Social Media Revenue Nears $17 Billion in 2012: Gartner

Posted: 7/27/2012  |  By: Nathan Eddy | eweek

Although Facebook’s initial public offering may have disappointed some, social media is on track to generate close to $17 billion in revenue worldwide this year, according to IT research firm Gartner. The report found revenue is up 43.1 percent to $16.9 billion, compared with 2011 revenue of $11.8 billion. Advertising continues to be the largest contributor to overall social media revenue, projected to total $8.8 billion in 2012.