Categories: IAB

Study: U.S. Ad-Supported Internet Generated $1.21 Trillion, 10.4 Million Jobs In 2016

A study commissioned by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) about the ad-supported internet found that the industry generated a stunning $1.21 trillion for the U.S. economy in 2016, which is more than double the contribution it made in 2012.

The study, led by Harvard Business School professor John Deighton, also found that the ad-supported internet has today created a total of 10.4 million U.S. jobs. That figure is twice the number of jobs that the industry spawned in 2012, and comprises 7.3% of all non-farm employment nationwide. Interestingly, 86% of these jobs lie outside of conventional internet industry hubs like San Francisco, Manhattan, and Seattle, with states like North Carolina, Texas, and Utah boasting big numbers as well.

This year’s report, dubbed The Economic Value Of The Advertising-Supported Internet Ecosystem, marks the third such study released by the IAB, an ad business trade organization, following comparable iterations in 2009 and 2012.

Subscribe for daily Tubefilter Top Stories

Subscribe

Other findings from

the study include the fact that the ad-supported internet today accounts for 6% of the U.S. GDP, or the monetary value of all finished goods and services. And online video has been the biggest driver of new Internet traffic since 2012, according to the IAB, largely due to the growth of OTT television. Other prominent traffic drivers include e-commerce, on-demand platforms (like Uber), user-generated content platforms, music streaming services, and cloud computing.

“The internet fills an ever-widening role as market-maker to the U.S. economy, first as a retail platform, next complementing traditional advertising media, then becoming a mobile platform to reach people on the move, and now as a platform to make markets in on-demand services,” Professor Deighton said in a statement. “It is little wonder that it’s growing at 20% per year.”

For additional information or to see a state-by-state breakdown of the ad-supported internet economy, click here to read the IAB’s study in full.

Share
Published by
Geoff Weiss

Recent Posts

Soccer media brand Footballco is coming to America with several key hires

Footballco is betting on the growth of soccer in the United States. Over the past few…

2 days ago

MatPat-founded Theorist reveals new apparel brand at ‘Creator in Fashion’ show

As the co-host of the Creators in Fashion show that took place on April 25, Matthew Patrick (a.k.a. MatPat)…

2 days ago

Millionaires: Nicole Coenen is the internet’s favorite lesbian lumberjack

Welcome to Millionaires, where we profile creators who have recently crossed the one million follower…

2 days ago

YouTube salutes its Shorts as ad revenue soars to $8.1 billion in Q1 2024

Alphabet's earnings report for the first quarter of 2024 sent its stock price soaring sky-high.…

2 days ago

Snap stock jumps 25% after Q1 earnings beat projections. Also, 9 million people are now paying for Snapchat+.

Snap has had a rocky couple of years: several quarters of flat growth or declines,…

2 days ago

On the Rise: Rob can heal your workplace wounds

Welcome to On the Rise, where we find and profile breakout creators who are in…

3 days ago