Internet Ad Revenue Hit $15.9 Billion in Q1, Says IAB

U.S. internet ad revenue saw a record Q1, hitting $15.9 billion, the Interactive Advertising Bureau said in a news release Thursday. The previous first-quarter record, $13.2 billion, was set last year, said the IAB report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The 21 percent year-over-year jump is the biggest in four years, it said. The report included revenue data from websites, commercial online services, free email providers and other online ad sellers. “These landmark revenues confirm the growing importance of interactive for brand marketers to reach consumers who are increasingly spending their time on digital screens,” said IAB Chief Marketing Officer David Doty. “Last year the industry reached its highest level of investment at over $50 billion, and this first quarter lays the foundation for what could very well be the biggest year yet for digital ad spending.”