Online advertising is a big deal; in 2011 approximately £4.8bn was spent in the UK alone on this medium, a rise of over 14 percent on 2010[1]. The biggest growth area within this is the Real Time Bidding (RTB) market. RTB allows advertisers to specify a consumer type they want to target, the site they want to target them on, and then bid against competitors to display their particular ad. This happens at a rate of billions of slots for ads being auctioned every day[2], and has led to the creation of a highly complex and extremely rewarding system, both for advertising agencies, and the businesses which use them. However, the problem is that like any complex and established system, it is at risk of disruption if the underpinnings of this system start to unravel. New technology is emerging which begs the question, is that disruption about to occur?

The importance of trust: Online privacy issues and the consumer’s relationship with free products and services

With the ability to connect with friends and strangers via the internet (through free social networks, forums and blogs, and free mobile applications), the dissemination of personal information online is on the increase. But this online freedom can result in ‘real life’ problems – the spread of personal information beyond the owner’s wishes, or even greater vulnerability to criminal activity. With online privacy hitting the headlines recently[1]and the Mobile Entertainment Forum launching their Privacy in Mobile Applications Initiative[2], issues of privacy and trust have come to the forefront of consumer consciousness.

Website owners and application developers who offer free products and services, such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter, are currently struggling to strike a balance between maximising the utility of the personal data they receive whilst meeting the needs of their consumers for a trusted, non-invasive service. There are two ways businesses can proceed: minimising consumer concerns about trust, or maximising the advantage of using the service, website or application. These approaches can be used simultaneously and are theoretically most effective when combined.

At a time when innovation in devices, mobility and connectivity continue to drive the way we use everyday services, socialise and communicate, what trends can we expect to emerge in the forthcoming months? Using GfK data to explore how technology is likely to evolve throughout this year, we’ve identified five consumer-led trends to look out for…

1 – Reaching the Cloud

This is the year that cloud-based solutions will creep into the mainstream. Offering internet-based computing where shared information, software, and resources are accessible on demand, this trend is largely driven by the ever-increasing use of smartphones, connected devices and other advanced mobile applications. As such, it is an essential development to complement the ecosystem as it facilitates consistent service usage and storage across any device.