Ad spend on web search from tablets to hit $12 billion in 2017
Ad spend on mobile web search will reach $12 billion per annum in five years' time, according to new research. That figure is three times the ad spend of this year, which will reach $4 billion.
Usage of web search on mobile devices will be driven by continued adoption of high usage tablets, with the number of these devices in use reaching 672 million by 2017, Juniper Research forecast.
The size of tablet displays – typically either 7 inch or 10 inch – makes performing search queries a more comfortable experience, while the fact that these devices are used more in the home or at work for longer periods also means that users will make more queries per session, explained Juniper. For these reasons, the report found that tablet users on average make around three times as many queries as smartphone owners, and ten times the number made by users of other handsets.
While search engine providers will reap the rewards of booming mobile web search usage, brands advertising in this space need to ensure their websites are optimised for mobile clicks. Juniper's report notes that if poor user experience ultimately prevent consumers from going on to make a purchase, ad spend is wasted.
Amazon and Marks & Spencer are among the few brands that have got this right, Juniper said, with many more key brands requiring further optimisation to maximise the increasing opportunity from tablets.
The adoption of discovery services for apps is driven by the high number of applications on leading storefronts, but this area faces challenges from big brands, such as Apple acquiring Chomp, and Facebook launching app centre, the report added.
