The majority of the UK’s premium publishers are planning an increased investment in programmatic media trading, according to figures released by the Association of Online Publishers (AOP). Meanwhile separate figures from Magna Global reveal the UK continues to drive programmatic advertising in Western Europe where total spend is surpass $400mm in 2014.

The AOP has identified “data monetisation” as a key issue among publishers this year, with 89% of the 700 surveyed planning to increase their investment into data technology – including 58% intending to hire more data analysts – in 2014, with the vast majority opting for the private ad exchange model.

The figure represents a 30% increase from last year according to the trade body, which also reported that 70% of digital publishers will use more private ad exchanges in 2014, while 61% of respondents claimed they’ll increase their use of Real Time Bidding (RTB).

Meanwhile, separate figures released by Magna Global forecast Western Europe will generate 16% of global programmatic ad spend this year, and 14% of all ads booked using RTB, with the programmatic advertising sector for the region valued at $4000mm. It is further forecast to double in value by 2017 (see respective charts above and below).

When compared to regions elsewhere in the world, Magna Global’s figures indicate that Western Europe accounts for 14% of all ad dollars spent using RTB and 16% of all programmatic spend, placing it behind the North American and APAC regions (see charts below).

The charts also show that Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) regions accounted for 1% of global programmatic spend and 3% RTB spend, with the Nordic markets of Sweden and Denmark generating the vast majority of spend in the region (see charts below).  Although Magna Global did not that Sweden and Denmark combining to represent less than 25% of the spend in the UK.

The study notes: “A successful programmatic infrastructure isn’t built overnight, and the lessons learned from well-developed programmatic markets translate to the small growth markets: publishers and brands that wait to commit to programmatic are left playing catch-up and missing many of the efficiency gains seen by first movers.”