Social Media Developments in Australia [updated 2025]

With customers spending a lot time on social media, it has grow to be a key a part of our tradition, each on-line and IRL. This additionally makes it an important device for entrepreneurs. However social media is at all times altering. When crafting your social media technique for 2025 and past, you should ensure the most recent social media developments are prime of thoughts. That is particularly necessary as a result of in accordance with The 2025 Sprout Social Index™, 58% of social media customers plan to maintain utilizing social simply as a lot in 2025, whereas 24% say they’ll use it much more.

The excellent news is, we surveyed over 1,000 Australian social media customers and 200+ social media professionals to seek out the freshest insights on present developments and what’s on deck for the longer term in 2025. On this article, we’ll discover 10 of those Australia social media developments and provide the insights you should navigate your social technique efficiently.

What developments have impacted social media advertising and marketing in Australia?

Social media advertising and marketing has by no means been a simple job, and it’s stuffed with attention-grabbing challenges in 2025. Parliament has banned social media for all kids beneath 16 in Australia, making it troublesome for entrepreneurs to achieve a youthful demographic.

And but, web tradition is as vibrant and necessary as ever. Audiences crave authenticity fairly than trend-chasing; they need manufacturers to hearken to them fairly than discuss at them.

Amongst manufacturers, there’s a niche between C-suite executives and social media professionals in terms of appreciating the worth of social media. A rising variety of Australian social practitioners report feeling artistic fatigue, and plenty of are assured that AI-driven social media instruments can assist overcome the problem.

Let’s take a better take a look at these developments impacting Australian social media advertising and marketing in 2025.

1. Social media is the epicenter of tradition

The net world is enmeshed with the actual world and has a really tangible impression on it. In accordance with the Index, 91% of Australian social media customers agree that social media is how we sustain with developments and cultural moments, they usually anticipate manufacturers to be in tune as effectively. Fifty-four % of Australians use Instagram, 49% use Fb and 39% scroll by TikTok to remain consistent with social developments.

However when a model hops on a development they don’t absolutely perceive, it’s cringe. Whereas 40% of customers discover it cool when a model joins a viral development, 32% discover it embarrassing and 28% assume it’s solely efficient if it occurs inside two days of the development beginning. It’s a wonderful line for manufacturers to stroll. Be considerate about your strategy to viral developments—don’t simply leap on each development blindly.

However listening to on-line conversations and having your finger on the heart beat will be immensely helpful. Hit kids’s TV present Bluey makes use of social listening to know what their neighborhood needs. As an example, they know that followers adore the chaotic character Muffin, they usually ship extra Muffin content material to followers’ delight.

Bluey additionally understands what their viewers connects with emotionally. Hit episode “Sleepytime” is a infamous tearjerker for folks, and Bluey doesn’t hesitate to share Sleepytime-themed content material usually. Followers really feel deeply related to the themes of the episode, the music and the expertise of parenting it depicts. Leaning into that helps construct neighborhood and model loyalty.

Takeaway: On the finish of the day, manufacturers have to do not forget that like every tradition, on-line tradition is about belonging and emotional connection. And authenticity is essential to a model’s success on-line—extra on that later.

2. Content material saturation and the battle for Australia’s consideration

The Australian social media panorama is crowded with content material. To chop by the noise and earn and preserve shopper consideration, manufacturers should be strategic. Having a high-quality services or products and creating unique content material helps you stand out from the gang.

Create helpful, participating, relatable content material that exhibits you deeply perceive your viewers.

For instance, DIY, backyard and ironmongery shop Bunnings shares a great deal of helpful content material that illustrates a eager understanding of their viewers. Their Instagram Reels present simple DIY tasks, cleansing and gardening ideas, enjoyable crafts and useful merchandise, all in a pleasant and easy-to-digest format.

Takeaway: Nothing beats realizing your viewers. For those who attempt to create content material that caters to everybody, you’ll stand out from the gang for nobody. Focusing in your area of interest and creating helpful content material that meets your viewers’s wants or solutions their questions is a big win—for each of you.

3. Authenticity and engagement over trend-chasing

Shoppers favour authenticity and relatability, however the definition of authenticity is shifting. Previously, we assumed that unscripted, lo-fi content material was inherently extra genuine, however that’s now not the case. As a substitute, it’s all about whether or not the model and its content material are aligned with its values and story. Manufacturers’ content material ought to really feel trustworthy and actual. What occurs behind the scenes at your model? Sharing a sneak peek together with your viewers can assist humanize your model, bringing your story to life so it’s clear that you simply reside your values every single day.

Consumer-generated content material is one other nice technique to present up authentically. When your clients share pictures, movies or critiques of your product, their trustworthy reactions are a priceless illustration of how beloved your model is. Sharing user-generated content material about your model feels pure and fewer promotional.

Qantas Airways periodically shares a peek behind the scenes of various endeavours that people won’t in any other case find out about. As an example, on this reel, one flight attendant shares a glimpse of her day delivering presents to kids in Cairns for the vacations. Commenters loved the flight attendant’s pleasant, cheerful demeanor and applauded the model for his or her efforts to unfold Christmas pleasure. The content material got here throughout as actual and significant fairly than performative.

4. There’s a niche between Australian social groups and executives

A major hole exists between Australian social media groups and government management within the understanding of social media’s enterprise impression. Increase your hand for those who’re stunned.

Nearly half (47%) of social media practitioners consider their government groups don’t belief them sufficient to find out what content material performs greatest on social. Social practitioners want higher autonomy, extra sources and improved cross-departmental collaboration. Additionally they search higher expertise to trace efficiency and impression.

Takeaway: Trusting your social crew is necessary. Social media managers know the ins and outs of web tradition and perceive their viewers totally. Empowering social media professionals to do what they know greatest is the primary ingredient in your recipe for fulfillment. Generally a bizarre, offbeat concept is the artistic gem you by no means knew you wanted to please your viewers and attain a brand new demographic, too.

5. Evolving skillsets

The talents deemed most necessary for social media practitioners in 2025 are superior abilities in social listening instruments, artistic path, information evaluation, cultural competence and model voice growth.

Human consultants stay needed on the planet of social media advertising and marketing, and constructing your specialised abilities will enable you to excel in 2025 and past. Useful abilities that assist in day-to-day social media work embrace social listening, artistic path, information evaluation and storytelling. By listening to your viewers on-line and reviewing your social media analytics, you may higher ship the content material they crave. Honing your storytelling and artistic path abilities will enable you to create distinctive, participating content material that stands out and is actually memorable in your viewers.

As for mushy abilities, deal with enhancing model voice growth, undertaking administration, partnership constructing and cultural competence. Partnership constructing is very helpful, whether or not it’s for interdepartmental efforts or collaborations with influencers. Studying about different cultures is an effective way to grow to be a greater marketer, too. Deal with recognizing your biases, educating your self about different cultural beliefs and practices, and discovering methods to uplift and have a good time different cultures in your work when attainable.

6. Manufacturers are anticipated to fight misinformation

Ninety-three % of Australian customers need manufacturers to step up and fight misinformation greater than they at the moment do, per the 2025 Index. Meta just lately eradicated their third-party fact-checking program within the US. It has been changed with Neighborhood Notes, a function the place particular person customers can depart notes including context in the event that they consider the content material is fake or deceptive. Whereas it’s unclear how a lot this may impression different international locations, some sources report fact-checking is already being changed with Neighborhood Notes in Europe as effectively.

Takeaway: If third-party fact-checking is eradicated globally, on-line misinformation will probably enhance considerably. That makes it much more important for manufacturers to talk up, significantly after they spot false claims about subjects of their business.

7. Social customer support is important

Social media networks are a most well-liked methodology of customer support. A whopping 73% of social customers agree that if a model doesn’t reply to customer support questions on social media, they are going to purchase from that model’s competitor subsequent time. The analysis additionally exhibits that clients want to get assist from manufacturers by way of feedback sections, DMs and @-mentions, so it’s key to watch and reply promptly.

Activewear model Lorna Jane replies to commenters even when it might not appear useful for them to take action. Lorna Jane shared a video by creator @katelin.z.wears displaying off a two-tone denim outfit, and some commenters have been captivated by the inexperienced gown she wore for a fraction of a second in the beginning of the video. Many manufacturers would merely ignore feedback a few product by one other model, however Lorna Jane kindly tagged the creator and requested her to weigh in. She responded and folk genuinely appreciated it. It’s a small, fast act of service for the patron, however a simple manner so as to add worth by being variety and useful.

Takeaway: Reply constantly and with kindness. Providing nice customer support by way of social is a surefire technique to increase your model’s status.

8. Social commerce is increasing in Australia

Social media performs a big position in shopper discovery and buy choices, with many Australians making spontaneous purchases based mostly on social content material. Actually, per the Index, most social customers (38.5%) make spontaneous purchases based mostly on social media content material a couple of instances per yr, with 28% reporting that they make spontaneous purchases each month.

Plus, with TikTok Store set to launch in Australia in 2025, it may very well be an actual game-changer for social commerce.

Many Australian manufacturers are already being sensible about social commerce. Iconically Australian hat model Akubra has begun integrating store buttons into their Instagram content material. This gradual integration coupled with the convenience of tapping to seek out the precise hat within the picture makes the buying expertise clean and fulfilling.

9. Artistic fatigue is on the rise

We hate to see it, however burnout is rising in 2025. Social media practitioners are battling content material creation; 52% report feeling the identical quantity of fatigue as final yr and 26% report feeling extra drained than earlier than. There’s an expectation to be chronically on-line and sustain with developments, which will be exhausting. Battling burnout isn’t simple, but it surely’s attainable.

Begin by lowering the time you spend on-line exterior of labor, discovering a supportive neighborhood‌ and advocating for extra sources at work.

Generally the extra sources you’re hoping for simply aren’t within the playing cards. In these conditions, AI instruments will be extremely useful. For instance, whenever you’re caught looking at a clean display screen and attempting to draft social copy, Sprout Social’s AI Help can supply jumping-off factors for captions and hashtags.

10. Utilizing AI in social product

Social media practitioners view AI positively as a possible device to fight artistic fatigue. Nearly all of social media professionals report feeling both very or considerably assured in AI’s capability to assist them. Sprout skilled this firsthand, incorporating Sprout’s AI instruments into the social crew’s social media administration workflow. The info confirmed 72 hours saved every quarter on reporting, US$16,000 (AU$ 25,406.10) of time saved on reporting per yr and US$132,000 (AU$ 209,600.33) in time saved on buyer care annually. And simply as necessary? Our groups reported that it freed up time for extra artistic work.

AI is especially useful for automating duties in your workflow. When crafting social media copy, AI instruments can help with crafting messaging, checking grammar and syntax, producing headline and hook concepts, and extra. Writing alt textual content is a vital a part of publishing social content material too, however is commonly a clunky piece of the workflow. With Sprout’s AI Help, you may streamline the method with AI-generated alt textual content.

The tedious work of scheduling social content material will also be alleviated by AI. AI social media scheduling instruments assist with bulk scheduling, optimizing for various platforms and managing belongings, simply to call a couple of duties. Incorporating AI into your course of offers you time again in your day for the duties that energize you most.

Social media advertising and marketing will be cyclical, and once we hit our busy seasons, these emotions of burnout intensify. AI generally is a useful gizmo for getting by peak seasons, particularly in terms of customer support on social. It may possibly even perform as a social media assistant, whether or not it’s by chatbots for putting and monitoring orders or optimizing your content material schedule.

The vacations will be extra-frantic for social media entrepreneurs, significantly for those who’re a small and scrappy crew. Using AI is welcome by clients now: 74% of customers are snug with manufacturers utilizing AI to ship quicker customer support on social. Sprout’s Improve by AI Help is an efficient useful resource for utilizing generative AI to enhance your responses to feedback and DMs.

Tips on how to sustain with social media developments in Australia

You may’t sustain with social media developments in a silo. With the best sources and neighborhood, it’s simple to maintain up with social media developments in Australia.

Comply with business blogs and publications

There’s no scarcity of wonderful social media publications. Some favourites embrace Social Media Examiner, Sprout Social’s weblog, We Are Social and Margin Media.  

Take part in social media communities

Discovering neighborhood on-line is a significant technique to make friendships and be taught new issues. Sprout Social’s the Arboretum is an efficient place to start out. Fb and LinkedIn have plenty of energetic teams for social media practitioners too—take a look at Social Media Managers on Fb and Social Media At present on LinkedIn.

Relying in your area of interest throughout the social media advertising and marketing world, you may as well discover extra particular communities for freelance social media entrepreneurs, nonprofit social media entrepreneurs‌ and past.

Use trend-tracking instruments and platforms

Sprout Social and Google Developments are useful for staying on prime of developments. You may browse what’s trending now, arrange studies or seek for particular gadgets of curiosity.

Comply with influencers and thought leaders

Past instruments and articles, we are able to be taught rather a lot from one another. Jon-Stephen Stansel, Jayde Powell, Annie-Mai Hodge and Zaria Parvez are a couple of proficient social media practitioners and thought leaders who share informative (and relatable!) content material about social media in 2025. Australian social media companies like Eight Shoppers and Melbourne Social Co are nice follows, too.

Experiment and analyze

Experiment with new options as they roll out, check developments and see what performs effectively‌, and listen and assume critically whenever you have interaction with content material on-line.

Social media advertising and marketing in 2025

Maintaining with evolving social media networks and developments is hard, however it may be energizing. Social media practitioners face advanced challenges in 2025, like discovering methods to indicate up authentically, making strides to fight misinformation and standing out in a crowded on-line surroundings.

Begin with a strong basis of knowledge about viewers habits and expectations. If you already know what they need, you’ll be higher ready to flex with the altering tides. Take a deeper dive into The Sprout Social Index™, which covers what manufacturers have to know for 2025 and past.