Open web visits per user down 29% since 2022 even as audience grows, SparkToro data shows
· 25h ago · Originally reported by PPC Land
SparkToro analysis finds open web traffic has fallen 12% since 2022 even though the number of web users grew 24%, meaning visits per user dropped 29.2% by Q3 2026. The report debates possible causes including app usage, AI-generated answers, pandemic-era baselines and revised user counts. Publishers face pressure as per-user attention declines.
Why it matters
Publishers monetize through ads tied to visits, so shrinking per-user traffic can cut ad revenue even when audiences grow. Understanding the cause helps ad buyers and media owners plan for a smaller open web.
Explain it like I’m new here
It's like a store getting more customers through the door but each one buying less — the crowd is bigger, but the total sales still slip.
Terms in this story
Open web
The open web is the part of the internet outside the big closed platforms, such as independent websites, apps and streaming services, where ads are bought through shared, interoperable ad tech.
Publisher
A publisher is any owner of content or a digital property, such as a website, app, streaming service, podcast or screen network, that earns money by selling ad space to advertisers.
Audience segment
An audience segment is a group of people or devices defined by shared characteristics, such as demographics, interests, purchase behaviour or intent, used to target or measure advertising.
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