![Mobile Ad Spending to Hit $6.4 Billion This Year [REPORT]](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/archives/027x4qSiW6wqP19rhZGCU7t/hero-image.fill.size_1248x702.v1647021220.jpg)
Led by strong growth in the U.S., mobile ad spending will rise about 62% this year to $6.4 billion, according to a new report.
Researcher eMarketer estimates that the U.S. mobile ad industry will grow 96.6% in 2012 to $2.3 billion, marking the first year that the U.S. market is bigger than Japan's. Though Japan's market is considered more mature, it will still grow 27.2% to $1.7 billion. Western Europe is experiencing faster growth -- 68.3% -- but is smaller than both at $1.3 billion.
The bullish growth estimate comes as Facebook and to a lesser extent Google are grappling with the loss of projected revenues to mobile. While considered a more targeted form of advertising, mobile affords less screen space for ads, resulting so far in a lower cost-per-thousand (CPM) rate.
Though mobile is growing more quickly than pretty much every other segment in digital advertising, it still represents a small slice of the overall $498 billion advertising industry.