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Digital advertising in North America - statistics & facts

The advertising industry in North America has undergone a fundamental digital overhaul in the past few years in order to meet the rapid changes in consumer demand and behavior. Fueled by rising internet penetration and an insatiable demand for online media content, marketers across the continent now direct larger budgets towards digital channels and platforms than ever. In 2021, digital advertising spending in North America increased by nearly 25 percent and reached an estimated 214 billion U.S. dollars. By 2026, this figure is set to surpass 360 billion, with the United States being the main driver of growth.

United States

The United States is the largest digital advertising market in North America by a significant margin. Based on the latest projections, marketers in the U.S. will spend more than 280 billion U.S. dollars on digital ads in 2022. This sum would translate into a 93-percent share of total digital ad investments in the region. But which formats are advertisers focusing their time and budgets on? As of 2022, search advertising remains the leading digital ad format in the U.S., followed by video. Other accelerators of spending growth throughout most of North America are mobile and social media. As smartphone adoption and social media app usage continue to soar, brands are devoting larger shares of their budgets toward handheld screens.

Canada

Canada has one of the highest online penetration rates worldwide. Seeing that online users are also spending much more time on the internet than with any other traditional media or entertainment format, it is no surprise that advertisers have started to follow suit. In 2022, internet advertising revenue in Canada reached an all-time high of 12.32 billion Canadian dollars, earning the country a spot among the world’s largest digital ad markets. Nearly 66 percent of all advertising expenses in the country currently flow toward digital channels, and even though the United States’ northern neighbor only accounts for a small share of investments in North America, Canada’s advertising industry is on an irrevocably digital path.

Mexico

Mexico is still at a nascent stage for digital advertising, especially when compared to the United States or Canada. Data on the distribution of advertising spending in Mexico revealed that television remains the primary beneficiary of ad expenditures in the country. But even though legacy media outlets still receive substantial investments, internet advertising is forecast to gain more ground in the future. In 2022, Mexican advertisers were expected to boost their digital ad investments by nearly 30 percent, outperforming even the most established digital ad markets in terms of annual growth. Not only that, but this impressive upward trend in spending also runs through many other Latin American markets, including Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Jan 6, 2023

Key insights

Digital advertising spending worldwide
365.9bn USD
Digital advertising spending in North America
213.8bn USD
Country with the highest digital ad spend in North America
United States
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Digital advertising spending in North America from 2017 to 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Digital advertising spending in North America 2017-2026

Digital advertising spending in North America in 2022, by format (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Digital ad spend in North America 2022, by format

Distribution of digital advertising spending in North America in 2022, by country

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Digital advertising spending in North America 2022, by country

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