• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, December 16, 2013

U.S. advertisers have already spent nearly 50% more on paid-search ads in 2013 compared with the previous year, with click-through rates rising 14.1%.

The 2013 Global Online Retail Seasonal Shopping Report: Early Edition shows that U.S. advertisers spent 48.1% more year-over-year so far during the shopping season; retail marketers saw a 42% YoY increase in clicks. Impressions rose 24.3%.

The holiday report tracks what Kenshoo's worldwide clients spend on paid-search marketing. Kenshoo, which manages approximately $5 billion in advertising budgets annually, estimates that marketers got more clicks for their dollars so far during the 2013 shopping season.

Mobile devices drove consumers to spend more time online while on the go. Paid-search marketers worldwide allocated 34.4% to mobile devices in 2013, with phones capturing 17.7% and tablets receiving 16.7% -- up from 20.5% in 2012. More than one in three global paid-search clicks originated from mobile devices during the 2013 early shopping season. The biggest driver was from tablets, where clicks rose from 8.7% of total clicks in 2012 to 16.3% in 2013. Clicks on smartphones rose 7 5% YoY to 20 4% of total clicks.

Consumer behavior drove brand marketers and retailers to make search marketing investments early in the season -- in particular, the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. By getting a jump on the holidays, brands managed to connect with those consumers starting their shopping earlier, due to the reduced number of post-Cyber Monday shopping days this year. So far among Kenshoo clients, the 2013 shopping season generated record-high online revenue for U. S. paid-search retailers with a 30 7% YoY increase compared with 2012.

Kenshoo identified similar patterns in the United Kingdom where marketers typically invest more advertising dollars on Cyber Monday and Green Monday. While these dates were significant this year, U.K. marketers invested more in online search advertising on Black Friday -- up 41% YoY.

Marketers also saw YoY increases in clicks, impressions, and advertising investments. U.K. retailers supported by Kenshoo generated 291.4%  YoY increase on Black Friday.

Globally, retailers grew revenue 19.1% YoY with help from search advertising. They spent 34.1% more YoY, but boosted click-through rates by 12.8% YoY to gain 26.9% more clicks YoY and slightly offset higher cost-per-click (CPC) rates. Boosted by the shortened shopping season in 2013, the report illustrates noticeable lifts in ad spend worldwide in mid-November, compared with 2012.