Report: US Mobile Ads To Reach $7 Billion This Year, Big Companies Dominate

‘Tis the season of mobile advertising forecasts. Within the last week three have been released from eMarketer, BIA/Kelsey and now IDC.

Emarketer said that US mobile advertising was worth $4.1 billion in 2012, BIA estimated $3.2 billion and IDC now asserts that US mobile ad revenues came in at $4.5 billion for the year. IDC expects mobile advertising to reach $7 billion by year end, compared with eMarketer’s $7.29 billion and BIA’s $5.39 billion.

The IDC forecast also says the following about 2012 mobile ad revenues:

• Search: 61 percent of mobile ad spending  ($2.8 billion)
• Display: 39 percent of mobile ad spending ($1.7 billion)

Mobile revenues by publisher:

1. Facebook: $234 million
2. Pandora: $229 million
3. Twitter: $117 million

Mobile revenues by ad network:

1. Google: $243 million
2. Millennial Media: $151 million
3. Apple: $125 million
4. Jumptap: $90 million

Compare eMarketer’s estimates:

IDC estimates that Google controls 79 percent of mobile search ad spending, or revenue of $2.2 billion in 2012. However both numbers are probably low, especially the estimated share of mobile search ad spend. By comparison eMarketer says that Google captured roughly 93 percent of all US mobile search ad dollars last year.

You can also read my somewhat more elaborate comparison and critique of the eMarketer and BIA forecasts here.