UK digital publishing growth soars- AOP census
- Added:
- Apr 09, 2008
UK digital publishers experienced 52% increase in total digital revenues over the same period last year, in the Association of Online Publishers (AOP) sixth annual Census of AOP members published this week.
Additionally revenue from online advertising increased 33% and content revenue increased 68% from last year.
Two key trends are anticipated by AOP members for the online publishing industry in 2008: personalisation of content and targeting.
Ruth Brownlee, the recently appointed Director of the AOP commented: “I have joined the AOP at a very exciting time for the business and the industry. I think these figures show that our members are in a bullish mood and ready to take on the challenges and opportunities becoming available through technology and broadband take up. They are embracing new platforms and formats for the future - and are investing in getting the right people to make this happen within their organisations.”
Despite just over half of AOP members citing the economy as a threat to their businesses, they forecast total business growth for 2008 will be 8%, with digital expected to grow 31%.
Just over 80% of AOP members say they will increase the number of digital staff hired this year, as 62% of members state that cross-media skills will be important in the future.
Nearly 80% of respondents said the current online advertising model was a sustainable revenue stream, with sources of advertising revenue being derived from display and sponsorship as the highest categories. However, members are looking to develop opportunities in other areas of online media.
This was reinforced when AOP members were asked about the opportunities for their businesses; streaming content (70%); mobile (74%), user generated content (78%); behavioural targeting (84%) and high speed broadband (92%).
While threats to their businesses included Government/legal restrictions (38%); Google/Doubleclick deal (38%); the economy (54%); and competitors – including businesses that were moving into non-traditional areas, or not normally perceived as competitors – (64%).
Overall AOP members felt that it was their role to provide quality content across multiple platforms with 64% agreeing that publishers need to make content available on third party sites as well as their own.
However, even with the growing popularity of user generated content, 64% of members felt that user generated content would not overtake professional content.
AOP members viewed content delivery important, as all key methods saw an increase in investment in 2007: IPTV (+30%), mobile (+22%), vodcast (+22%), podcast (+17%) and RSS feeds (+9%).