Paid search spending for tablets on the rise, study finds

As tablet computers become more popular among consumers, more advertisers are redirecting their dollars to explore new opportunities in mobile marketing. According to a July 2012 study from Marin Software, the share of paid search spending on tablet devices increased 40 percent sequentially in the second quarter.

The main drivers behind the tablet's growth are high rates of consumer adoption as well as favorable performance characteristics -- a high click-through rate (CTR) and low cost per click (CPC) in particular.

In total, the tablet accounted for 8 percent of paid search clicks, growing 33 percent quarter over quarter, according to Marin. The company notes that the CTR for search ads on tablets is 42 percent higher than that on traditional computers.

Matt Lawson, vice president of marketing and partnerships at Marin, says "savvy advertisers" are more likely to pay attention to individual device types in the future, recognizing which platforms have a higher CTR and what type of content users are drawn to. Right now, he says, is an ideal time to get on board with tablet advertising.

Marin's study reflects another recent report about the potential for tablet computers as an ideal marketing platform. In its own study, the British Retail Consortium finds that mobile retail searches grew 113 percent year over year in the second quarter, with tablets accounting for 40 percent of those searches.