Gen Z Australians shift product searches to social

Oysterly Media has published research showing that only 26% of Gen Z Australians start product searches on Google, with social media and AI now leading discovery among younger consumers.

The research, conducted with Oaktree Insights and Consulting, surveyed 1,200 Australians. It found that 74% of young Australians begin product research on social media or AI rather than a traditional search engine. Across the full population, 40% still turn to Google first, highlighting a marked gap between younger users and the wider market.

The findings add to evidence that product discovery is shifting away from conventional web search towards social platforms, creator content and conversational tools. Social media now accounts for 29% of all product discovery among Australians, compared with 9% for brand websites.

Among younger consumers, social profiles also play a larger role at the point of purchase. The study found that 42% of young Australians go to a brand's social profile to make final purchase decisions, while 11% start on brand websites.

Generational shift

The change is not limited to Gen Z. Oysterly Media found that 30% of Gen X Australians now discover products while scrolling social media feeds, suggesting the shift in search and discovery behaviour has spread beyond the youngest adult consumers.

The company argues this has implications for marketing budgets that remain weighted towards traditional search channels. Melissa Laurie, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Oysterly Media, said the figures show a disconnect between consumer behaviour and media spending.

"Australian marketers are still allocating significant budget to search channels their customers have already moved away from. The data tells us where the audience is. The next step is making sure the spend follows them there," Laurie said.

The broader market backdrop points in the same direction. Global industry data cited alongside the study indicates that search advertising is becoming more fragmented as social platforms, AI-led tools and app-based discovery draw both attention and ad spend away from legacy search models.

According to eMarketer data referenced in the study, Google's share of US search advertising spending is expected to fall below 50% in 2026, down from 67.1% a decade earlier. Advertisers are projected to spend more than USD $100 billion on non-Google search ads by 2028.

That trend coincides with changes inside the search market itself, as major platforms move from ranked links towards more conversational and integrated forms of discovery. The report points to growing overlap between search, reviews, maps, video and in-app purchasing, especially on social platforms.

Trust factors

The study also examined how Australians assess information before buying. More than eight in 10 respondents said they cross-check information before making a purchase, reflecting a high level of caution in an environment shaped by fake reviews, sponsored content and AI-generated material.

This scepticism helps explain why creator demonstrations, customer reviews and short-form user content are gaining influence. These formats sit closer to peer recommendation than direct brand advertising, which may make them more persuasive at the decision stage.

Laurie said marketers should not assume social-first content is relevant only to younger audiences.

"The idea that short-form video is something you create to reach young people is no longer accurate. Gen X grew up in an era of window shopping and word of mouth. The social feed is just a digital version of both, and they have taken to it. Brands that are not building for that audience on social are leaving real money on the table," Laurie said.

The research draws on external data to support that argument. Kantar's Beyond the Search Bar report, cited in the study, found that 61% of purchase consideration actions happen via short-form videos and reels, while creator demos and reviews account for 43%, and user-generated content and customer reviews for 41%.

The same Kantar data found that 63% of consumers say purchases happen faster when social plays a role in their decision, while 65% say they feel more confident about a purchase when they encounter the product on social first. Oysterly Media said these findings show that trust and speed are increasingly driving the move towards social search.

For brands, the immediate question is whether marketing plans reflect where customers now look for information. The figures suggest that for many Australians, especially younger ones, discovery no longer starts with a search box but with a feed, a video or an AI tool.

"Australians are changing where they search, and what they trust. Brands that understand that shift and build content that earns attention rather than buying it are the ones that will come out ahead," Laurie said.