What's behind double-digit digital ad market growth? With IAB UK's Elizabeth Lane

Digital assets are have for several years been the main growth drivers for most media owners. This is as true of TV – ITV just announced it saw 10% growth in digital revenues compared to flat overall revenue growth – as it is in publishing, as seen in the latest consumer ABC figures, as it is OOH, as it is in, of course, social media and search.

So it was little surprise that, according to IAB UK’s latest digital adspend report, in 2025 the UK’s digital ad market grew 10% to £40.5bn pounds. It’s a staggering number, especially when you consider that AA/Warc estimated the total UK ad market reached £46.9bn pounds last year.

Adspend on social media grew 21% year on year to £11.5bn, even as industry leaders at both agencies and competing media owners made the case to "turn down the toxic" by divesting from social and reinvesting in more trusted media channels.

Elizabeth Lane is the head of insight at IAB UK. She sat down with host Jack Benjamin her to unpack the latest adspend report, and why video in particular was a driving force for digital growth last year.

The duo also discussed how AI is changing search to the detriment of publishers, what to watch out for in retail media, and why gaming and digital OOH also saw double-digit growth in 2025.

Highlights:

1:21: Toplines from IAB UK's 2025 Digital Adspend Report

3:41: Social's pivot to video helps explain its 20% growth rate

13:39: Search, retail media and gaming: disruption and missed opportunities

24:06: How AI could change digital investment

Related articles:

UK adspend expected to surpass £50bn for first time in 2026

High-attention media is more profitable, finds Peter Field, Lumen and Newsworks

Reddit looks to scale through search, performance and insight

Why audio is embracing video — with News Broadcasting’s Dave Wilcox and Russell Pedrick

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