Services sector leads with 51% share of digital ad impressions in H1 24: TAM report

The TAM AdEx Half-Yearly Report for January to June 2024 reveals significant developments in the digital advertising sector, showcasing continued growth in ad impressions, the sustained dominance of the services sector, and the rising influence of programmatic advertising. Brands are increasingly utilising the digital medium to engage audiences, with some sectors and categories experiencing marked increases in visibility.

Digital advertising recorded an 8% increase in ad impressions in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2022. It also saw a modest 3% rise in impressions from the previous year, signalling consistent growth in digital ad engagement.

Maintaining its top position, the services sector commanded over half (51%) of all digital ad impressions. Banking/Finance/Investment followed with a 7% share, while sectors such as Computers, Auto, and Education each contributed 5%. Interestingly, new entrants to the top 10 sectors in 2024 included Telecom Products, Personal Products, and Corporate/Brand Image.

E-commerce-related categories, particularly Ecom-Other Services, led the way with a 7% share of total ad impressions. The top six categories were dominated by service-oriented industries. Additionally, Cellular Phones-Smart Phones and Cars made their debut in the top 10 categories, showcasing the growing demand for technology and automotive advertising.

Over 98,600 advertisers exclusively used the digital medium during the first half of 2024. Noteworthy names include Grammarly Inc., Adobe Software India, and Ikea Services (India). Meanwhile, 1,850 advertisers were common to both TV and digital platforms, with brands such as Amazon, Hindustan Unilever, and Google making their presence felt across both mediums.

Among the categories that showed the highest growth, Ecom-Other services expanded by 2.1 times compared to the same period in 2023. Cellular Phones,Smart Phones registered an 87% growth, while the Retail Outlets-Home/Interiors/Furniture category saw an impressive 3.4 times growth, the highest among all categories. Corporate-Auto also grew by 3.3 times over the previous year.

Facebook emerged as the top web publisher, securing 34% of ad impressions, closely followed by Twitter with an identical share. YouTube accounted for 14%, maintaining its relevance in digital advertising. On the app front, YouTube continued to lead with 38% of impressions, while Cricbuzz Cricket Scores & News followed at 16%. Other notable apps include Daily News, eBooks & Exam Prep, which claimed a 9% share.

Display ads continued to be the preferred format, contributing to 78% of total ad impressions, with video ads making up the remaining 22%. Programmatic advertising emerged as the dominant transaction method, accounting for 88% of total ad impressions, far ahead of Ad Networks (4%) and Direct methods (2%). This reflects the growing sophistication of ad delivery technologies and a focus on efficiency in ad placements.

The full report can be accessed here.