When it comes to display ads, sometimes it can be about location, location, location. A new report from eMarketer backs this up, stating that mobile display ads have seen better viewability than those on desktop devices.

The report, based on measurable impressions served worldwide by Sizmek last year, how that HTM5 standard banner viewability was stronger on mobile, by 79.3 percent on average, compared to 48.4 percent on desktop. Meanwhile, rates showed higher on mobile for HTML5 rich media and Flash standard banners, by 70 percent, compared to 50 percent over on desktop. The accompanying chart breaks this down more specifically.

As you can see, desktop still has an advantage when it comes to flash rich media, leading by over double over on mobile. But that’s a small victory in an otherwise mobile-dominant chart.

When purchased directly through publishers or via programmatic means, display ads saw better traffic overall on mobile. Viewability rates for these ads were 74.1 percent on mobile, compared to 54.4 percent on desktop. In addition, programmatic placements saw an average viewability of 81.4 percent, with desktop falling way behind at 39.7 percent.

eMarketer indicates that US digital ad spending will reach an enormous $58.61 billion this year, with mobile accounting for just under half of that total at $28.72 billion. However, by 2019, mobile will overtake the market, by nearly three-quarters.

Another report from Social Times shows that a lot more cross-device conversions are taking place, with 40 percent of online adults starting an activity on one device, only to shift over to another to finish it. This includes viewing movies, amongst other projects.

A Facebook analysis indicates that out of the people who showed interest in a mobile ad before converting, over 32 percent converted to desktop within less than a month’s time.

Other stats were revealed for those who converted within 28 days of viewing an ad in the campaign:

  • 75 percent of those first expose to the ad on mobile converted on desktop vs. 25 percent who converted on mobile
  • 95 percent of those first exposed to the ad on desktop converted on desktop vs. five percent who converted on mobile

More information on that report can be found here.