Top 50 Web Sites Get 95 Percent of All Ad Dollars

Stats from the newly released eAdvertising Report indicate that the top 50 Web sites are garnering 95 percent of all Web advertising dollars.

The report, published by eMarketer, and presented by Advertising Age, says the old 80/20 rule is a thing of the past for Web advertisers and publishers. “Today it’s more like the 95/1 rule,” said Geoff Ramsey, statistician at eMarketer.

“The rich are getting richer,” he said. “The top 50 sites are taking in 95 percent of all ad dollars, yet represent only 1.1 percent of all Web publishers.”

The Internet does not produce a level-playing field for Web advertisers or publishers, the report says. While the absolute number of ad-supported sites continues to expand, the percentage share of ad dollars enjoyed by the top tier sites also continues to increase.

The report indicates that in 1998, the top 10 Web sites controlled 72 percent of all Web ad dollar revenues. By year-end 1999, the top 10 sites will garner 74 percent and the top 50 will account for 95 percent of all Web ad dollars.

“By comparison,” said Ramsey, “the top six TV networks grab 84 percent of ad revenues, while drawing 67 percent of all viewers.”

The eAdvertising Report, consisting of 102 pages and containing 145 charts, is based on data gathered from a range of research sources to provide business, marketing and advertising agency professionals with “the most complete information available about the Web ad market,” the New York City-based company says. It’s being marketed at $795.