• by Mark Walsh , December 6, 2010

eMarketer has increased its forecast for U.S. online ad spending to $25.8 billion in 2010, up 13.9% from last year. The market research firm updated its estimate based on the latest figures from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, showing third-quarter Internet ad sales reached $6.4 billion, up 17% from the year-earlier period. eMarketer projects a 10.5% increase in U.S. online ad dollars in 2011, followed by double-digit growth every year through 2014 when spending will reach $40.5 billion. Read more here.

Total media spending is expected to increase only 1.2% this year to $168.5 billion. "It may seem ironic, but marketers' economic concerns are leading them to spend more for online advertising," said David Hallerman, principal analyst at eMarketer, in an aticle today. "This trend reflects how most forms of internet advertising are now seen as more of a 'sure thing' than most traditional media." Read more here.