Social media dominates Australia's digital landscape in 2025

The Digital 2025 Australia report, released by Meltwater and We Are Social, highlights current social media and digital trends within Australia, revealing significant cultural and consumer behaviour insights.

Social media continues to hold a crucial role in the daily routines of Australians, with 20.9 million users, equating to nearly 78% of the population, engaging on an average of 6.5 different platforms each month and dedicating approximately one hour and 51 minutes per day to social media use.

Meta's ownership of popular platforms is evident, with Facebook being the most-used social platform in Australia, gaining usage from 77.7% of the population. Messenger and Instagram maintain strong user bases as well, with 68.9% and 65.2% respectively. Additionally, Australian Android users have propelled YouTube to be the number one ranked mobile app by average monthly users, closely followed by Facebook.

While TikTok takes third place as Australia's favourite platform, it commands significant user engagement, with Australians spending an average of 38 hours and 51 minutes per month on the app. This is notably more than three times the duration spent on Instagram.

The report indicates an upward trend in using social media for brand discovery, as 58.3% of Australians utilise these platforms for researching brands and products. A notable 43.2% actively engage with brand content prior to making purchasing decisions. Influencers also play a vital role in this dynamic, with 23.2% of users in Australia following influencers, surpassing the global average.

LinkedIn is experiencing substantial growth in Australia, with its advertising audience expanding by 13% to reach 17 million users. This reflects a shift in how the platform is being used, merging professional networking with more personal interactions. Australia ranks among the top five globally for time spent on LinkedIn's Android app.

"As Australian consumers turn to social media as a key brand research tool, brands must strategically align their media mix and tailor content to engage diverse audience groups across platforms," said Ross Candido, Vice President ANZ at Meltwater. "By harnessing real-time insights into consumer behaviour and engagement preferences, brands can optimise their marketing campaigns by delivering authentic, relevant content where it matters most."

Advertising spend on social media in Australia has seen a 12% annual increase, amounting to USD $4.26 billion, which constitutes 29% of total digital ad expenditure. Influencer marketing investments have surged to USD $520 million, marking a 13% rise from the previous year.

Alongside this growing digital engagement, concerns about misinformation and data privacy are on the rise, with 75% of Australians expressing worry about the authenticity of online information. This places Australia among the top five countries globally with the highest concerns regarding misinformation and privacy issues.

Suzie Shaw, CEO of We Are Social Australia, remarked on the wider societal impact: "In Australia, social media is where culture is shaped, opinions are formed, and brands are built. The challenge for marketers today isn't just being seen, but being relevant. With more Australians using social media to discover, research, and engage with brands, success comes down to understanding culture and tapping into it in meaningful ways."