The world’s superpowers are head and shoulders above Europe when it comes to the revenue generated by mobile advertising. In terms of market share, Western Europe (16.2%) and Central Europe (1.4%) combined are no match for the Asia Pacific (46%) or North America (34.6%).
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Europe, global information company, IHS, and the US IAB Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence are behind the Global Mobile Advertising Revenue study, the source of the findings.
Western Europe accrued €1 billion in mobile ad revenue during 2012 and Central Europe, €87 million. Neither came close to the larger markets of North America and Asia Pacific, which were within touching distance of €3 billion.
Search Revenue Leads the Way
Search revenue on mobile is a similar story for Europe. Its €698 million in 2012 is some margin off the larger regions. Interestingly, North America’s €1.5 billion has toppled Asia Pacific’s 2011 grip on this particular earnings chart. In 2012 a not-altogether-paltry €1.3 billion was generated.
Author of the research and director of advertising research at IHS, Daniel Knapp, described some of the strides the mobile advertising industry has made to become more efficient, which has led to revenue increases.
“We have seen a shift from a very fragmented landscape to one that is becoming more networked,“ explains Knapp. “Technological innovation has simplified buying mobile inventory at scale, enabling advertisers to better reach larger audiences across multiple publishers and advertising networks,”
Display Almost Doubling
Mobile display ad revenue in Western Europe now stands at €387 million, a big increase on the €215 million (approx) recorded in 2011. North America has recorded the steepest growth. In 2011 revenues were a little over €400 million, but in 2012 it was €903 million.
Europe’s financial instability is being touted by Kimon Zorbas, chief executive officer at IAB Europe, as the reason for revenue growth not being in line with other global continents. However he did also have some advice for Brussels.
“In Europe we are still experiencing significant economic turmoil and unemployment. The message to European policy makers is they should take into careful consideration the promising opportunities our sector offers and focus on removing barriers to growth.”