by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, (February 20, 2018)

The United States is forecast to remain the world’s largest data market in 2018, spending more than $11.4 billion, up from $8.8 billion in 2017.

The OnAudience.com report estimates the global data market will grow from $9.7 billion in 2016 to more than $18.2 billion in 2018. Contributing to the growth is an increase in digital advertising.

The increase will continue to gain momentum worldwide. OnAudience’s data estimates the UK, with $1.3 billion in spend, came in as the largest data market in Europe in 2017 and is forecast to become the second-largest market in the world in 2018, with more than $1.6 billion in spend. The entire European market this year should reach $3.2 billion.

China, the fastest-growing market, will exceed $1 billion and account for the third-largest world market in 2018.

The size of Japan’s market also will rise from $495 million to $713 million in 2018, and Canada’s market will rise from $270 million to $356 million, respectively.

When it comes to data, companies spent the most on programmatic and display advertising in 2017, globally. The U.S. led with nearly $31 billion in programmatic and $41 billion in display, but OnAudience sees a shift in 2018 when U.S. companies are expected to spend $38 billion and $47.5 billion, respectively.

China followed the U.S. in 2017 with $6 billion in programmatic and $20.6 billion in display — but will jump to $8.5 billion and $25.5 billion, respectively, this year. The U.K. — with $4.4 billion in programmatic and nearly $6 billion display, respectively — also will see an increase in 2018 to $5.2 billion in programmatic and $6.5 billion in display.

This year, marketers in Japan will make a major investment in programmatic data, at $3.3 billion. The biggest jump in percentage comes from Switzerland at 126%, rising from about $101 million in 2017, to about $228 million in 2018.

MediaPost.com: Search Marketing Daily