Mobile ad spending will leap 80% to $2.61 billion, predicts eMarketer. The thinktank earlier forecast a growth of 47% over 2011 to $1.8 billion, but several market influencers have taken the ad industry by surprise.
First is stronger-than-expected adoption of Google’s mobile search advertising business. Second are powerful tablet and smartphone sales—U.S. ownership of tablets and e-readers suddenly doubled over the holidays—and advertisers’ interest in those platforms. Third is a growing number of mobile ad networks, including Google AdMob and Apple iAd.
Mobile search ads will be the strongest segment, at $1.28 billion. Mobile display ads (e.g., banner and rich media ads) will grow 93.5% to $861.7.
eMarketer Principal Analyst Noah Elkin described the mobile ad space as an immature market—thus, one that defies ready analysis. Numerous analyst groups have made their own forecasts on the 2012 mobile ad spend, including Pricewaterhouse Coopers, ZenithOptimedia and J.P. Morgan, all reaching vastly different numbers. eMarketer’s revised forecast represents the second-highest forecast, with only Forrester Research predicting a higher spend at $2.78 billion.
