Google’s DV360: Removal of Flight ASAP Pacing at the Insertion Order Level

In November 2024, Google will remove the Flight ASAP pacing option at the insertion order level from its Display & Video 360 (DV360) platform, a change that significantly impacts how advertisers manage budgets and pacing. This adjustment reflects Google’s ongoing efforts to streamline budget management and ensure more controlled spend throughout campaign lifespans.

This blog provides a comprehensive breakdown of the removal of Flight ASAP pacing, explores alternative pacing options, and discusses the implications for advertisers. This change aims to make DV360’s pacing strategies more efficient, especially for campaigns requiring precise budget control over time.

What is Flight ASAP Pacing, and Why is it Being Removed?

Google's move to retire Flight ASAP pacing at the IO (Insertion Order) level is part of a wider strategy to refine pacing methods within DV360, aiming for more controlled and consistent budget management. In DV360, insertion orders function as the main budget containers for campaigns, holding multiple line items, each with its own pacing and targeting parameters. By removing ASAP pacing at the IO level, Google ensures that the overall campaign budget is spent more strategically, preventing early depletion that could lead to inefficient use of funds and missed optimization opportunities.

By removing Flight ASAP pacing at the insertion order level, Google aims to:

• Optimise Budget Control: Encourages steadier spend across the campaign duration.
• Avoid Overspending Risks: Reduces the likelihood of budget exhaustion, which can leave campaigns inactive.
• Streamline Campaign Management: Simplifies pacing settings, enhancing overall campaign control for advertisers.

Transition to Flight Ahead Pacing: What Advertisers Should Expect

Upon removal of Flight ASAP pacing at the insertion order level, existing campaigns using this setting will automatically transition to Flight Ahead pacing. This pacing type, recommended by Google, balances budget expenditure to be slightly faster than even pacing—around 120% of the prorated daily budget—while ensuring the total budget covers the entire campaign flight. Flight Ahead pacing is designed to prevent underspending while achieving consistent and steady reach.

 Key Benefits of Flight Ahead Pacing:

• Optimized Daily Spend: Maintains a moderate but effective spending rate across the campaign.
• Reduced Underspending: Ensures the budget is fully utilized by the end of the campaign.
• Flexibility: Offers a solution for campaigns that require slight adjustments to spending speed without depleting the budget too quickly.

 Alternative Pacing Options in Display & Video 360

In addition to Flight Ahead pacing, advertisers using Display & Video 360 can choose from several other pacing options at the insertion order and line item levels. Here’s an overview of each pacing type and its ideal use cases:

• Flight Ahead: Spends faster than even pacing but distributes spend more consistently than ASAP pacing. Suitable for campaigns needing a reliable yet slightly accelerated spend.
• Flight Even: Allocates the budget evenly across the campaign duration, adjusting to changes in inventory availability. Ideal for campaigns seeking consistent daily exposure.
• Daily ASAP: Spends the daily budget as quickly as possible each day, allowing rapid visibility within daily limits. This pacing suits campaigns with immediate reach goals but with daily control over budget spend.
• Daily Even: Distributes the daily budget evenly, considering inventory availability. Beneficial for campaigns that want a stable daily presence without intense competition for limited inventory.

Each of these pacing options provides distinct advantages, enabling advertisers to select pacing strategies based on campaign goals, duration, and budget requirements.

 Configuring Budget and Pacing in Display & Video 360

DV360 provides flexible budget management options for advertisers, allowing budgets to be configured at both insertion order and line item levels. Budgets can be set in monetary terms or by impression count, though consistency between insertion order and line items is crucial.

 Key Points on Budget Configuration:

• Unified Budget Types: The insertion order and line items must use the same budget type (monetary or impressions).
• Flexible Allocation: Pacing settings, whether ASAP, Even, or Ahead, directly impact how budgets are spent.
• Multi-Level Controls: Insertion orders act as overall budget containers for line items, which can have unique pacing and targeting settings.

By carefully setting up these budget parameters, advertisers can align their pacing settings with their overall campaign strategy and prevent budget-related issues, such as overspending or rapid budget depletion.

 Understanding Pacing in Display & Video 360

Pacing in DV360 refers to the speed at which a campaign’s budget is spent over time. Google offers diverse pacing options to support various campaign goals:

• ASAP Pacing: Prioritises rapid spending for campaigns with urgent goals or high-priority targets.
• Even Pacing: Balances spending to ensure the budget is spread across the campaign, adjusting to inventory.
• Ahead Pacing: Increases the speed of spend moderately to ensure the budget is used fully by the campaign’s end.

These pacing options allow advertisers to adjust their budget spend rate according to their advertising objectives, inventory availability, and competitive landscape.

 Technical Implications and Factors Influencing Pacing

Google’s decision to remove Flight ASAP pacing at the insertion order level involves various technical considerations. Advertisers need to be aware of key factors influencing pacing and budget allocation:

• Daily Target and Hourly Pacing Behaviour: With Flight Ahead pacing, the daily target is set at 1.2 times the “Flight Even” daily target, which scales to inventory availability.
• Budget Cap Management: Insertion orders serve as budget limits for all associated line items. Even if individual line items have higher budgets, the insertion order cap dictates total spend.
• Budget Allocation Proportions: When daily budgets are lower at the insertion order level, DV360 proportionally allocates the budget across line items.
• Overspending and Underspending Prevention: DV360 recalibrates pacing targets based on historical spending and inventory, minimizing spending issues.

 Managing Common Issues and Risks in Pacing

Advertisers should be mindful of potential risks when configuring pacing in Display & Video 360, particularly for campaigns with aggressive budgets or highly competitive targeting:

• Rapid Spending: Line items with even pacing may spend quickly on day one, impacting the overall budget.
• Overspending: High bids and broad targeting can lead to overspending, especially if impression wins occur faster than anticipated.
• Insertion Order Constraints: Budget limits at the insertion order level may restrict total spend across line items.
• Dayparting Adjustments: Daypart targeting can control spending within specific hours, enhancing daily spend distribution.

 Key Takeaways

To summarise the changes and what advertisers need to know:

• Change Date: Flight ASAP pacing at the insertion order level will be removed by November 2024.
• Automatic Transition: Existing campaigns will migrate to Flight Ahead pacing automatically.
• Pacing Options: ASAP pacing remains available at the line item level and as Daily ASAP at both insertion order and line item levels.
• Unified Budgeting: Consistent budget types are mandatory between insertion orders and line items.
• Pacing Choices: Options include ASAP, Even, Ahead, and Flight, each designed for specific campaign needs.

 Conclusion

Google’s removal of Flight ASAP pacing at the insertion order level aims to improve budget control and pacing consistency for Display & Video 360 advertisers. This change emphasizes controlled, efficient budget management across campaign flights and minimizes budget exhaustion risks. By leveraging alternative pacing options such as Flight Ahead, advertisers can meet both short-term and long-term campaign goals while maintaining a strategic approach to budget pacing in Google’s evolving DV360 platform.