According to figures from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Australia in its Online Advertising Expenditure Report. Australia's online advertising market has defied advertising market trends, recording growth of 18.5 percent for the full financial year
The report, compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers, showed that online advertising expenditure in Australia for the financial year ending June 30 2009 exceeded $1.8b and totalled $453m for the quarter to 30 June 2009.
For the full financial year, search and directories accounted for 49 percent of the total advertising expenditure, general display accounted for 27 percent and classifieds 24 percent. Search and directories grew 25 percent for the full financial year; general display grew 19.6 percent and classifieds six percent.
Paul Fisher, CEO of IAB Australia, was quoted as saying: "The latest revenue figures demonstrate the continued confidence marketers and agencies have in online as an advertising medium both when times are good and when times are tough. Search continues to drive the growth in the industry, with display advertising also well supported. Unsurprisingly, online classifieds advertising has been impacted by declines in the employment, real estate and automotive markets.
As reported in Exchange Daily's, itwire Newsletter, Fisher said, "The continued growth of online advertising expenditure coupled with anecdotal increases in online advertising activity already this quarter, position the industry strongly. With the economy showing early signs of recovery, the online industry is on track to exceed $2b in calendar 2009."
The finance, computers & communications and motor vehicles sectors were major users of general display advertising, accounting for 45.5 percent of general display spending. Motor vehicles - manufacturers was the largest subcategory with 9.8 percent of general display spending for the quarter. Government also increased its share of general display from 2.7 percent for the six months to June 2008 to 4.5 percent for the six months to June 2009.
A summary of the report can be found at www.iabaustralia.com.au.
