Digital publishing booms as revenues hit £174m
Digital publishing continues to boom as new data has revealed that revenues in the fourth quarter of 2021 were up 13.4 per cent to £174m from 2020 figures.
The latest Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index (DPRI) from the Association of Online Publishers (AOP) and Deloitte showed that recruitment classified took first place as the largest category by growth, increasing by 59.9 per cent to £5.6m.
Sponsorship revenues and subscriptions have also stood out for recording impressive growth, up by 29.1 per cent and 19.1 per cent respectively in the fourth quarter.
Display advertising held its position as the largest category by revenue for digital publishers; with income reaching £77.4m in the fourth quarter, an increase of 12.5 per cent against 2020.
On mobile devices, video revenue saw impressive growth, surging by 325 per cent, and digital audio followed suit at 200 per cent growth.
However, the main driver for mobile revenue growth has been display ads, rising from £7.6m to £16.5m, a 117.1 per cent boost.
Dan Ison, Lead Partner for Telecommunications, Media and Entertainment at Deloitte, said: “The digital publishing market posted impressive 13.4 per cent growth over the course of 2021, as consumers across the UK continued to invest in quality, trustworthy reporting.”
“In the final quarter of 2021, we’ve seen significant growth in revenues of around 60 per cent within recruitment classified channels, driven by employers across the country competing in the race for talent. Organisations are looking to capitalise on the large audience among digital publications to attract the eyes of possible candidates.”
“However, as households face a rise in everyday living expenses, the cost of digital publishing subscriptions may be called into question. To maintain a strong subscriber base, publishers must focus on emphasising the rigour of their reporting, while improving the accessibility of their online platforms.”