Essence: Display & Video 360 will support creator-initiated access for brand partners. Creators can add advertisers as brand partners in YouTube Studio to grant access to their sponsored videos for “Creator partnerships boost” campaigns.
Why this matters: It makes it much easier for advertisers to discover, review, and utilize these creator videos within their advertising workflows.
[Update]Expansion of lookalike segments to YouTube & partners — April 20, 2026
Essence: Lookalike targeting, previously exclusive to Demand Gen, is expanding to YouTube Auction and Non-Guaranteed Instant Deal line items. This unified solution replaces the legacy “Audience Expansion” feature.
Why this matters: It establishes a new standard for reaching users modeled after your first-party data, offering greater consistency and precision across multiple platforms.
[Update]New dimensions in Unique Reach Overlap reports — April 10, 2026
Essence: Unique Reach Overlap reports will soon include new campaign-level (DV360) and placement-level (CM360) dimensions.
Why this matters: These dimensions offer greater precision in identifying audience overlap and redundant reach. This facilitates effective tactical optimizations, such as refining frequency caps and reallocating budgets to improve media efficiency.
[Update]Instant access to Inventory Availability reports — April 10, 2026
Essence: Inventory Availability reports (IAR) are being integrated directly into the DV360 Instant Reporting interface.
Why this matters: This eliminates the wait time previously required for offline report generation. It allows for much faster analysis and visualization of inventory trends and potential reach.
[Update]Digital out-of-home (DOOH) alcohol allowances — April 27, 2026
Essence: Alcohol advertising is now available on digital out-of-home (DOOH) formats. This is limited to jurisdictions where Google’s alcohol policy allows such ads, and they must remain in full compliance.
Why this matters: Alcohol brands gain a powerful new high-reach channel to engage audiences in public spaces using digital billboard formats.
[Update]Digital out-of-home (DOOH) gambling allowances (Brazil) — April 27, 2026
Essence: Online gambling promotion in Brazil has expanded to include digital out-of-home (DOOH) formats. Eligible advertisers must hold necessary certifications and comply with both local regulations and advertising policies.
Why this matters: This provides a new venue for gambling advertisers in Brazil to reach users outside of digital devices, leveraging public digital screens for broader awareness.
