Paid search spend on tablet overtakes smartphone during Q4 2012 according to 'Global Online Advertising Trends' report from Marin Software

According to the survey search ads on tablets have a higher conversion rate than smartphones and a lower cost-per-click relative to desktops making them a more attractive investment. Tablet advertising, however, has only just taken off with previous reports showing that prior to Q4 2012 tablet advertising has lagged behind that of smartphones.

“Due to the form factor of tablets, consumers find it easier to shop and transact, leading to higher conversion rates on tablets than smartphones and more competition for clicks. We expect the trend to continue as the number of tablets in the marketplace increases and as advertisers continue to optimise their campaigns for these devices,” commented John Myers, commercial director, EMEA at Marin Software.

Marin’s findings on year-over-year basis for Google advertisers showed a 24 per cent increase in click volume, a 14 per cent increase in cost-per-click (CPC), and 10 per cent decrease in click-through rate (CTR) during the fourth quarter. In comparison, Yahoo! and Bing advertisers saw a 25 per cent jump in click volumes, a 22 per cent increase in CPC and a 13 per cent increase in click-through rate during Q4 2012 on a year-over-year basis.