ZenithOptimedia releases optimistic forecast for online ad spending

Despite an overall fall in the global ad market of 10.2% this year, ZenithOptimedia expects a 15% rise in paid online search ads, a 6% rise in display ads and 2% rise for classified ads. In fact, the firm expects online will be the only medium not to witness a contraction this year and will instead see growth of 9.5%

Next year sees similar expectations for global online advertising. Both GroupM and ZenithOptimedia have lifted their 2010 ad spending outlooks - GroupM from a drop of 1.4% to a 0.8% rise and ZenithOptimedia from a 0.5% to a 0.9% rise.

According to the media agency's recent detailed announcement (.pdf), "The downturn has accelerated the structural shift of budgets from traditional media to the Internet; in a time when marketing departments have to justify every dollar they spend, the rapid and clear returns offered by Internet advertising are more attractive than the longer-term brand-building benefits offered by other media. We forecast Internet advertising to grow 9.5% this year, followed by 12% to 13% annual growth over the next three years."

Tags: ad budgets, ad spend forecast, ad spending, Internet advertising, online advertising