Online advertising could just about double by 2009 and account for a larger part of marketers' budgets in the same timeframe, according to new research from Jupiter Research.
The marketing research firm said July 27 that Internet advertising will hit $8.4 billion this year (27 percent growth), show double-digit growth for paid search listings and display ads like banners, and show online ad spending hitting as high as $16.1 billion by 2009.
"Higher prices are spurring expansion in both paid search, which will grow by 34 percent, and in display ads, which will grow by 24 percent for its first annual increase since 2000," Jupiter said.
Various Internet forecasters have suggested total American ad spending to hit between 6 and 9 percent growth in 2004, thanks to an improving economy, the presidential and other political campaigns, and the coming summer Olympics, but Internet advertising is expected to become the fastest-growing media category, ahead of cable and network television, which Reuters said would "mark its return from the dot-com bust in 2000."
