Online ad spending to surpass print, hitting $39.5B
New York—U.S. online advertising spending, which grew 23.0% to $32.0 billion in 2011, is expected to grow an additional 23.3%, to $39.5 billion, this year, pushing it ahead of print newspaper and magazine ad spending for the first time, according to a new study by eMarketer Inc.
Print ad spending is expected to fall to $33.8 billion this year, from $36.0 billion in 2011.
Total ad spending is also expected to grow, according to the company. Despite concern about the troubled economy, total ad expenditures in the U.S. are expected to grow by 6.7% this year, to $169.5 billion, boosted by the national elections and summer Olympics in London. In 2011, overall ad expenditures grew 3.4%, to $158.9 billion, eMarketer said.