Key Australian Marketing Stats: Ad Spend, Mobile Usage and Online Behaviour in 2026

You run a local business in Australia. You know digital marketing works — but you need data to guide your next move. In 2026, the numbers for internet use, mobile uptake, social media, ad spend and user behaviour shape what works best. This post walks you through the key stats. Then it shows what those stats mean for your marketing and what you should do now.

Australia’s Digital Audience Snapshot (2026)

First, let’s look at how connected Australians really are in 2026.

• Around 26.2 million individuals use the internet in Australia. That means internet penetration sits near 97.1% of the population.

• Cellular mobile connections have risen to 34.1 million. That number exceeds total population — many individuals hold more than one mobile connection.

• Social media remains widespread. Roughly 21.0 million social media user identities exist as of late 2025 — about 77.7% of the total population.

These numbers show one simple truth: almost everyone in Australia is online — often via mobile. That gives local businesses real reach, if you optimise for mobile and stay visible where your customers already live online.

Daily Online Behaviour: How Australians Spend Their Time

Understanding when and how people use the internet matters. Here are recent patterns:

• On average, Australians spend over 6 hours a day online.

• Younger users (aged 16–24) are especially active — they spend more time online than older groups.

• Mobile remains dominant. A vast majority of users access the web via their phones.

• Besides mobile phones, many households also use laptops and smart TVs.

What this means for you: people may browse, search, scroll social media or watch videos outside traditional “business hours.” They might use mobile if they are waiting in line, using transport, or lounging at home. Your content and ads must meet them where they are — and work well on mobile.

Digital Ad Spend in Australia: Recent Trends & 2026 Projections

If audience attention moved online, ad dollars followed quickly. The Australian digital ad market has seen steady growth — and new shifts.

• In 2024, online ad spend reached AUD $16.4 billion, up 11.1% year-on-year.

• In FY2025, ad spend rose further to AUD $17.2 billion, a 10.6% increase over the prior year.

• Of this spend, search remains the largest share with 44%. However, video advertising now drives much of the growth. In FY2025, video ads represent roughly 29% of all internet ad spend.

• Social‑video and video-on‑demand formats gained significant momentum. Social‑video ad spend grew sharply year-on-year, and forms like BVOD and other video ads also rose.

These figures show ad spend is diversified: search, video, social and other formats all get budgets. For you, this means you can no longer rely only on one channel and expect to get optimal reach or conversions.

Channel Performance & Where Local Businesses Should Focus

With so many channels, which ones should you pick?

Search advertising

Search ads still deliver strong value — especially for “high intent” customers. People looking for local services or products often type queries into search engines. Because search spend remains dominant (44%), this channel remains a stable choice.

Video & social video

Video exploded in 2025 and 2026. Use it when you want to build awareness, show products/services in action, or create trust. Video ads perform well across devices, and social‑video formats help you reach audiences on platforms they use daily.

Display, classifieds, audio and niche formats

These formats still serve purpose — especially for remarketing, brand exposure or industry‑specific campaigns. However, the biggest growth and ROI tend to come from search and video for local businesses.

Multi‑device and cross‑device strategies

Australians use a mix of devices. Some browse on mobile, then switch to desktop or smart TV. You must ensure your website, content, ads and conversion paths work across all relevant devices.

Audience Demographics & Behaviour Insights

Demographics shape what works.

• Younger Australians spend more time online. They tend to adopt new platforms faster and react well to video or social content.

• Older age groups are coming online more too. Device adoption among seniors continues rising. In 2024, smart devices beyond phones — like smart TVs, wearables and smart‑home gadgets — gained traction across age groups.

• Social media usage spreads across age ranges. While earlier social media trends skewed young, gaps now narrow: older users engage more often too.

For your business, this suggests you can reach multiple age groups with one campaign — but you may need to adjust channels and messaging depending on who you target.

Implications for Local Businesses & Agencies

Given these stats, what should you do?

• Prioritise mobile-first web design and ad creatives. If people mostly browse on phones, you must make sure your website loads fast, looks good and offers easy navigation.

• Use a mix of search and video for strong results. Search brings intent-based traffic, while video builds awareness and engagement.

• Diversify across channels. Don’t rely solely on one format (like search or display). Spread your budget across channels to reduce risk and reach different audience segments.

• Monitor device usage and plan accordingly. Use analytics to check how users visit your site — via phone, laptop, tablet or smart TV — then optimise for the most common paths.

• Align creative and message with your audience’s age group and habits. If you serve older clients, adapt your tone. If you target younger consumers, use more video and social content.

Actionable Strategies Based on 2026 Data

Let’s move from insight to action. Here are clear steps you can take now, with limited budget:

1. Build a mobile-first website

Use a responsive design and optimise for speed. Ensure pages load fast, images are compressed, navigation is simple and contact forms are easy to fill from a phone.

2. Combine search and video ads

Run search campaigns for high-intent, local keywords. At the same time, test short video ads on social platforms or video platforms to build brand awareness.

3. Retarget across devices

Use cookies, CRM data or server-side tracking to retarget users who visit your site via mobile on their laptop or smart TV later. Keep the message consistent.

4. Adapt creative and tone to your audience

If you serve younger customers, use energetic visuals and social proof. For older customers, focus on clarity, credibility and reassurance.

5. Review performance regularly — quarterly at minimum

Track reach, click-throughs, conversions and cost. Use this data to adjust channel mix, budgets, creative types and targeting.

Risks, Watch‑outs and What Doesn’t Work (or Works Less)

Even with big numbers and clear channels, you must avoid common mistakes:

• Do not rely only on one channel. If you put all budget into display or only social video, you risk missing audiences who still search or prefer other formats.

• Don’t assume mobile behaviour is identical across all audiences. Younger and older users behave differently. Test and segment.

• Avoid poor creative or unoptimised ads. High ad costs and competition mean that low‑quality ads may fail.

• Don’t ignore analytics. Without proper tracking, you risk spending money without knowing what produces results.

2026 Forecast: Where the Numbers Suggest the Market Is Going Next

Looking at recent growth and usage patterns, you can expect the following trends in the near future:

• Video and social‑video ads will continue their rise. As more users watch content on mobile and smart devices, video becomes even more central.

• Mobile and multi‑device campaigns will dominate. People may start a search on phone and finish on smart TV or laptop. Your campaigns must follow them fluidly.

• Ad budgets are likely to spread across formats. As search becomes saturated, businesses will shift to video, social and retargeting to reach users effectively.

• Creativity and speed will matter more. With more ad clutter, attention spans shrink. Clean messaging, fast-loading pages and engaging content will win.

Checklist for Local Brands: How to Use These Stats Now

Conclusion — What the Data Means for Your Business Growth

The data shows that Australia is deeply connected online. People spend many hours a day browsing, watching, scrolling, messaging and searching. Ad spend continues to rise, and growth now flows into video and social formats.

If you adapt your approach — with mobile-friendly sites, mixed ad strategies, multi-device tracking, and regular review — you can reach audiences where they spend time. You can generate leads, build trust and grow steadily.

For local businesses in 2026, this is the moment to act. Use data. Stay visible. Serve your customers where they are.

If you want expert help with any or all of these steps — from website design and SEO, to content, ads, programmatic campaigns or retention strategies — remember that Conquerra Digital works with local Australian businesses. We help you plan with data, run campaigns and track real results.

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