More Google searches take place on mobile devices than on desktops in 10 countries including the US and Japan, according to the company, yet mobile search advertising spend has been slow to keep up.
The pace of growth has been steady, however, and many anticipate the channel will soon be mobile-dominated (accounting for more than 50 percent of search advertising spend) according to Marin Software's Global Online Advertising Index, which samples/surveys enterprise-class marketers - larger advertisers and agencies that spend in excess of $1 million annually on paid search, display, social and mobile.
As companies begin to invest more heavily into mobile search advertising, Marin Software advises marketers take advantage of mobile-first ad formats and to allocate budgets with a view toward a more mobile-focused landscape. Marin also recommends that search advertisers stay abreast of mobile Web standards to ensure an optimal user experience.
"Search advertising continues to rapidly evolve. New, advertiser-friendly and mobile-centric innovations are keeping pace with consumer demand for online searches and ongoing product deals," said John McNulty, Vice President of Global Marketing at Marin Software. "Our research reinforces the need for search advertisers to not only stay smart about how to best earmark their budgets, but also to provide the most effective user experience for on-the-go consumers."
Mobile isn't the only area impacting ad spend and trends, of course. Test your knowledge of paid media in this month's Quiz Time (answers are at the bottom).
1. Thirty-one percent of this generation believes they are rarely exposed to mobile ads.
a. Millennials
b. Gen Z
c. Baby Boomers
d. The Silent Generation
2. What does the acronym NHT stand for in relation to digital advertising?
a. Non-helpful traffic
b. New-hero transaction
c. Non-human traffic
d. Not-hyperlocal transaction
3. Which social network announced it is correcting a few more "issues" with its metrics in areas like audience estimation for ads, live video reaction counts as well as its reaction buttons?
a. Twitter
b. Snapchat
c. YouTube
d. Facebook
4. App Annie's recent App Monetization Report forecasted that in-app advertising revenue will reach over $50 billion this year and will grow to nearly ____ by 2020.
a. $120 billion
b. $50 billion
c. $1 trillion
d. $300 billion
5. True or False: Marketing and advertising executives do not expect to make any reductions to staff in the first half of 2017.
1. B, 2. C, 3. D, 4. A, 5. True