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Insights · Audiences · 4 min read

Your customers don't shop in one place anymore.

Where Australians discover, research and buy in 2026, and why a full-funnel plan beats chasing one channel.

Essen Tsou
Essen Tsou15+ years in paid media · Updated October 2026
  1. DiscoverSees it on TikTok
  2. ResearchReads reviews, asks friends
  3. ValidateAsks ChatGPT to compare
  4. CompareSearches the brand on Google
  5. BuyConverts on your site

Last-click reporting gives all the credit to the final step. Every step before it did the work.

21M Australians use social media, 77.7% of the population. That grew just 0.5% in a year.

The audience isn't growing. It's moving.

Almost everyone is already online. What's changing is where people spend their attention and where they start looking for things. That's where your budget needs to follow.

01 · Where they are

Meta still has the reach. TikTok has the momentum.

Facebook and Instagram remain the biggest audiences in Australia. TikTok is growing fastest, and now reaches over half of Australian adults. X is shrinking.

Targeting families or teens?Australia's under-16 social media ban took effect on 10 December 2025. Plan for reaching parents instead.
Australian audience by platformMillions of people, Oct 2025 snapshot
Facebook
17.7M
Instagram
15.2M
TikTok
10.9M +13.9%
X
4.74M −5.4%
Ad reach (Facebook, X), users (Instagram) and adults 18+ (TikTok). DataReportal Digital 2026 Australia, via Shout Digital. Change is year on year.

02 · How they research

Social isn't just for awareness. It's where people do their homework.

68%
of Australian online shoppers use social media to discover, research or compare brands
88%
of shoppers aged 18–39 do the same
86%
say the brand's reputation matters when acting on a creator's recommendation

IAB Australia & Pureprofile, Commerce & Discovery Report 2026. 1,079 Australian online shoppers aged 18–70.

03 · Where they start

Fewer journeys start on Google or your website.

Where shoppers discover productsChange in share, Aug 2025 to May 2026 (global)
Brand websites & apps
−7%
Traditional search
−15%
AI assistants, social & apps
+38%
Salesforce State of Commerce, August 2026. Global consumer data.
AI shopping in Australia
1 in 5already use AI tools when shopping online
63%are interested in trying an AI shopping agent
4%want AI involved at checkout. They still want to buy from you.
Commerce & PayPal Australia, 1,000 online shoppers, June 2026.

04 · Full funnel, explained

Every stage needs a job, a channel and a number to watch.

Tap a stage to explore it.

The job Get noticed by people who don’t know you yet.
Where
TikTokInstagram ReelsYouTubeDemand GenCreators
What to measure
  • Reach and cost per 1,000 people
  • Video views and watch time
  • Growth in branded searches
The most common mistake I see: all the budget sits in "Convert", because that's what last-click reporting rewards. It works until the pool of ready-to-buy people runs dry, then costs climb.

So what should you do?

  1. 1Fund every stage, not just the last one.Set a budget split across discover, consider, convert and retain, and review it quarterly.
  2. 2Show up where homework happens.Short video, creators, reviews and clear answers that AI tools can quote.
  3. 3Measure beyond the last click.Track branded search growth, assisted conversions and new vs returning customers.
Essen Tsou

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