U.S. mobile advertising to reach $2.3 bln

Mobile search revenue to hit just under $1 billion in 2012; Google leads in mobile reach

Mobile advertising revenue in the U.S. is estimated to grow at a compounded rate of 94% to $2.3 billion in three years, from $160 million last year, according to a new report released by Sanford Bernstein analyst Jeff Lindsay. 

Global mobile advertising is estimated to reach $7.2 billion, up 79% compounded annually from $.7 billion last year. 

Search revenue on a mobile phone is expected to grow to $910 million in three years, up 159% compounded annually from $20 million. Lindsay also estimates that there will be nearly 165 million Internet/data-service-capable phones in service like the U.S. this year, which is about 60% of the installed base.

Of that base, about 40%, or 65 million, will have active Internet/data service subscriptions - about 25% of all mobile subscriptions. 

As for searching on mobile phones, Lindsay reported that he can measure brand reach, which he calculates as number of visitors to a search property divided by the estimated total of visitors ever to access the search category ever in a month. Based upon brand reach, Lindsay estimates that Google maintained mobile reach of 62% in January of this year, Yahoo maintained 30% and Microsoft's Windows Live/MSN maintained 11%. 

(image source: bigmoutmedia)