Here's a selection of recent social media stats, taken from a range of sources, including Econsultancy's Internet Advertising Statistics document, which forms part of the Internet Statistics Compendium, and other reports...

UK market size (IAB)

• Advertising expenditure on the internet grew to £3,350m in 2008, a 17.1% like-for-like increase on 2007.


• Total UK advertising spend (online & offline) fell by 3.5% in 2008 to £17.5bn.


• The internet grew its share of advertising spend to 19.2% of total UK advertising expenditure,  up 3.7 % on 2007 (15.5%).

US market size

• In the US, online advertising grew 10.6% in 2008 and was worth $23.4bn in total. (IAB Europe)


• US spending on online advertising declined for the second quarter in a row, by 7% year over year, to $6.2bn from $6.6bn. (IDC)

European market (IAB Europe)

• In 2008 the European online advertising market was worth €12.9bn, with a like-for-like growth rate compared to 2007 of 20%.


• The top 10 markets in Europe account for 93% of the total value of the online advertising market.

Social media advertising (eMarkete