Ad‑Money Explosion: Google, Facebook & YouTube Dominate Q3 2020
When the earnings reports hit the market, the big three tech names—Google, Facebook, and YouTube—rolled in a whopping $63.3 billion from ad revenue. That’s a tidy haul that shows advertisers are still on the hunt for clicks and views, even in a year that felt like a digital roller‑coaster.
And it wasn’t just those three. Global ad spend itself surged, leaping a staggering 56.4 % over the quarter, according to Social Bakers. So while the giants pocketed a chunk of the pie, the whole industry was eating it up—quite literally.
- Google: Leading the pack with its search and YouTube advertising.
- Facebook: Continuing to pull in hefty revenues from its social‑media ad feeds.
- YouTube: Keeping the video ad dollars flowing.
- Global Market: A 56.4% jump shows advertisers are still betting big on digital platforms.
In short, if you’re looking at where the ad money is pouring, it’s going straight into the big three, and the worldwide digital advertising playground is kicking up its heels with more than a half‑buck increase in spend. It’s a golden time for brands, but also a reminder that staying competitive means keeping your ads sharp, relevant, and—most importantly—fun.
Global Ad Expenditure to Drop by 9% in 2020 as Digital Ad Spend Increases by 6%
Big Tech Ad Revenues in Q3 2020: Crunching the Numbers
Google & YouTube – The Kingdom of Clicks
Google’s total revenue hit a hefty $46.2 billion in Q3 2020, with ad revenue topping the chart at $37.09 billion. That’s a jump from $33.79 billion in the same quarter last year – a solid lift for the search giant.
Meanwhile, YouTube’s ad revenue surged to $5.04 billion. That’s a 32% gain over Q3 2019’s $3.80 billion. A quick glance at their quarterly performance shows a slight dip in the early months of 2020: from $4.72 billion in Q4 2019 to $4.04 billion in Q1 2020, then a tumble to $3.81 billion in Q2 2020 before the Q3 rebound.
Facebook – The Social Giant’s Checkout
Facebook’s Q3 2020 revenue clocked $21.5 billion, which is a 22% year‑over‑year increase. Out of that, a whopping 99% – $21.2 billion – came from ads, up from $17.4 billion back in Q3 2019.
Bringing It All Together
In total, the trio of tech titans raked in $63.3 billion from ads alone during Q3 2020. That’s a jaw‑dropping figure that puts any marketing budget to shame.
Amazon & Other Ad‑Heavy Platforms
Amazon’s total sales spiked to $96.1 billion in Q3 2020, a staggering 37% YoY jump. From that, ads contributed $5.4 billion, up a furious 51% YoY. Compared with ad‑centric sites like Twitter, Snap, and Pinterest, Amazon barely holds a franking card with a combined under $2 billion.
According to the Zenith report, global ad spending is slated to dip by 9% in 2020. But 2021 looks brighter – a 5.8% rise, powered by the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Digital advertising is expected to claim roughly 51% of global spend in 2020.
From the IAB study:
- Digital ad spend is projected to grow by 6%.
- Traditional advertising will see a steep 30% decline.
- Paid search balloons 26%, social media ad spend climbs 25%.
- Digital video boosts by 18% and digital display by 15%.
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