Valentina Dencheva
Researcher
Digital advertising in Canada - statistics & facts
Digital advertising has fundamentally transformed the Canadian advertising landscape. Not only does the country have one of the highest online penetration rates worldwide, but Canadian online users also spend much more time on the internet than with any other traditional media or entertainment format, prompting advertisers to follow suit. In 2022, online ad spending in Canada reached a record 14.1 billion Canadian dollars. And even though this figure is far from reaching the investment volume of the United States, it still makes Canada one of the world's largest digital ad markets.
One interesting finding that emerged during a 2022 survey was that advertising content on social media was perceived to have the highest inclusivity according to LGBTQ+ community members. Nevertheless, 45 percent of Canadians still expressed general annoyance with digital ads as of March 2023.
Another trend to look out for is the increased use of programmatic advertising, which involves the automated buying and selling of digital ad space. Forecasts suggest that programmatic ad spending in Canada will continue to accelerate at a double-digit pace as advertisers look to streamline processes and increase campaign effectiveness.
The most popular digital ad formats and consumer attitudes
Search remains the leading digital ad format in Canada. In 2022, advertisers devoted around 47 percent of their digital ad budgets toward search campaigns, which aligns with global industry trends and consumer behavior. It is no secret that search engines like Google have become the first point of call for internet users across the globe. Another primary beneficiary of the digital ad boom is Facebook and social media in general. As of 2022, social media ad spending in Canada stood at around 3.5 billion Canadian dollars, and as the number of social media users keeps growing every year, advertising dollars will likely multiply in tandem.One interesting finding that emerged during a 2022 survey was that advertising content on social media was perceived to have the highest inclusivity according to LGBTQ+ community members. Nevertheless, 45 percent of Canadians still expressed general annoyance with digital ads as of March 2023.
Mobile and programmatic advertising trends
In Canada, where the number of mobile internet users is set to surpass 37 million in 2024, the mobile revolution affects the allocation of digital advertising funds. Data showed that mobile ad spending would surpass an estimated 5.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.Another trend to look out for is the increased use of programmatic advertising, which involves the automated buying and selling of digital ad space. Forecasts suggest that programmatic ad spending in Canada will continue to accelerate at a double-digit pace as advertisers look to streamline processes and increase campaign effectiveness.
