Data Suggest Rebound In Online Ad Demand

Some encouraging signs are mounting that suggest the online advertising marketplace may be leading the U.S. ad economy out of its longest recession since the Great Depression. New data from a variety of sources indicate that demand for online advertising has turned the corner as is once again ascending despite the continuing uncertainty of the general economy.

PubMatic, shows that the price of the online advertising inventory it tracks has increased 35% since the beginning of this year, when it had reached its low point. The study, which is based on the month-to-month tracking of ad price data compiled from more than 6,000 publishers that utilize networks and ad exchanges affiliated with PubMatic, indicates that online display ad prices still more than 10% lower than they were in June 2008, the baseline month tracked in the report, but they have growing steadily each month during 2009, and jumped up 15% in the last month alone.

"Online ad pricing is turning the corner, possibly leaving the worst days behind us," the report concludes, predicting that, "ad pricing may continue to rise throughout the remainder of 2009."

Importantly, the PubMatic report also shows that advertising sold through "indirect channels" such as networks and exchanges has been growing at an even faster rate - up 47% since January - indicating that the rapid growth of the new sales channel is not, as many publishers fear, commoditizing the price of online display ads, but is finding a new market for their unsold advertising inventory.

Read the full post:  MediaPost Publications Data Suggest Rebound In Online Ad Demand: Display, Pre-Roll CPMs Rising Again 07/23/2009