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Expert digital publishers share best practice for collaborative data matching
Five leading digital publishers shared their insight with us on what they saw as the opportunities that such collaboration created for publishers and advertisers alike, and the potential pitfalls that advertisers should be watching out for.
Published: 30 May 2023
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AOP News | Voice of the Premium Publisher
We need agency and advertiser allies in our battle against publisher IP theft
In the weeks since we called out the unacceptable theft of publisher IP in our Open Letter, we’ve been heartened by the whirlwind of press coverage and discussion spurred. Now we need to keep up the momentum, which means unifying our voices to stamp out this practice for good. However, there’s one group from which I’d welcome more input — the very people the letter was addressed to: agencies and advertisers.
Published: 22 May 2023
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AOP announces shortlist for 2023 Digital Publishing Awards
The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has today announced the shortlist for the 2023 Digital Publishing Awards. In association with headline partner, PubMatic, the awards celebrate the individuals and teams working to create, deliver, and monetise quality content online.
Published: 26 Apr 2023
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Nine tips to help you navigate the social platform disruption
Hardly a day goes by when one social platform or another doesn’t make news. Twitter is facing a steep slump in ad revenues following a mammoth erosion of advertiser trust. The USA is currently considering legislation to block TikTok, whilst the UK and Australia have recently banned the app from government devices. As users flock to other apps, new platforms are rapidly emerging, but whether they’ll have any staying power remains to be seen.
Published: 17 Apr 2023
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The Bill Murray Award for Outstanding Contribution to Digital Publishing
The Association of Online Publishers [AOP] is announcing a new Award as part of the annual Digital Publishing Awards. In partnership with UKOM and with the support of Haymarket Media Group, this new AOP Award will honour the memory of Bill Murray, who passed away suddenly in February 2023.
Published: 29 Mar 2023
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Advertisers and agencies share five ways they want publishers to deliver against ESG goals
Publishers are increasingly looking to the broader responsibilities they have outside of their own organisations – but what is it that agencies and advertisers are asking of publishers to help them deliver against their own ESG targets? The AOP asked their buy-side judges to outline what they look for in a publishing partner – read more here!
Published: 28 Mar 2023
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Calling time on publisher IP theft: an open letter to advertisers and agencies
Sustaining a healthy digital media ecosystem means ensuring equal value for all participants. While better recognition of consumers as data owners has driven vital changes in privacy regulation and cemented a consent-based online value exchange, failure to protect publisher data is still putting future stability at risk.
Published: 27 Mar 2023
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Growing subscriptions with great insights
The subscription economy is booming. In Q4 2022, subscriptions saw the strongest revenue growth for publishers, with an increase of 12.9% year-on-year. Despite cost-of-living pressures, it seems clear that audiences are continuing to prioritise premium content. However, publishers can’t afford to rest on their laurels either: according to a 2022 YouGov study, 29% of Britons had cancelled at least one subscription in the month prior and 91% hadn’t made any new subscription commitments in the same time period. Globally, consumers are cancelling subscriptions almost twice as fast as they are taking on new ones.
Published: 20 Mar 2023
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Six pieces of advice every team leader should keep top of mind
Leading a team is a challenge. Being a good team leader is even harder. The AOP Digital Publishing Awards judges share their advice for team leaders looking to improve the way they manage their teams and create a collaborative environment that allows individual strengths to shine through.
Published: 06 Mar 2023
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Five ideas to enhance your branded content
Consumers are increasingly becoming ad blind. Most of us skip pre-roll adverts as soon as we get the chance, and while the global average CTR for banner ads is disputed, it’s generally agreed to be well under 0.5%. Advertisers are increasingly seeking ways to engage authentically with their audiences in seamless, non-intrusive manners that inform, entertain or inspire. Branded content provides the buy-side with the opportunity to meet those objectives and tap into a treasure trove of first-party data. But how can you make sure that a publisher-advertiser partnership delivers the maximum value for all parties?
Published: 27 Feb 2023
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Publishers share their top investment priorities to deliver high-quality content
With generated content now available at the click of a button, what can digital publishers do to make sure that they continue to differentiate their high-quality content? The AOP Digital Publishing Awards jury shared their expert suggestions on how and where publishers should be investing to continue producing and surfacing high quality content. Discover their top investment priorities here.
Published: 20 Feb 2023
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Six opportunities you might be missing to free up resources in your team
Many digital publishers are finding themselves challenged to do more with less. And the most valuable resource, time, is always in short supply. So how can you free up more resources and time to allow your team to dedicate their efforts to developing new product or revenue opportunities? Six of our Associate partners shared where they thought you could automate processes to be more effective with your resources.
Published: 07 Feb 2023
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ISBA’s second study of programmatic supply chain finds significant increases in match rate and reduction of unattributable spend
The second Programmatic Supply Chain Transparency Study from ISBA and PwC, with support of the AOP and IAB, has found positive and welcome improvements. Greater standardisation of data quality has improved the ad impression match rate to 58% (vs 12% in 2020) and the proportion of advertiser spend reaching publishers has risen by 8%.
Published: 18 Jan 2023
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How to streamline your digital publishing business in response to an uncertain economic climate
If you’re predicting a tightening of purses or a squeeze on your resources and bandwidth, then you’re not alone. We’ve collected a selection of helpful tips and ideas to help digital publishers streamline strategies, identify new avenues for innovation, and ensure they’re putting their best foot forward in 2023.
Published: 18 Jan 2023
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AOP CEO Richard Reeves on how publishers are addressing diversity and inclusion
On this week’s episode of Media Voices Richard Reeves, CEO of the Association of Online Publishers (AOP) here in the UK, talks to us about the issues and roadblocks surrounding diversity and inclusion efforts in media. He discussed initiatives publishers are using to improve DE&I, problems of retention, and how ageism impacts women particularly.
Published: 17 Jan 2023
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AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2023 open for entries
The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has announced that its prestigious annual awards are now open for entries. In collaboration with PubMatic, the Digital Publishing Awards are back to celebrate the talents and skills of the individuals and teams working to create, deliver, and monetise quality online content.
Published: 11 Jan 2023
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AOP announces strategic partnerships to support publishers’ ESG efforts
As we continue to support the digital publishing community's ESG efforts, we’re delighted to announce partnerships with both GetZeN & Right Thing Media. GetZeN’s ‘How Are You?’ wellness programme will now be available to AOP Publisher members at a discounted rate, helping them to improve staff wellbeing, morale and productivity. Meanwhile, we’ve been working alongside Right Thing Media on two pioneering pieces of work: an ESG framework and an ESG publisher charter. Both of these initiatives aim to improve cross-industry collaboration around ESG efforts.
Published: 04 Jan 2023
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Navigating the permacrisis through quality journalism
2022 saw Russia invading Ukraine, Elon Musk purchasing Twitter, a global cost of living crisis, and Donald Trump announcing his intention to run for President of the USA. Against a backdrop of seemingly perpetual uncertainties, quality news publishers play an important role in continuing to inform and educate their audiences.
Published: 03 Jan 2023
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AOP News | Voice of the Premium Publisher
Publishers are fighting back against programmatic’s parasitic ad tech intermediaries
In today’s privacy-first digital ecosystem, publishers are seeking more direct relationships with advertisers, other publishers, and their technology partners. This is typically framed as an effort from publishers to rightly maximise the value of their first-party data and bolster their position at the bargaining table. Both are true, of course, but publishers are also taking greater control of the supply chain to prevent their intellectual property from being stolen.
Published: 05 Dec 2022
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Win a £100 Amazon voucher by sharing your thoughts on the digital publishing industry
The digital publishing industry is developing at breakneck speed in response to changes in technology, advertiser requirements, and societal change. And as we face growing predictions of recession, the AOP is keen to understand how digital publishers are adapting and preparing their strategies to support their businesses in 2023. We would be very grateful if you would just take a few minutes to take part in this short survey which is designed to build a picture of how publishers and the tech companies working with them are evolving product, editorial, sales and business strategies to build successful growth.
Published: 05 Dec 2022
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3rd Party Cookies Technology Solutions Initiative
In response to publishers needing more clarity on the alternative options available for 3rd party cookies the AOP have put together a page that details the different technology providers and the solutions that they offer.
Published: 01 Dec 2022
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3rd Party Cookies Technology Solutions Initiative
In response to publishers needing more clarity on the alternative options available for 3rd party cookies the AOP have put together a page that details the different technology providers and the solutions that they offer.
Published: 01 Dec 2022
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EX.CO Partners with ID5 to Increase Privacy-Compliant Addressability for Advertisers and Grow Value of Publisher Inventory
MD Richard Reeves answered Press Gazette’s questions about the future of advertising and publishing. Read the full interview to understand how the digital publishing industry is responding to new challenges and why data and readers providing informed consent is set to become a key issue.
Published: 29 Nov 2022
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AOP Publishing Tech Talk: Key insights on metrics, experience, privacy, and revenues
The Association of Online Publishers’ (AOP) annual Publishing Tech Talk provides publishers with an annual forum to catch up with the latest technologies and innovations used to grow audiences, increase revenues, and empower content creation.
Published: 01 Nov 2022
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The Six Sells Podcast
Our Managing Director, Richard Reeves, joined The Six Sells Podcast this week to talk all things digital publishing, including the biggest challenges facing UK publishers, new approaches to measuring attention, supply chain optimisation, and impact caused by the rise of audio advertising.
Published: 25 Oct 2022
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Six revenue opportunities you could be missing
The pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of relying too heavily on a single revenue stream. And as we adjust to an increasingly cookieless world and to the rise of new formats for audiences to engage with, there are a wealth of opportunities for digital publishers to diversify their revenues. But what could you be missing?
Published: 13 Oct 2022
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Five approaches to developing more intelligent metrics
What can publishers do to maximise their strategies and ensure that all parties get the experience they need? Here are seven tips from our panel of expert Associates to help you develop a seamless advertising experience.
Published: 12 Oct 2022
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Ten paths to regaining control of the identity narrative
As the industry shifts to accommodate data privacy regulations and the demise of third-party cookies, advertisers are increasingly looking for reliable ways to connect and engage with their primary audiences, opening the door for publishers with detailed understanding of their audiences to take a more prominent role within the ecosystem. Discover ten top tips to help you leverage the strength of your quality publishing environment in the new world of privacy and identity
Published: 11 Oct 2022
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Nine steps for creating a positive advertising environment
What can publishers do to maximise their strategies and ensure that all parties get the experience they need? Here are nine tips from our panel of expert Associates to help you develop a seamless advertising experience.
Published: 10 Oct 2022
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Three technological trends re-shaping digital publishing
The scale of growth in the digital world is almost beyond comprehension, and there is a constant steam of new technologies launched to market, each promising to be the holy grail you need to solve your challenges. So what has the stickiness to actually make a real impact in our industry? Before the discussions at AOP Publishing Tech Talk next week, industry experts share how new technology will reshape digital publishing over the next three years and what 2025 could hold for digital publishers. Read more here.
Published: 04 Oct 2022
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Here are six ideas to make sure you’re prepared for the demise of cookies
The impending demise of cookies will alter the face of marketing forever. As it stands, cookies underpin a core element of advertising strategy: tracking and targeting individual users across the internet to ensure you’re reaching your desired audience. Now, Google announced in late July that they wouldn’t be axing cookies from Google Chrome until 2024, giving the advertising industry some breathing space to continue putting alternate identity solutions through their paces.
Published: 26 Sep 2022
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Publishers share five top tips to integrate technology more intelligently in your organisation
Technology evolves rapidly – faster, perhaps, than digital publishers can incorporate new solutions into their tech stacks. It takes a certain amount of time to identify which new providers are offering a long-tail solution, evaluate the cost against the benefits, and start the process of integrating the tech into your organisation. By which time there may well be a shinier, newer solution promising to deliver above and beyond.
Published: 20 Sep 2022
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AOP News | Voice of the Premium Publisher
Delays, Cookies, and Fraud: What Publishers Need to Know This Summer
Many of us may be unplugging for the summer, but industry news and developments roll on. From government and Google delays, to a growing fraud epidemic, here are three key stories of the season and what they mean for publishers.
Published: 12 Aug 2022
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Here’s how to make e-commerce work for your publishing brand
E-commerce can be a huge revenue source for publishers if done correctly- but what’s the key to successfully leveraging e-commerce to grow your publishing brand? We reached out to four experts to get their top tips for integrating e-commerce into your revenue portfolio
Published: 13 Jul 2022
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AOP News | Voice of the Premium Publisher
Should we call time on black tie?
There have been powerful discussions in the publishing industry on the importance of DE&I, but perhaps an awards dinner such as this is a prime example of how we still have some way to go in cultivating a truly diverse and inclusive environment. Should we call time on black tie?
Published: 01 Jul 2022
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AOP announces Winners of the Digital Publishing Awards 2022
– The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) celebrated the digital publishing industry’s top talent at its in-person awards ceremony held at Old Billingsgate in London, yesterday. AOP’s flagship event, now in its 20th year and organised in association with headline partner, PubMatic, was hosted by comedian Sophie Duker. The event showcased the individuals, teams and companies driving the successful growth of the online publishing sector. There were 26 category winners, judged by a panel of experts under the guidance of co-chairs, Amanda Barnes, Chief Executive of Faversham House, and Dominic Carter, Group Chief Commercial Officer of News UK.
Published: 16 Jun 2022
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AOP News | Voice of the Premium Publisher
Industry-changing conversations: Four areas publishers should be aware of
In today’s tumultuous media environment, publishers need to pull together to find ways to safeguard revenue, nurture talent, and build a sustainable future. Richard Reeves talks about four areas publishers should be aware of and the discussions the AOP is facilitating with the wider industry.
Published: 31 May 2022
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Four expert ideas on how to convert audience engagement to value
As a publisher, your audience is your most precious asset and continually engaging and re-engaging your readers, viewers, and listeners in your content is essential for success. But with big players in subscription content such as Netflix facing challenges, how can you make sure you’re hitting the right notes?
Published: 23 May 2022
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AOP announces shortlist for 2022 Digital Publishing Awards
The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has today announced the shortlist for the 2022 Digital Publishing Awards – a celebration of the individuals and teams working to create, deliver, and monetise quality online content.
Published: 27 Apr 2022
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AOP Partners with SeenThis to Reduce Website Data Usage by 65% and Lower Carbon Footprint
The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has partnered with adaptive streaming technology company, SeenThis, to become the first trade body to stream images on its website and cut its internet carbon emissions, with the aim of encouraging digital publishers to explore and adopt similar solutions.
Published: 14 Apr 2022
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AOP News | Voice of the Premium Publisher
Entry 53751
The challenging tide of digital misinformation doesn’t just flow one way. As well as causing real-world consequences, it can also be driven by global events. Richard Reeves talks about how these dual influences are being highlighted by the situation in Ukraine and what the digital publishing industry can do to tackle the growing challenge of misinformation.
Published: 12 Apr 2022
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AOP ROUND TABLE: Preparing for the future: Practical personalization strategies that turn passive users into active participants
Hosted by EX.CO 10 May, 2022 9.30am – 11am The Apartment at The Hoxton Hotel, Holborn The recent AOP ‘Meeting the Future’ report provides an optimistic view on how publishers are looking at their revenue diversification strategies moving forward. Product innovation, subscriptions, lead generation revenues, and emerging opportunities in e-commerce look set to become a major focus.
Published: 06 Apr 2022
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Unprecedented UK Media Coalition Calls On PM To Act Swiftly To Save Media From Harmful Impact Of The Tech Platforms
As the government has introduced legislation via the Online Safety Bill to make the internet a safer place, the AOP are united with major media businesses across the UK in stressing the vital urgency of tackling the other side of the coin which will provide the Digital Market Unit the necessary statutory powers and underpin the new pro-competition regulatory regime.
Published: 31 Mar 2022
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Twelve ideas to kickstart your product development strategy and drive new revenues
Publishers are putting the focus on product development as they look forward across the next 12 months, according to the latest Digital Publishers' Revenue Index - conducted by the AOP in association with Deloitte. But what do the experts think is the secret to product development that drives revenue for your organisation? Here are twelve ideas to help you revolutionise your product development for 2022 and beyond…
Published: 25 Mar 2022
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Community building and engagement for digital publishers
With first-party data and genuine audience insight more important than ever, the relationship that a publisher has with their community puts control back into the hands of publishers. With this in mind, what’s the key to ensuring that you continue to strengthen the connection with your audience and grow your community?
Published: 21 Mar 2022
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Unlocking creativity post-COVID
Last year showed us an industry that surpassed expectations to not just survive but to thrive too. We saw this determination and resilience shining through in the entries to the AOP Digital Publishing Awards last year, but what will the 2022 entries tell us about how our industry is moving forwards?
Published: 14 Mar 2022
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AOP News | Voice of the Premium Publisher
Publishers must stop being led by technology, and start taking charge
In this month’s Voice of the Premium Publisher blog, Richard Reeves reviews some of the key findings of our Meeting the Future research report and provides updates on the AOP’s work around web crawlers and cross-industry discussions on financial audit transparency, data compliance, and Google’s Privacy Sandbox proposals – drawing the conclusion that publishers must stop being led by technology, and start taking charge.
Published: 08 Mar 2022
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The instruction manual you need to nurture a great team
At the AOP Awards, we put the spotlight on the teams that are leaving their mark on the organisation. But what are the hallmarks of a great team? And how can leaders work to successfully attract the right mix of talent to their teams? To understand, we asked our AOP Awards jury to share their insight and we’ve collated these answers to help you take your team to the next level…
Published: 04 Mar 2022
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Here’s how to foster greater collaboration between advertisers and digital publishers
According to the AOP’s latest research report, 51% of publishers see direct deals as having the most potential for advertising revenue growth. But what can publishers do to make collaboration more attractive to advertisers and agencies?
Published: 28 Feb 2022
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AOP News | Cross-Industry Relationships
Cross Industry Programmatic Taskforce announces strategy to achieve financial audit transparency for programmatic advertising
The Cross Industry Programmatic Taskforce (the Taskforce), representing advertisers, publishers, ad tech vendors and agencies, has today released the first set of outputs to address the lack of transparency in the programmatic advertising supply chain.
Published: 23 Feb 2022
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AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2022 open for entries
The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has announced its prestigious annual awards are now open for entries. In collaboration with PubMatic, the Digital Publishing Awards will celebrate the talents and skills of the individuals and teams working to create, deliver, and monetise quality online content.
Published: 26 Jan 2022
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AOP announces Winners for the Digital Publishing Awards 2021
William Reed Business Media named Best Digital Publisher Company: B2B and Immediate Media wins Best Digital Publishing Company: Consumer at AOP’s annual celebration of industry excellence, with a total of 26 winners receiving accolades
Published: 17 Sep 2021
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Building the foundations for quality digital publishing
For the final week of our Celebrate the Finalists series, we wanted to home in on a topic that united all of our finalists: quality. In a sea of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and clickbait, our finalists are leading the way in developing quality content and reader experiences.
Published: 03 Sep 2021
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Here’s why culture and values are becoming a strategic priority for digital publishers
In many ways, ‘culture’ is a bit of a buzzword – it simultaneously says a lot, and very little at all. But addressing the challenges the phrase encompasses is critical for digital publishers to help lay the foundations for a better, more prosperous future for all.
Published: 27 Aug 2021
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A digital publisher’s roadmap to fostering innovation
What is it about digital publishing that creates an environment that allowed such innovation to thrive? Here are five steps to help you foster a culture that supports and encourages innovation in your organisation.
Published: 08 Jul 2021
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Finalists for Digital Publishing Company of the Year B2B and Consumer Announced
The AOP is delighted to announce the finalists for the Digital Publishing Awards Best Digital B2B and Consumer Publishing Company grand prix categories, sponsored by PubMatic.
Published: 07 Jul 2021
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The essential ingredients for successful growth in digital publishing
What are the essential ingredients for continued growth? To understand how publishers are laying the foundations for future growth, we reached out to our AOP Awards finalists to understand what strategies they were putting in place to diversify and grow their brands.
Published: 05 Jul 2021
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AOP announces shortlist for 2021 Digital Publishing Awards
The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has today announced the shortlist for the 2021 Digital Publishing Awards – a celebration of best practice in innovative, creative, and profitable digital publishing.
Published: 10 Jun 2021
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ISBA Programmatic Supply Chain Transparency Study by PwC with the AOP
Following a year since the publication of the ISBA Programmatic Supply Chain Transparency Study, in association with the AOP and carried out by PwC, a Cross-industry Programmatic Taskforce has made significant progress in laying out a future roadmap, despite a challenging environment.
Published: 06 May 2021
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Three challenges facing B2B publishers in 2021 and beyond
In a year of health, social, and environmental crises, B2B publishers have risen to the challenge and proven themselves to be remarkably resilient. Judges for the AOP Awards shared their insights on what it was that had driven B2B success in 2020 – and what the factors will be that determine who the long-term winners will be.
Published: 21 Apr 2021
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What are advertisers looking for in a publishing partner?
Advertisers and agencies are waking up to the power of their marketing spend. With relationships in the ecosystem evolving rapidly, we reached out to our buy-side judges for the AOP Awards to understand exactly what the qualities are they look for in a publishing partner.
Published: 12 Apr 2021
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Four top tips for driving publisher-led social good initiatives
“We are all award of the power of the internet and as people who work in this sector, it is down to use to use our creativity and innovate to do good,” stated Anne-Claire Chenu, Director of Tech Sales – Northern Europe at Xandr, setting out a challenge for the digital publishing sector that many publishing brands are already trying to answer.
Published: 22 Mar 2021
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The essential ingredients for digital publishing resilience
Amidst a year of pandemic, Brexit, and the US elections, the British Digital Publishing Industry has proven itself to be remarkably resilient. In many cases, digital publishers have thrived. Organisations have adapted to become more flexible, more innovative, more creative, and the longtail success to that determination is beginning to emerge.
Published: 09 Mar 2021
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AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2021 open for entries
The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has today announced that its prestigious annual awards are open for entries.
Published: 11 Feb 2021
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AOP Announces Winners for the Digital Publishing Awards 2020
Incisive named Best Digital Publisher Company: B2B and News UK wins Best Digital Publishing Company: Consumer at AOP’s annual celebration of industry excellence, with a total of 26 winners receiving accolades on the night
Published: 15 Oct 2020
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Is purpose beyond profit the answer to a healthier ad industry?
Before COVID-19, balancing purpose with profit was seen by many as an idealistic but unrealistic goal. Now attitudes are starting to change. Huge cultural upheaval is not only showing that long-established social and working norms can be reconfigured, but also driving consumer expectations of purposeful action.
Published: 24 Jul 2020
ReadTime for change and transparency in programmatic advertising supply chain
A call for far-reaching reform of the programmatic advertising supply chain has been made today, with the publication of a groundbreaking study by the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA).
Published: 06 May 2020
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COVID-19 update from AOP
Following the recent advice given from the Government and Chief Medical Officer, we wish to inform you that our team are now working remotely, with normal functionality and naturally, we cannot maintain our usual face-to-face meetings. All AOP events and group meetings taking place in March 2020 will be postponed until further notice - we are currently exploring all options to provide alternative ways of maintaining the Group Meetings programme and, will be contacting the individuals concerned
Published: 18 Mar 2020
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AOP opens for entries for its annual Digital Publishing Awards
London, UK, 23 January 2020: The Association for Online Publishing has today announced that its Digital Publishing Awards are now open for entry, hosted in partnership with PubMatic, the automation solutions company.
Published: 23 Jan 2020
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