Digital ads to overtake print in US

09 March 2010

US online ad spend is expected to peak at $119.6bn and overtake print this year, according to forecasts from research company Outsell.

A survey of 1,000 advertisers shows internet ad budgets should increase by 9.6% while print falls 3% to $111.5bn.

The report suggests advertisers are diverting their budgets into web search ads, websites and webinars as they prepare to allocate an average of 32.5% to digital compared with 30.3% for print. However, it isn’t all bad news for traditional media with magazines bucking the trend to see a modest rise of 1.9% to $9.4bn.

Elsewhere, cross media campaigns are expected to prove most effective with 78% of respondents looking to combine three or more different marketing methods. Social media is also drawing the focus of business-to-business marketers with 51% valuing Facebook as the most effective platform against LinkedIn (45%), Twitter (35%) and MySpace (25%).    

Chuck Richard, vice president and lead analyst, Outsell said, “Advertisers are directing dollars toward the channels which generate the most qualified leads and most effective branding. As they emerge from the recession, they need more accountability, and they’re spreading their spending over a widening set of options.”

Josh Colley, London