Local Digital Ad Revenue to Hit $23.3 Billion This Year

Spending on local digital ads will grow from $23.3 billion in 2011 to $37.9 billion in 2015, according to BIA/Kelsey. However, the local media research firm lowered its expectations for combined digital and traditional local advertising revenues in 2011 from $136.2 billion to $135.9 billion.

Spending on local digital ads will grow from $23.3 billion in 2011 to $37.9 billion in 2015, the firm predicts. The share of digital media spend will increase from 14.6 percent of all local ad revenues in 2010 to 18.9 percent in 2012 and 25.4 percent in 2015, according to Kelsey’s “Annual U.S. Local Media Forecast, 2010-2015 – Fall Update.”

The company also measured expenditures on social media by local and national advertisers, noting that $4.6 billion will be spent on social network ad formats in 2012, up from $2.1 billion in 2010. By 2015, that will go up to $8.3 billion. National advertisers dominate in social ad spending, though; in 2012, $3.5 billion of the $4.6 billion total will be spent by national ad buyers.