Online display ad activity ‘up 21%’

Online display advertising has seen a significant increase in activity in the early part of the year, new data suggests.

Levels of online display advertising activity in the UK during the first four months of 2009 were up by 21 per cent on the same period last year, according to a study from the Nielsen Company.

It reveals that an average of more than 5,900 advertisers were running online display ad campaigns each month in the first four months of this year.

Alex Burmaster, online communications director at the company, said: “Whilst other media have suffered in the amount of advertising they attract, online continues to thrive.”

He suggested that the figures give media owners and online publishers reason for optimism in the year ahead.

A separate study from Verdict Research recently suggested that online retail spending among UK consumers will reach £31.2 billion by 2013.