US Ad Spending: eMarketer's Updated Estimates and Forecast for 2015–2020 - eMarketer
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US Ad Spending: eMarketer's Updated Estimates and Forecast for 2015–2020

eMarketer Report

By: eMarketer

Published: November 01, 2016

Jump to: Executive Summary | Table of Contents | List of Charts

Executive Summary

2016 will be a watershed year for digital media in the US. For the first time, digital will overtake TV ad spending by the end of the year. eMarketer estimates US digital media ad spending will top $72 billion in 2016, vs. $71.29 billion for TV.

  • Paid media spending will rise by 6.9% in 2016, marking the strongest growth rate in more than eight years. Ad spending has been driven by the US presidential election and the Rio Summer Olympics, which have generated incremental ad expenditures beyond expectations. eMarketer expects growth to taper in 2017, but remain strong at 5.9%.
  • Strong digital growth will continue for the next several years, climbing from $72.09 billion in 2016 to $113.18 billion in 2020. Google and Facebook will take the lion’s share of digital ad revenues—about 58% in 2016.
  • Mobile ad spending is the main reason for digital media’s growth, with investment rising from $45.95 billion in 2016 to $86.84 billion in 2020. More than 23% of total media ad outlays—and over 63% of digital—will be spent to reach individuals on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.
  • Advertisers are devoting more of their digital spending dollars toward video, rich media and in-feed ad placements, most often found on social networking sites. Collectively, these display ad expenditures will surpass that of search in 2016 and will capture half of all US digital ad spending by 2020.
  • TV ad spending is still growing, rising 3.5% in 2016. In fact, eMarketer increased its 2016 TV projections due to higher spending tied to the Olympics, the presidential election and a strong scatter market.

"Nearly 37% of US paid media investments will go toward digital channels in 2016. This share is expected to surpass 46% by 2020, at the expense of TV, print, radio, directories and out-of-home (OOH) advertising."

Table of Contents

Total Media Ad Spending

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Digital Ad Spending

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Mobile Ad Spending

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Complete Forecast

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63 charts are included in the full report:

US Ad Spending: eMarketer’s Updated Estimates and Forecast for 2015–2020

US Total Media Ad Spending Share, by Media, 2015-2020 (% of total)

Total Media Ad Spending

US Total Media Ad Spending, by Media, 2015-2020 (billions)

Digital Ad Spending

US Digital Ad Spending, 2015-2020 (billions, % change and % of total media ad spending*)

Mobile Ad Spending

US Mobile Ad Spending, 2015-2020

Complete Forecast

US Total Media Ad Spending, 2015-2020 (billions and % change)

US Total Media Ad Spending, by Media, 2015-2020 (billions)

US Total Media Ad Spending Growth, by Media, 2015-2020 (% change)

US Total Media Ad Spending Share, by Media, 2015-2020 (% of total)

US Newspaper Ad Spending, by Segment, 2015-2020 (billions and % change)

US Magazine Ad Spending, by Segment, 2015-2020 (billions and % change)

US Print Ad Spending Share, by Segment, 2015-2020 (billions and % of total)

US Radio Ad Spending, by Segment, 2015-2020 (billions and % change)

US TV* vs. Digital Video** Ad Spending, 2015-2020 (billions and % change)

US TV* vs. Digital Ad Spending, by Device, 2015-2020 (billions)

US Out-of-Home Ad Spending, by Segment, 2015-2020 (billions)

US Digital Ad Spending

US Digital Ad Spending, 2015-2020 (billions, % change and % of total media ad spending*)

US Digital Ad Spending, Q1 2015-Q4 2016

US Digital Ad Spending, by Format, 2015-2020 (billions)

US Digital Ad Spending, by Format, 2016 (billions)

US Digital Ad Spending Growth, by Format, 2015-2020 (% change)

US Digital Ad Spending Share, by Format, 2015-2020 (% of total and billions)

US Digital Ad Spending, by Device, 2015-2020 (billions)

US Digital Ad Spending, by Device and Format, 2015-2020 (billions)

US Digital Ad Spending Growth, by Device and Format, 2015-2020 (% change)

US Digital Ad Spending Share, by Device and Format, 2015-2020 (% of total digital ad spending)

US Digital Video Ad Spending, by Device, 2015-2020 (billions and % change)

US Digital Video Ad Spending Share, by Device, 2015-2020 (% of total media ad spending)

US Social Network Ad Revenues, 2015-2018 (billions, % change and % of digital ad spending)

US Social Network Ad Revenues, by Venue, 2015-2018 (millions, % change and % of total)

US Ad Spending per User, by Venue, 2015-2018 ($ per person and CAGR)

US Digital Ad Spending, by Industry

US Digital Ad Spending, by Industry, 2015-2020 (billions and CAGR)

US Digital Ad Spending Share, by Industry, 2015-2020 (% of total)

US Digital Ad Spending Growth, by Industry, 2015-2020 (% change)

US Mobile Ad Spending

US Mobile Ad Spending, 2015-2020

US Mobile Internet Ad Spending, 2015-2020

US Mobile Ad Spending, by Format, 2015-2020 (billions)

US Mobile Ad Spending Growth, by Format, 2015-2020 (% change)

US Mobile Ad Spending Share, by Format, 2015-2020 (% of total)

US Digital Ad Revenues, by Company

Net US Digital Ad Revenues, by Company, 2015-2018 (billions, % change and % of total)

Net US Search Ad Revenues, by Company, 2015-2018 (billions, % change and % of total)

Net US Digital Display Ad Revenues, by Company, 2015-2018 (billions, % change and % of total)

Net US Digital Ad Revenue Share, by Company, 2015-2018 (% of total media ad spending and billions)

Google Net US Ad Revenues, by Device and Format, 2015-2018 (billions and % of total)

Google Net US Ad Revenues, by Device, 2015-2018 (billions and % of total)

YouTube Net US Ad Revenues, 2015-2018 (billions, % change and % of Google net ad revenues)

YouTube Net US Video Ad Revenues, 2015-2018 (billions, % change and % of total video ad revenues)

YouTube Net Ad Revenues Worldwide, US vs. Non-US, 2015-2018 (billions and % of total)

Facebook Ad Revenues Worldwide, US vs. Non-US, 2015-2018 (billions and % of total)

Instagram Net Mobile Ad Revenues Worldwide, US vs. Non-US, 2015-2018 (billions, % change and % of total)

Instagram Net Mobile Ad Revenue Share of Facebook Mobile Ad Revenues Worldwide, US vs. Non-US, 2015-2018

US Facebook and Twitter Ad Revenue Share, by Device, 2015-2018 (billions and % of total)

Twitter Ad Revenues Worldwide, US vs. Non-US, 2015-2018 (billions and % of total)

LinkedIn Ad Revenues Worldwide, US vs. Non-US, 2015-2018 (millions and % of total)

Snapchat Ad Revenues Worldwide, US vs. Non-US, 2015-2018 (millions and % of total)

US Snapchat Ad Revenues, by Source, 2015-2018 (millions and % of total)

Net US Mobile Ad Revenues, by Company

Net US Mobile Ad Revenues, by Company, 2015-2018 (millions)

Net US Mobile Ad Revenue Growth, by Company, 2015-2018 (% change)

Net US Mobile Ad Revenue Share, by Company, 2015-2018 (% of total and billions)

Net US Mobile Ad Revenues as a Percent of Digital Ad Revenues, by Company, 2015-2018

Net US Mobile Display Ad Revenues, by Company, 2015-2018 (millions)

Net US Mobile Display Ad Revenue Growth, by Company, 2015-2018 (% change)

Net US Mobile Display Ad Revenue Share, by Company, 2015-2018 (% of total and billions)

Net US Mobile Internet Search Ad Revenues, by Company, 2015-2018 (millions, % change and % of total)