Understanding the Campaign Manager 360 account hierarchy helps you manage campaigns efficiently, avoid tracking errors, and maintain clean reporting.
If you misconfigure the hierarchy, you risk incorrect Floodlight tracking, billing confusion, and reporting gaps. This guide explains each level clearly, based on official Google documentation and industry best practices.
By the end, you will understand:
- How the Campaign Manager 360 structure works
- The difference between account and network
- What a network ID is and why it matters
- How billing connects to your network
- How to organize campaigns correctly
What Is Campaign Manager 360
Campaign Manager 360 is Google’s ad server within the Google Marketing Platform. It helps advertisers and agencies manage ad trafficking, creative delivery, tracking, and reporting across channels.
Google organizes everything inside the platform using a hierarchy. This structure allows you to control settings at higher levels and let lower levels inherit those settings.
Campaign Manager 360 Account Hierarchy Structure
The hierarchy follows this structure:
- Account, also called Network – The top-level entity representing the entire company or agency setup.
- Advertiser – Specific brands or clients under the main account.
- Campaign – High-level marketing initiatives (e.g., “Summer Sale 2026”) holding specific goals and budgets.
- Site – The specific website or platform where the ads will be displayed.
- Placement – The designated spot on a website where an ad will appear.
- Ad – The combination of creative assets, landing pages, and scheduling.
- Creative – The actual ad file (e.g., image, video, HTML5 banner) shown to users.
Each level serves a specific purpose.
1. Account and Network Level
The account, also called the network, is the highest level in Campaign Manager 360.
Google uses the terms account and network interchangeably. They refer to the same top-level container.
At this level, you manage:
- User access and permissions
- Account-wide settings
- Billing profiles
- Advertisers
- Sites
- Floodlight configurations
Important facts:
- Data does not transfer between networks.
- Each network remains fully separate.
- Each network has a unique Network ID.
What Is a Network ID
The network ID, also called a partner ID in some contexts, is a unique numeric identifier assigned to your Campaign Manager 360 network.
Google uses this ID for:
- Technical integrations
- API connections
- Platform linking
- Billing identification
If you connect other tools or request support, Google may ask for your network ID.
How to Find Network Billing Information
To confirm who Google bills for your network:
- Click the Admin tab
- Click Billing
- Click Billing profiles
- Select your billing profile
- Click Settings
- Check the Payments profile section
You will see the organization name associated with the network ID.
This process follows Google’s official billing workflow inside Campaign Manager 360.
2. Advertiser Level
The advertiser level sits under the network.
Each advertiser represents a brand, company, or business unit.
For example, an agency network may contain:
- One advertiser for Brand A
- One advertiser for Brand B
- One advertiser for Brand C
At the advertiser level, you manage:
- Floodlight activities and tags
- Default conversion settings
- Creative library
- Inventory relationships
- Brand exclusions
Important: Floodlight tags live at the advertiser level. Campaigns under that advertiser use those default Floodlight configurations for conversion tracking.
This structure prevents cross-brand tracking errors.
3. Campaign Level
Campaigns live inside advertisers.
This level is where you manage:
- Campaign start and end dates
- Campaign-level grouping
- Media buy organization
You must create campaigns under the correct advertiser. Otherwise, Floodlight attribution may assign conversions to the wrong brand.
Most daily trafficking activity happens at the campaign level.
4. Site Level
A site represents a publisher.
Examples:
- A news website
- A mobile app
- A media publisher’s domain
You define sites once and reuse them across campaigns.
5. Placement Level
Placements sit under sites.
A placement represents a specific ad slot on a publisher’s property.
Examples:
- Homepage leaderboard banner
- Sidebar rectangle
- In-app interstitial slot
At the placement level, you define:
- Placement size
- Pricing
- Placement start and end dates
- Placement type
Placements connect campaigns to publishers.
6. Ad Level
Ads live inside placements.
An ad controls:
- Which creative serves
- Rotation settings
- Delivery schedule
- Creative assignment
Think of the ad as the delivery instruction layer.
7. Creative Level
Creatives are the actual assets users see.
Examples:
- Image banners
- HTML5 files
- Video files
- Audio ads
You upload creatives to the advertiser library and assign them to ads.
Creatives do not deliver by themselves. Ads deliver creatives through placements.
How Inheritance Works in CM360
Campaign Manager 360 allows higher levels to pass settings to lower levels.
For example:
- Floodlight settings at the advertiser level apply to campaigns underneath
- Date ranges at the campaign level restrict placements and ads
- Site-level settings apply to placements within that site
This inheritance reduces repetitive work and improves consistency.
Display and Video 360 Hierarchy Comparison
Display & Video 360 uses a slightly different hierarchy:
- Partner
- Advertiser
- Campaign
- Insertion Order
- Line Item
Campaign Manager 360 does not use insertion orders or line items. Instead, it focuses on trafficking structure: placements, ads, and creatives.
Understanding this difference prevents confusion when working across both platforms.
Best Practices for Structuring Your Account
Follow these guidelines:
Keep Advertisers Separate
Create separate advertisers for:
- Different brands
- Different legal entities
- Clients with separate tracking requirements
This setup prevents Floodlight overlap.
Align Campaigns with Media Buys
Structure campaigns around:
- Marketing initiatives
- Flight periods
- Major promotions
Avoid creating campaigns for every minor variation.
Name Everything Clearly
Use consistent naming conventions for:
- Sites
- Placements
- Ads
- Creatives
Clear naming improves reporting and reduces trafficking errors.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Creating campaigns under the wrong advertiser
- Mixing multiple brands under one advertiser
- Confusing network ID with advertiser ID
- Forgetting that data does not transfer across networks
These mistakes often cause reporting and billing confusion.
Key Takeaways
- The Campaign Manager 360 account hierarchy starts at the network level.
- Account and network mean the same thing.
- Each network has a unique network ID used for billing and integrations.
- Advertisers contain Floodlight configurations.
- Campaigns manage trafficking structure.
- Sites, placements, ads, and creatives handle delivery.
- Proper hierarchy setup prevents tracking and reporting issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an account the same as a network in Campaign Manager 360?
Yes. Google uses both terms interchangeably. They represent the highest organizational level.
What is a network ID used for?
Google uses the network ID for billing, API integrations, and technical identification of your Campaign Manager 360 account.
Can data transfer between different networks?
No. Each network remains completely separate. Google does not share data across networks.
Where do Floodlight tags live?
Floodlight activities live at the advertiser level. Campaigns under that advertiser use those tags for conversion tracking.
A clear understanding of the Campaign Manager 360 account hierarchy improves campaign setup, reporting accuracy, and billing clarity. Marketers who structure accounts properly save time and prevent costly tracking errors.