Aussies are on social media constantly. We check in with our friends on Facebook, watch videos on YouTube and follow our favourite brands on Instagram. In fact, as a nation we have some of the most active social media users in the world.
Here are some of the most interesting social media facts in Australia, and what they mean for you.
Fact 1: There are 20.80 million Australian users on social media platforms.
That’s almost 80% of the country who regularly use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube or LinkedIn. What’s more, 58% of Aussies check social media as soon as they wake up.
In other words, investing in social media is no longer a ‘nice thing to have’ for a small business—it’s essential.
Australia’s influencer marketing industry is also growing at a rapid pace. In 2022, the market’s worth was over 16 billion Australian dollars, a significant increase in just five years.
According to projections, the market is expected to reach a value of about 21 billion Australian dollars by the end of 2023. This growth is being driven by businesses’ increased expenditure on social media influencer marketing, which is predicted to continue to rise in the upcoming years.
Fact 2: Facebook is the most popular social media platform.
How many people use Facebook? In Australia, it’s the most popular social media platform, with 89% of us having an active account. The average user accesses the platform 29 times per week, and spends an average of 8 hours there every week.
Facebook is one of the most important social media platforms for any small business to connect with existing customers, and find new ones. If you have to choose one social media platform for your small business, chances are you will end up picking Facebook.
Around 15% of Facebook users use the platform specifically to search for and purchase products. Whether you’re running a software company or a clothing business, Facebook can be a great platform to achieve success.
By utilising Facebook’s ad management tool and crafting a marketing strategy that takes into account your target audience, you can increase your chances of success. So, if you’re an eCommerce business that has identified the right audience for your ads, the high conversion rates on the platform suggest that your target market is highly likely to make purchases based on your ads.
Fact 3: Almost half of Australians use Instagram.
Our Social Media Report found that 45% of respondents use Instagram.
Whether it’s posting pictures or checking out hashtags, Australians love Instagram. Instagram is one of the best channels available for social media marketing, if your products are visually appealing.
As you may already know, Facebook (now called Meta) owns Instagram. This is great news for small businesses, because you can run ad campaigns across the two to reach more users.
Instagram has become more shopping-oriented than ever before. The platform has added new shopping features and even ventured into shopping live streams. These efforts have proved to be fruitful. According to a survey of over 1000 marketing professionals, Instagram had the second-highest ROI among all social media platforms in 2021.
Fact 4: Australians spend an average of 12 hours a week on YouTube.
As the go-to source for video content, Aussies spend an average of 12 hours on YouTube per person every week. This makes YouTube more popular in terms of time spent on site than any other platform (Facebook is in second, at eight hours).
Like other platforms, YouTube has paid advertising available before and during a video, but you can also create and post your own content for free. It’s owned by Google, which is a bonus as you can include it in your display marketing campaigns.
Fact 5: There are 33.59 million active mobile connections in Australia in early 2024.
Mobile matters. Australia has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the world, with 33.59 million active mobile connections, equivalent to 126.4% of the total population.
Social media users in Australia are checking apps on their daily commute, during breaks or in the evenings, which explains why so much ad revenue is invested in mobile.
The takeaway? When you’re setting up ad campaigns on social media, remember to prioritise mobile to reach your customers anywhere at any time.
Fact 6: 39% of social media users follow a brand.
This one’s great news for small businesses. Almost four in ten Australians follow brands or businesses on social media, which means they’re interested in and open to connecting with companies online.
On top of that, more than half of all consumers say that they’re more likely to trust brands that invest in their social media, and interact with customers in a positive way online.
Want to learn how your business can harness social media marketing in Australia? Start reaching customers today with our Social Ads packages.
