We Are Social: Social Media is the New Search Engine for Brand Research

According to the latest Digital 2025 Australia report, released by socially-led creative agency We Are Social and global media intelligence leader Meltwater, 58% of Australians use social media for brand and product research, nearly matching traditional search engines (62%).

Speaking exclusively to LBB, Suzie Shaw, CEO of We Are Social Australia, explained the findings reveal social media is “the new search engine.”

“Three in five Australians now turn to platforms like Instagram and TikTok to research brands before buying, far outpacing brand websites,” she said.

But as social media’s influence grows, so do concerns about misinformation and data privacy, leaving brands with a critical challenge: how to stay relevant while building trust in an increasingly sceptical digital landscape.

Australians spend an average of 1 hour and 51 minutes daily on social media, using 6.5 platforms each month.

TikTok leads in engagement, with Australians spending 38 hours and 51 minutes monthly on the app — four hours more than the global average.

Instagram, meanwhile, has emerged as Australia’s preferred social app, despite Facebook’s higher usage rate.

“Facebook may have the numbers, but Instagram owns the cultural cachet,” said Suzie.

“It’s where aspiration meets entertainment, whether that’s discovering niche creators, getting shopping and travel inspiration, or keeping tabs on celebrities and influencers.”

LinkedIn is also seeing significant growth, with its advertising audience reach increasing 13% year-on-year to 17 million users.

Australians now rank among the top five countries globally for time spent on LinkedIn’s Android app, reflecting a shift towards more personal use of the platform.

However, as social media’s role in brand discovery grows, so do concerns about trust and safety.

The report found that 75% of Australians worry about distinguishing real from fake information online, while 43% are concerned about how companies handle their data.

“Building and maintaining trust is critical and increasingly challenging, with three in four Australians struggling to tell what’s real and what’s not online,” said Suzie.

She emphasised that brands must work with credible creators, be transparent about products and partnerships, and avoid clickbait to build authenticity.

The rise of social media as a key research tool has also driven a surge in advertising spend.

Social media advertising in Australia grew 12% year-on-year to US$4.26 billion, now accounting for 29% of total digital ad spend.

Influencer marketing also saw a 13% increase, with brands investing US$520 million in influencer-led campaigns.

“Social and influencer ad spend is soaring because that’s where attention is,” said Suzie.

“But not all impressions are created equal. The brands that see real ROI aren’t just running their TVC on social or using influencers as a mouthpiece — they’re building true social-first ideas that people want to engage with.”

She pointed to We Are Social’s recent work with Contiki as an example, where a focus on authentic, platform-native content delivered a 60% increase in bookings.

Looking ahead, Suzie predicts social media will become even more central to how Australians shop, learn, and connect.

“Social will become even more central to how we shop, learn, and connect, with platforms integrating more commerce and AI-driven personalisation,” she said.

“TikTok’s influence will keep rising, so marketers will need to master its entertainment-first approach. And in the era of relatable authenticity, we’ll see an even greater shift away from polished ads and towards UGC-like content that blurs the lines between marketing and entertainment.”