Mobile represents almost half of all digital ad spending in first half

Mobile was the fastest-growing digital ad channel in the first six months of 2016, surpassing search as the lead ad format for the first time, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

The IAB’s bi-annual “Internet Advertising Revenue Report,” which is conducted independently by PricewaterhouseCoopers, shows that mobile revenue saw the largest year-over-year change. It climbed to $15.5 billion in the first half, up 89% compared to the year-earlier period. Search revenue was up 19%, hitting $16.3 billion.

Overall, digital ad spending topped record highs, jumping 19% to $32.7 billion in the first six months of the year. Mobile now represents 47% of total online advertising revenue, according to the IAB.

“These half-year revenues are a testament to the role of digital screens—especially mobile screens—in consumers’ increasingly connected lives,” said Randall Rothenberg, president and CEO of the IAB, in the report. “Marketers and brands clearly recognize the innate power of digital to offer immersive experiences and secure real-time engagement.”

While the IAB does not break out B2B ad spending specifically, a report released earlier this year from Outsell indicated that mobile marketing represented the fastest-growing digital B2B segment, with spending up 25% year-over-year.

According to the IAB, video is one of the key drivers for mobile ad growth. Video ad spending on smartphones and tablets experienced triple-digit growth in the first half, up 178% to $1.6 billion.

Mobile search revenues also rose 105% to $7.4 billion, while spending on mobile display banners grew 62% to $6 billion.

Total social media a spending also surged to $7 billion in the first half, up 57% compared to the year-earlier period.