When most people think of Opera they really only think of the web browser, and even that doesn’t get nearly the attention it may deserve. Always coming up behind the major browsers of Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer, the Opera company is just one of those ‘afterthoughts’ that people are aware of. The reality is, however, that it is a major player in the advertising industry as well. Over the past several years, Opera has made a number of strategic acquisitions that have helped them to get a strong footing in this area.
They currently reach a billion monthly mobile impressions and work with 90% of the Ad Age top 100. They also say that “17% of the global [mobile] advertising spend is driven by Opera Mediaworks.”
In 2014 they had a year over year growth rate of 129%, making them the fastest growing independent mobild ad company in the world. Compare them to other players such as millennial media, which grew at just 14% or YuMe, which saw an 18% YOY growth and you can see just how successful they are becoming.
In the fourth quarter of 2014 they exceeded the $100 million mark, which is a major milestone for any company. This is partly thanks to the acquisition of AdColony about a year ago. This acquisition shot them to the forefront of the video advertising industry, and is responsible for over half of the total revenue growth.
Keeping Opera in mind when planning any type of digital marketing strategy may be a smart idea. Even if you aren’t interacting with them directly, it is good to know where your ads are coming from and where they are being displayed.
