The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) reported last week that online ad spending for first-quarter 1998 reached $351.3 million, an increase of 271 percent over first-quarter 1997. According to the IAB, computer-related advertising still is the leading category online accounting for 27 percent of online ad spending, closely followed by consumer-related at 25 percent, telecommunications at 14 percent, financial services at 13 percent and new media at 10 percent. Also, the IAB said that 98 percent of online ad deals are cash-based and 2 percent are barter. It also found that banner ads account for 55 percent of online spending and sponsorships account for 40 percent.
