The United States is quickly emerging as a major player in and buyer of mobile advertising.
According to a new report out this week, online advertising spending is on track to climb 62 per cent worldwide by the close of 2012 – topping Japan.
The report by eMarketer on Wednesday said spending on mobile advertising would reach $US6.43 billion ($A6.15 billion) in 2012, driven by 97 per cent growth in the United States, which will account for some $US2.3 billion ($A2.20 billion) of the total.
“Mobile advertising is more mature in Japan, which means growth is far lower than in North American markets,” eMarketer said upon publishing the findings of its report. “eMarketer estimates spending on mobile internet ads in Japan will grow 27.2 per cent to $US1.74 billion in 2012, versus 35.4 per cent growth in 2011.”
“Mobile is an exciting, fast-growing category, but it’s still a very small piece of the overall ad pie,” eMarketer says. “Mobile advertising accounted for less than one per cent of total ad spending worldwide last year – and it will be a long time before it challenges other mainstay global advertising channels like TV, print and internet ads.”