Data Drop: 3 Charts on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube Ad Spending by Industry

Article by Jennifer Pearson  | Jul 25, 2023
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Market intelligence platform Sensor Tower tracks mobile and desktop display, mobile and desktop video and Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube ad spending for the top 800+ companies in each industry. We use its data to see how various social platforms are faring so far this year based on ad spending from different industries.

YouTube commands a large share of CPG and financial services ad spending, while Facebook takes in more retail ad dollars.

Sensor Tower and Insider Intelligence data shows what platforms are industry advertisers’ go-to, and where spending by sector is imbalanced.

  • While Facebook and YouTube’s ad spending is more evenly distributed compared with Twitter, there are some notable standouts.
  • Consumer packaged goods and financial services receive a larger share of YouTube spending.
  • Retail share of ad spending is larger for Facebook and Twitter, while YouTube captures more auto spending share.

Travel ad spending on Facebook and Twitter made gains in 2022.

As 2022 rounded into post-pandemic territory, travel ad spending on both Facebook and Twitter showed some of the biggest YoY growth compared with other industries, per Sensor Tower.

  • Across platforms, travel ad spending skyrocketed on Twitter, while growth on Facebook was more modest.
  • On Facebook in particular, travel ad spending was a bright spot in 2022, at a time when many other industries decreased their ad spending on the platform over 2021.
  • Similarly, overall digital travel ad spending growth was higher in both 2021 and 2022 compared with other industries, per Insider Intelligence’s forecast.

Half of Twitter's ad spend share comes from just two industries: media and retail.

The extensive scrutiny Twitter’s business and its outlook received this year (check out our 6 Months After Musk report) caused its viability to come into question, which also resulted in revenue downgrades.

  • In March 2023, Insider Intelligence predicted the platform’s worldwide ad revenues will drop by 27.9% this year.
  • Looking at H1 2023, over half of that decreased ad spending on Twitter has been allocated to the media and retail sectors, according to Sensor Tower.