN and DV360 lies in the features each platform offers. GDN offers a wide range of features, including:

Campaign-Level Conversion Tracking

Conversion is the name of the game in paid media. GDN allows you to track conversions at the campaign level, so you can see which campaigns are performing well and which ones need to be tweaked.

When in specific campaigns, head over to your settings tab. You’ll find the “Conversions” drop-down menu, which will show you all of the conversion events that are being tracked at the account level. By default, you’ll find that campaigns are optimized for all accounts, but you can get specific with each campaign by choosing precise conversion actions for each individual campaign.

Now, before you start calling us about the fact that this feature isn’t just exclusive to Google Display Network campaigns, but in reality, all Google Ads campaigns… we know. However, the impact of campaign-level conversion tracking is extremely valuable in GDN campaigns because of the sheer volume of conversions that can be attributed to GDN. Hence, this feature is worth mentioning as one of GDN’s key advantages.

Combinations Report

The combinations report is one of GDN’s most unique features. This report allows you to see how different targeting options perform in combination with each other.

For example, let’s say you’re running a GDN campaign, and you’re unsure whether or not to target mobile devices. You can use the combinations report to compare the performance of your mobile campaigns with your non-mobile campaigns.

To find the combinations report, go to the “View asset details” link underneath one of your responsive ads. This should take you to the “Assets tab.” Then, on the right-hand side of the screen, you’ll see a button that says “Combinations.” When you click on that, you’ll be able to see how different targeting options perform in combination with each other.

When doing this, it’s essential to remember that the combinations are ranked by how well they performed in terms of CTR. So, if you’re looking at the combinations report and you see that targeting mobile devices had a lower CTR than not targeting them, then that’s an indication that you shouldn’t be targeting mobile devices.

Placement Reporting

GDN also offers placement reporting, which is a feature that allows you to see where your ads are being served. This is valuable because it will enable you to see which websites and apps drive the most conversions.

Placement reporting allows you to start to get really specific with your targeting by adding or excluding certain placements. For example, let’s say you notice that one of your ads is being served on a website that isn’t driving any conversions. You can then exclude that placement from your targeting and save yourself some money.

You can find placement columns inside the Report Editor. When you have located the Report Editor, you can begin to compare the information found on placement columns with the conversions that you’re seeing.

This valuable tool allows you to optimize your GDN campaigns in real-time and ensure that you’re only targeting placements that are driving conversions.

Video Assets

Stories, we all love them. And what’s a better way to tell your brand’s story than through video? GDN allows you to upload video assets and use them in your GDN campaigns. February of 2022 saw that Google began to allow video assets in GDN campaigns, and the response has been overwhelming.

Not only does this give you more creative freedom when it comes to your GDN campaigns, but it also allows you to reach a wider audience. Video is one of the most consumed forms of content on the internet, and by utilizing video assets in GDN, you’re opening up your campaigns to a whole new world of potential customers.

If you’re looking to upload video assets into GDN, it isn’t as easy as just uploading any video into GDN. The video must first be uploaded to YouTube, and then you can use the YouTube video in GDN. If you don’t have a YouTube channel, now might be a good time to create one.

We can utilize GDN to remarket to people who have already interacted with our brand in some way. And the best part? The combination report we mentioned earlier will tell you which video works best depending on the number of interactions you desire. It takes the guesswork out of video GDN campaigns, allowing you to focus on other essential aspects of your business.