Digital advertising is not only growing, it’s becoming more mainstream. As noted in two recently published research reports, internet advertising spending is hitting record highs and is projected to soon exceed 50 percent of all advertising spend for the first time. Let’s unpack what this information means for your business.
Trends in Growth Reflect Value
According to a report issued by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) on August 6, “U.S. digital advertising revenues reached a landmark high of $28.4 billion in the first quarter of 2019. This is the industry’s strongest Q1 on record.” The 18 percent rise over Q1 2018 digital revenues are part of a trend, as David Silverman, Partner, PwC US, sees it: “These historic Q1 figures are in keeping with digital’s ongoing rise,” he notes. The leaps in growth are also telling, reflecting the value digital ad spend can yield. Sue Hogan, IAB’s Senior Vice President, Research and Measurement, says that “[t]he continued growth of digital ad spend is a reflection of its ability to help brands and publishers reach consumers and build meaningful one-to-one relationships.”
The Balance Is Tipping
Digital advertising isn’t just strong and growing, it’s also overtaking offline advertising. In a report released July 8 by Zenith, internet advertising is predicted to account for 52 percent of global advertising expenditure in 2021. This development would mark the first time digital advertising exceeded the 50 percent mark of all ad expenditures, overtaking analog advertising formats such as linear television, billboards, and print. According to Zenith, print in particular is on the decline, and traditional television ad revenues can be expected to dwindle every year from now to 2021.
Brands should note that internet advertising isn’t a monolithic spend. Ongoing technological improvements to smartphone technology and connection speeds, paired with strong content investment, have informed the growth of ad spend in online video and social media, in particular.
What Does It All Mean?
The reports suggest a few takeaways, including:
- Digital ad spending is finally becoming mainstream. It’s no longer part of a company’s advertising, it’s central to a company’s strategy.
- Businesses are getting more sophisticated about how they advertise. They are increasing and decreasing their digital spend in different types of digital advertising to suit the specific needs of a campaign, and to adapt to changes in consumer behavior. The fact that advertisers are upping their spend in video and social media reflects an understanding of the surge in consumer social media usage and, as we’ve noted on our blog, the demonstrated appetite for visual content.
What You Should Do
Taken together, these reports underline how important it is that advertisers constantly assess and respond to consumer behavior. By staying current, savvy advertisers can be leaders, not followers—and reap the benefits of being an informed early adopter. For example, businesses that reacted early to the rise of visual storytelling already have a leg up on those that waited too long. You want to be one of those businesses that monitor how consumers are acting and adjust advertising strategies accordingly — before your competitors do.
A really good example of a trend to watch? Voice search. Per Zenith, “A lot of innovation in search is taking place in voice, which is currently not monetised.” Voice-based advertising may not be paying off yet across the board—but it’s only a matter of time before it does. Smart brands will keep an eye on voice search and take action before it’s mainstream.
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