Study says online ad spending will surpass print spending in 2012

According to a study released by eMarketer, a website that specializes in publishing data, analysis and insights on digital marketing, media and commerce, projections for 2012 show that online ad spending will surpass print ad spending for the first time in US history.

Pretty good news for folks like me, who build those ads.
(Even if I AM still looking for work at a place where I can build the aforementioned ads)

But, I think its good news for the industry as a whole really.

..online advertising is expected to generate $39.5 billion in sales this year — a 23.3% increase from 2011 — compared to a spend of $33.8 billion on print.

That’s impressive growth, especially since 2011 also witnessed a 23% jump in online ad spending, according to eMarketer’s calculations. Online ad revenues should continue to grow over the next half-decade, albeit at a more modest rate, as shown in the chart below. Total online ad investment is projected to hit $62 billion by that time.

from Mashable article by Lauren Indvik

It took a long while, but I think the advertising world is coming around to the idea that the internet, and social media, offer the ability to target your audiences in a much more fine tuned way, rather than the scatter-shot approach that print media affords. The ROI is just better online.

Hopefully this bodes well for the US economy as a whole, and job seekers (like me and you) as well!