Ad-Supported Internet Ecosystem Contributes 5.1% of US GDP

The ad-supported internet ecosystem contributed roughly $742 billion to the US economy in 2011, equating to 5.1% of total GDP ($14.5 billion), finds the IAB in a new study [pdf] released in October, conducted by researchers at Harvard University. That $742 billion figure is up from $475 billion in 2007. To reach those dollar figures, the study averages 3 estimates of the contribution of the internet ecosystem: an employment-based approach; exports to the rest of the economy; and time spent on the internet. (more…)