Instagram, a social media platform owned by Meta, has been generating more advertising revenue than YouTube, according to recent court filings. The documents, submitted by Meta as part of an attempt to dismiss the Federal Trade Commission’s monopoly claims, reveal that Instagram’s ad revenue for 2021 was $32.4 billion. This figure surpasses YouTube’s ad revenue of $28.8 billion for the same year.
In 2020 and 2019, Instagram’s ad revenue was $22 billion and $17.9 billion respectively, while YouTube reported revenues of $19.7 billion and $15.1 billion for the same periods.
These figures indicate that Instagram is a significant contributor to Meta’s total revenue, accounting for 26% in 2020 and 27% in 2021. The first half of 2022 saw Instagram bring in $16.5 billion, suggesting a continuing trend.
This information provides a rare insight into Instagram’s financial performance, which Meta typically keeps confidential. The disclosure could have implications for the ongoing FTC lawsuit, which alleges that Meta holds a monopoly in the social networking market. The high revenue figures from Instagram could potentially strengthen the FTC’s case.
In conclusion, Instagram’s robust ad revenue performance underscores its importance to Meta’s business model and highlights the platform’s competitiveness in the digital advertising space. The ongoing FTC lawsuit and its potential outcomes will be critical to watch in the context of these revelations.
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