- Adweek Staff

Despite a degree of hyperbole from some marketers, search is not recession proof. The economic turmoil is tempering all ad-spending growth, and that includes search, according to eMarketer.

Estimates point to annually declining--but still positive--growth rates for search spending four years in a row, from 2008 through 2011, the researcher said.

The projected bounce-back in 2012, with growth increasing to 13.7 percent, will be due to a combination of economic recovery and the influence of that year's national elections and Summer Olympics.

Compared to some other online ad formats, which are relatively flat or dropping, such as display advertising or classifieds, the search market starts to look good.


Related: Retailers Pull Back Holiday Search Spend