Dive Brief:

• Mobile is on pace to be the leading digital ad spending channel this year according to eMarketer, passing desktop spending for the first time.
• EMarketer changed an earlier estimate and now foresees mobile accounting for 51.9% of digital ad spending.
• The total mobile ad spend will be $30.45 billion, an increase of 59% over last year.

Dive Insight:

Mobile ad spending has been on the rise, and eMarketer revised its estimates for this year putting mobile ads ahead of desktop spending for the first time. Mobile is now expected to make up 51.9% of digital ad spending at $30.45 billion representing a lift of 59% from $19.15 billion in 2014.

EMarketer analyst Martín Utreras said, "Brands and marketers continue to see increased value in mobile advertising to reach consumers. Some of the shift is happening organically from digital ad spending dollars, but also we see additional dollars moving from traditional media and new money coming from local advertising and small businesses."

Digital ad spending overall is on the rise with the Standard Media Index finding digital ad spending up 16% in the U.S. between October 2014 and June 2015. The same research found digital’s gains are at the expense of television, although in total numbers TV still significantly leads the digital channel making up 39% of spending in 2014.