Moving from a 70/30 to 50/50 performance-to-brand marketing split can lift baseline sales by up to 10% (Kantar, 2024).
Let's talk about what's actually changing in Australian marketing this year.
2026 isn't just another year of "digital transformation" (we're all tired of that phrase, right?). It's the year AI stops being a nice-to-have and becomes as essential as your email platform. It's when Aussie consumers finally draw the line between genuine sustainability and greenwashing. And it's when smart businesses realise that chasing millions of followers matters far less than building real connections with thousands who actually care.
We've spent months talking with Australian marketing leaders, analysing hundreds of local campaigns, and digging into what's actually working — not just what sounds good in a boardroom. What emerged are ten marketing trends that separate businesses thriving in 2026 from those still stuck in 2024 thinking.
For Australian businesses planning their strategies this year, understanding these trends isn't about staying trendy. It's about growth and resilience in an increasingly competitive market. The brands that will thrive are those that balance technological innovation with authentic human connection, scale with personalisation, and efficiency with ethical responsibility.
Here's what you need to know.
The evolution from basic AI tools to sophisticated agentic systems represents one of the most significant shifts in marketing technology we've seen. Unlike traditional AI that requires constant human oversight, AI agents can autonomously plan, execute, and optimise complex marketing tasks with minimal intervention.
Think about your current marketing AI tools. They're helpful, sure. But they still need you to set parameters, check results, adjust settings, and make decisions. That's changing fast.
Agentic AI systems can set goals, make decisions, and take actions independently. In marketing, this translates to AI agents that analyse campaign performance, adjust bidding strategies, personalise content at scale, and even predict market shifts before they happen. These systems learn continuously, adapting their strategies based on real-time data and outcomes.
For Australian marketers, the possibilities are genuinely exciting. Imagine an AI agent that monitors your social media channels, identifies emerging customer concerns, drafts appropriate responses, and escalates only the most complex issues to your team. Or consider a system that automatically reallocates budget across channels based on predicted conversion patterns unique to the Australian market.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to Kantar's 2025 Marketing Trends report, brands implementing agentic AI systems see an average operational cost reduction of 40%, while simultaneously improving campaign performance by 25-30%. The ROI typically shows up within the first quarter of implementation.
Leading Australian retailers are already deploying AI agents for dynamic pricing optimisation, adjusting prices in real-time based on demand, competitor activity, and inventory levels. Financial services companies are using agentic systems to personalise customer journeys across multiple touchpoints, creating seamless experiences that feel intuitive rather than automated.
Customer service is another frontier. AI agents can now handle entire customer conversations — from initial enquiry through to resolution — understanding context, emotion, and intent with remarkable accuracy. This is particularly valuable for Australian businesses operating across multiple time zones or managing high volumes of routine enquiries.
The initial investment in agentic AI can be substantial, but the ROI typically comes through reduced operational costs, improved campaign performance, and freed-up human resources for strategic thinking. Australian businesses should start with pilot programmes in specific areas — perhaps email marketing optimisation or social media response management — before scaling across the organisation.
A phased approach works best: begin by identifying repetitive, data-intensive tasks that consume significant time. Deploy AI agents in these areas first, measure performance rigorously, and refine before expanding. Most importantly, ensure your data infrastructure can support these systems. Agentic AI is only as effective as the data it can access.
The greatest risk of agentic AI isn't technical failure. It's losing the human touch that makes brands relatable. Australian consumers, in particular, value authenticity and genuine connection. The key is using AI agents to handle scalable, operational tasks whilst empowering your human team to focus on creative strategy, relationship building, and the nuanced interactions that define your brand personality.
Set clear boundaries for AI decision-making. Define when and how AI agents should escalate issues to humans. And always maintain transparency with customers about when they're interacting with AI versus human team members.
KEY TAKEAWAY: AI Agents at Scale
What it means for your business: AI agents represent the shift from assisted marketing to autonomous marketing optimisation, freeing your team for strategic work while improving operational efficiency.
Start here:
ROI indicator: Businesses starting with pilot programs in email optimisation or social response management see 40% operational cost reduction while freeing teams for strategic work (Kantar, 2025).
📊 QUICK ASSESSMENT: Is Your Business Ready for AI Agents?
Ask yourself:
✅ 3-4 yes answers? You're ready to pilot agentic AI.
❌ Fewer than 3? Focus on data infrastructure and process documentation first.
The social media landscape in Australia is fragmenting, and that's not a problem — it's an opportunity. The era of broadcasting to millions of followers is giving way to meaningful engagement with thousands who genuinely care about your brand.
Micro-communities deliver what mass audiences cannot: genuine engagement, trust, and conversion. When you're speaking to a niche group united by specific interests, values, or needs, your message resonates more deeply. These communities self-moderate, create their own content, and become brand advocates in ways that paid influencers never could.
The data supports this shift. Engagement rates in micro-communities often exceed those of larger audiences by 5-10x (Social Media Today, 2025). More importantly, community members convert at significantly higher rates because they've already bought into your brand's values and vision before you ever make an ask.
"It's surprising how many brands are so focused on getting new customers in and not focused on that brand loyalty piece and how they keep consumers in the ecosystem." — Stephanie Waters, Founder, Mulberry Marketing
Reddit is experiencing remarkable growth in Australia, with local subreddits becoming powerful spaces for authentic brand engagement. Rather than traditional advertising, successful Australian brands are participating genuinely in relevant subreddits — answering questions and adding value without overt selling.
Discord, once the domain of gamers, is now hosting brand communities across industries. Australian fitness brands, in particular, have found success creating Discord servers where customers share workout tips, progress photos, and motivation. The brand provides structure and occasional expert input, but the community largely runs itself.
Even Facebook, despite declining usage amongst younger demographics, remains valuable for micro-communities. Private Facebook groups focused on specific interests — sustainable living in Sydney, small business owners in Queensland, or craft beer enthusiasts in Melbourne — offer brands targeted access to highly engaged audiences.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to WARC's 2024 Voice of the Marketer Survey, brands with active micro-communities (under 5,000 members) report 60% higher customer lifetime value compared to their broader social media audiences. The key driver? Repeat purchase rates exceed 50% among community members.
An Australian outdoor apparel brand recently shifted resources from Instagram follower growth to building a 3,000-member community on Discord. The result? A 40% increase in repeat purchase rate and invaluable product feedback that informed their next product line. Their customers aren't just buyers — they're co-creators.
A Melbourne-based speciality coffee roaster abandoned broad Facebook advertising in favour of nurturing a tight-knit community of coffee enthusiasts. Through exclusive virtual tastings, first access to limited releases, and member-only discounts, they've built a group that generates 60% of their online revenue despite representing less than 5% of their social following (WARC, 2024).
Creating a micro-community requires genuine commitment. You can't simply create a space and expect people to show up. Start by identifying your most passionate customers — those who already engage frequently, leave detailed reviews, or reach out with questions and feedback.
Invite them personally to join a community space. Give them a reason to participate: exclusive content, early product access, direct interaction with your team, or simply a place to connect with like-minded people. Then, show up consistently. Respond to posts, ask questions, celebrate member milestones, and create opportunities for members to connect with each other — not just with your brand.
The most successful micro-communities are those where the brand acts as facilitator rather than broadcaster. Your role is to create the space, set the tone, and empower community members to lead conversations and create value for each other.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Micro-Communities
What it means for your business: Deep engagement with 3,000 committed community members delivers more revenue and brand advocacy than superficial reach to 300,000 passive followers.
Start here:
ROI indicator: Brands with micro-communities under 5,000 members report engagement rates 5-10x higher than mass audiences, with repeat purchase rates exceeding 50% (Social Media Today, 2025).
📊 QUICK ASSESSMENT: Is Your Audience Ready for Community?
Ask yourself:
✅ 3-4 yes answers? You're ready to build a micro-community.
❌ Fewer than 3? Focus on email list engagement and customer relationship building first.
Ready to explore micro-community strategies for your brand? Book a free 20-minute strategic consultation to discuss how community-building fits your complete picture marketing approach.
Search is changing fundamentally. Australians are increasingly turning to AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews for information, bypassing traditional search results entirely. This shift demands a new approach: Generative Engine Optimisation.
Traditional SEO focuses on ranking for specific keywords and earning clicks to your website. GEO, by contrast, optimises for being included, cited, and accurately represented in AI-generated responses. When someone asks ChatGPT "What are the best marketing agencies in Sydney?" you want your brand to be mentioned in that response — even if the user never clicks through to your website.
This requires a fundamentally different content strategy. Where SEO prioritises keyword density and backlinks, GEO prioritises clear, authoritative, easily-digestible information that AI systems can confidently summarise and cite. It means structuring your content in ways that make it easy for AI to extract key facts, claims, and data points.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to Think with Google's 2024 digital marketing trends report, 43% of Australians now use AI chat interfaces for research before making business decisions. This represents a 156% increase from 2023, with the trend accelerating fastest among 25-44 year old business decision-makers.
Start by ensuring your content directly answers specific questions. Use clear headers that mirror how people actually ask questions. Include concise definitions, statistics, and factual statements that AI can extract cleanly. Structured data markup becomes even more critical, as it helps AI systems understand the relationships between different pieces of information on your site.
Authority signals matter enormously in GEO. AI systems prioritise information from sources they determine to be credible. This means earning mentions and citations from respected publications, maintaining consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across the web, and building genuine expertise that's recognised within your industry.
Perhaps most importantly, ensure your content is current. AI systems often prioritise recent information, particularly for topics where timeliness matters. Regularly updating your cornerstone content with fresh data, examples, and insights signals to AI that your information is reliable and current.
Australian search behaviour is evolving rapidly. Local searches increasingly happen through AI assistants rather than traditional search engines. Voice search, powered by AI, is becoming more sophisticated at understanding Australian accents, slang, and place names. This creates both challenges and opportunities for local businesses.
For location-dependent businesses, ensuring your information is consistent and comprehensive across platforms is critical. AI systems pull from multiple sources to answer local queries. If your business hours differ across Google My Business, your website, and social media, AI may surface incorrect information.
Begin by auditing your existing content through an AI lens. Ask AI systems questions your customers might ask and see if your brand appears in the responses. If not, identify gaps in your content that might explain the omission.
Create comprehensive, authoritative content on topics central to your business. Rather than dozens of short blog posts, consider creating definitive guides that AI systems will recognise as authoritative sources. Focus on depth, accuracy, and clarity over keyword optimisation.
Invest in structured data markup for all your important pages. Schema markup helps AI systems understand what your content is about, increasing the likelihood of being cited in AI responses. For Australian businesses, pay particular attention to local business schema, review schema, and FAQ schema.
Finally, monitor how AI systems are representing your brand. Regularly query AI assistants with questions relevant to your business and see what information they surface. If they're pulling outdated or incorrect information, work to correct it at the source and build stronger signals of authority around your current, accurate content.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Generative Engine Optimisation
What it means for your business: Being cited in AI-generated responses is becoming as valuable as ranking on Google's first page, especially as more Australians use ChatGPT and Perplexity for research.
Start here:
ROI indicator: 43% of Australians now use AI chat interfaces for business research, representing 156% growth from 2023 (Think with Google, 2024). Early GEO adoption creates competitive advantage before markets saturate.
📊 GEO READINESS CHECK: Is Your Content AI-Discoverable?
Test your current state:
✅ Brand mentioned accurately? Optimise further with schema markup and authority building.
❌ Not mentioned or inaccurate? Priority focus on comprehensive content creation and structured data.
Economic uncertainty is reshaping how Australians spend. Rather than large purchases or long-term planning, consumers are embracing "treatonomics" — the art of the affordable indulgence. Understanding this psychological shift is essential for brands across categories.
When the future feels uncertain, people focus on the present. Small luxuries — a premium coffee, a nice dinner out, a boutique candle — provide emotional comfort without significant financial commitment. These "treats" offer a sense of control and pleasure in uncertain times, making them resilient to economic pressures in ways that larger purchases aren't.
For Australian consumers navigating inflation, interest rate concerns, and global uncertainty, treatonomics represents a rational response. It's not about being irresponsible — it's about finding joy and comfort in sustainable ways. The $25 skincare product feels justifiable when the $2,500 holiday doesn't.
This behaviour creates opportunities for brands that can position their offerings as worthwhile indulgences rather than major investments. The key is understanding that these purchases are often emotional rather than purely functional. People aren't just buying coffee — they're buying a moment of pleasure, a small rebellion against stress, a tangible expression of self-care.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to ROI.com.au's Australia's Digital Future 2026 report, Australian consumer spending on "small indulgences" under $50 increased by 34% in 2024-2025, while spending on purchases over $500 declined by 18%. Premium coffee sales, beauty products, and home fragrance categories are showing strongest growth.
Reframe your products through the treatonomics lens. What emotional benefit does your product provide beyond its functional purpose? How does it make the customer's day better, even in a small way? This is particularly relevant for Australian brands in categories like food and beverage, beauty, home goods, and entertainment.
Consider pricing strategies that make treats feel accessible. Smaller package sizes, subscription options, or payment plans can transform a larger purchase into a manageable treat. An Australian skincare brand might offer travel-sized versions of luxury products, allowing customers to indulge without committing to full-size purchases.
Seasonal and limited-edition offerings tap perfectly into treatonomics psychology. The scarcity creates urgency whilst the special nature justifies the purchase. A Sydney bakery's monthly rotating speciality flavour becomes an anticipated treat rather than just another purchase.
Your messaging should acknowledge the emotional reality of your customers without being heavy-handed. Permission-based language works particularly well: "You deserve this," "A small luxury for everyday life," or "Because even weekdays should feel special."
Focus on the experiential aspects of your product. Rather than listing features, describe the feeling of using it. How does that morning coffee taste? How does that skincare routine feel? What mood does that candle create in your space?
Social proof matters enormously in treatonomics. When customers can see others justifying and enjoying these small indulgences, it normalises the behaviour. User-generated content, testimonials, and community sharing all reinforce that treating yourself isn't selfish — it's normal and healthy.
Recent data shows Australian consumers are reducing spending on big-ticket items whilst maintaining or even increasing spending on small luxuries. Dining out at casual restaurants is holding steady whilst fine dining drops. Premium coffee sales remain strong whilst home renovations decline. Travel spending is shifting from extended international trips to weekend getaways (ROI.com.au, 2025).
For marketers, this means emphasising accessibility and immediate gratification. Highlight how your product fits into daily life rather than being a special-occasion purchase. Position your brand as part of a sustainable self-care routine rather than an occasional splurge.
Understanding which category your product falls into is crucial. If you're in a discretionary spending category that's under pressure, consider how to reposition towards treatonomics. If you're already in a treat category, double down on the emotional benefits that make these purchases feel worthwhile even in uncertain times.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Treatonomics
What it means for your business: Small indulgences under $50 are recession-resistant. Position your products as accessible luxuries that provide emotional value, not major purchases requiring justification.
Start here:
ROI indicator: Australian spending on small indulgences under $50 increased 34% in 2024-2025, while purchases over $500 declined 18% (ROI.com.au, 2025). Brands positioned as "affordable luxuries" are capturing displaced spending from big-ticket categories.
📊 TREATONOMICS POSITIONING AUDIT
Evaluate your current positioning:
✅ 3-4 yes answers? You're well-positioned for treatonomics trends.
❌ Fewer than 3? Consider product unbundling, emotional messaging shifts, or limited-edition strategies.
Australian consumers have become remarkably sophisticated at detecting sustainability claims that don't hold up to scrutiny. With the ACCC taking an increasingly firm stance on misleading environmental claims, 2026 is the year that sustainability marketing gets serious — or gets penalised.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has made environmental claims a priority enforcement area. Their guidelines are clear: sustainability claims must be accurate, able to be substantiated, and not misleading. Vague terms like "eco-friendly" or "green" without specific backing are risky. Claims about carbon neutrality, recyclability, or environmental impact must be verifiable and clear about scope and limitations.
Recent enforcement actions have sent clear signals to Australian businesses. Vague claims, irrelevant certifications, and misleading imagery can result in significant penalties. More damaging than the fines, however, is the reputational harm when greenwashing is exposed.
The regulatory environment will only tighten further in 2026. Businesses should treat compliance as the baseline, not the goal. The question isn't "Can we legally say this?" but rather "Is this genuinely true, and can we prove it comprehensively?"
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to Showcase SA's Australian Marketing Trends 2025/2026 Report, 73% of Australian consumers actively research sustainability claims before purchasing, and 64% have stopped buying from brands after discovering greenwashing. Trust lost to greenwashing takes an average of 18 months to rebuild — if ever.
Authentic sustainability communication starts with genuine action. Before crafting messages, ensure your sustainability initiatives are substantive, measurable, and material to your business. Consumers can distinguish between companies that have integrated sustainability into their core operations and those treating it as a marketing angle.
Be specific. Rather than claiming to be "environmentally responsible," detail exactly what you're doing: "Our packaging uses 100% post-consumer recycled materials" or "We've reduced water usage in production by 40% since 2023." Specificity builds credibility and makes your claims verifiable.
Acknowledge imperfections and ongoing challenges. No company is perfect, and pretending to be creates scepticism. Australian consumers respect brands that are transparent about where they're excelling and where they're still working to improve. This honesty actually builds more trust than perfection claims that feel unrealistic.
Independent verification transforms claims from marketing speak to credible commitments. Certifications from recognised bodies — whether B Corp, Climate Active, Australian Certified Organic, or industry-specific standards — provide external validation that your practices meet established criteria.
However, not all certifications carry equal weight. Choose certifications that are rigorous, independently audited, and relevant to your industry. Displaying obscure or irrelevant certifications can actually undermine credibility, as informed consumers recognise these as attempts to appear legitimate without substantive commitment.
Transparency about your certification journey is powerful. Share not just the achievement but the process of getting there — the changes you made, the challenges you faced, and the ongoing requirements you must maintain. This behind-the-scenes view demonstrates genuine commitment rather than box-ticking.
An Australian fashion retailer recently faced significant backlash for claiming their line was "sustainable" whilst the majority of materials were conventional synthetics. The brand recovered by acknowledging the misleading nature of their initial claims, detailing their actual sustainability initiatives (which were meaningful but limited), and committing to transparent, specific communication about their ongoing journey. The honest correction rebuilt trust more effectively than the original claims ever could have (Showcase SA, 2025).
Conversely, a Melbourne-based personal care brand has built its entire identity on verified sustainability. Every claim on their website links to detailed documentation — third-party test results, certification details, and transparent supply chain information. They're open about aspects where they're not yet meeting their own standards, treating customers as partners in their sustainability journey rather than audiences for marketing claims. Their sales have grown consistently even as they charge premium prices, demonstrating that authentic sustainability creates commercial value.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Authentic Sustainability
What it means for your business: Vague sustainability claims risk ACCC penalties and consumer backlash. Specific, verifiable, honest sustainability communication builds trust and justifies premium pricing.
Start here:
ROI indicator: 73% of Australians research sustainability claims before purchasing, and 64% have stopped buying from brands after discovering greenwashing (Showcase SA, 2025). Authentic sustainability commands premium pricing and reduces marketing costs through word-of-mouth advocacy.
📊 SUSTAINABILITY CLAIMS COMPLIANCE CHECK
Audit your current marketing:
✅ All yes answers? You're positioned for trust-based sustainability marketing.
❌ Any no answers? Priority compliance review needed to avoid ACCC scrutiny and consumer backlash.
The most credible voices for your brand aren't celebrities or professional influencers — they're your employees. Australian companies are increasingly recognising that structured employee advocacy programmes can build trust, humanise brands, and reach audiences that traditional marketing cannot.
Employees provide authentic perspectives that polished corporate communications never can. When your customer service representative shares insights about solving customer problems, or your product developer explains the innovation behind a new feature, it carries weight that CEO statements don't. This authenticity is particularly valuable in the Australian market, where consumers are sceptical of traditional advertising and hunger for genuine connection.
The reach multiplier is significant. Even a modest-sized company with 50 employees has access to thousands of combined social media connections. When employees share company content, it reaches networks that your corporate channels never would. More importantly, it reaches these networks with implicit endorsement — "My friend works there and seems to think they're doing good work."
Employee advocacy also drives recruitment and retention. People want to work for companies they're proud to represent publicly. Creating opportunities for employees to share their experiences and expertise externally reinforces their sense of purpose and belonging. It transforms "I have a job" into "I'm part of something meaningful."
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to WARC's The Multiplier Effect report (2024), content shared by employees receives 8x more engagement than the same content shared by brand channels. Additionally, employees' social networks are 10x larger than a company's follower base, creating exponential reach opportunities.
Australian employment law requires careful consideration when implementing employee advocacy programmes. Participation must be voluntary — never coerced. Employees must be clear about when they're speaking on behalf of the company versus expressing personal views. And content creation, especially when done outside normal working hours, raises questions about compensation and intellectual property.
Clear policies protect both the company and employees. Define what types of content are encouraged, what topics to avoid, and how to handle confidential information. Specify whether content creation is considered part of job responsibilities or voluntary additional activity. Address ownership of content created by employees using company resources or expertise.
Privacy considerations are critical. Employees sharing customer stories or company information must understand confidentiality requirements. Even well-intentioned sharing can create legal issues if it inadvertently discloses sensitive information.
Successful employee advocacy doesn't happen by accident. It requires training, resources, and ongoing support. Start by helping employees understand how to use social media effectively — not everyone is naturally comfortable with public sharing. Provide guidance on storytelling, visual content creation, and professional but authentic tone.
Content prompts and templates lower barriers to participation. Rather than expecting employees to constantly generate ideas, provide jumping-off points: "Share a behind-the-scenes moment from this week," "What's one thing you learnt this month?" or "Explain something most people don't know about our industry." These prompts spark creativity whilst providing direction.
Recognition and celebration of employee content creators is essential. When someone creates particularly effective content, acknowledge it publicly. Feature employee creators in internal communications. Consider creating tiers of recognition or rewards for consistent contributors. This positive reinforcement encourages ongoing participation and signals that employee advocacy is valued.
Quantify the impact of employee advocacy to justify ongoing investment. Track reach and engagement of employee-shared content compared to corporate channels. Monitor website traffic from employee social profiles. Survey customers about how they first heard about your company — employee networks often surprise you with their influence.
Beyond metrics, gather qualitative feedback. What opportunities have arisen from employee content? Has it influenced recruitment? Have customers mentioned seeing employee posts? These stories often matter more than raw numbers in demonstrating value.
Most importantly, measure employee satisfaction with the programme. If participation feels forced or undervalued, the programme won't sustain. Regular check-ins with participants about what's working, what's challenging, and what support they need ensures the programme evolves based on actual experience rather than assumptions.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Employee Influencers
What it means for your business: Your employees' combined social networks are 10x larger than your brand's follower base. Structured advocacy programs turn team members into credible brand ambassadors.
Start here:
ROI indicator: Content shared by employees receives 8x more engagement than identical content from brand channels, with employees' networks reaching 10x more people (WARC, 2024).
📊 EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY READINESS ASSESSMENT
Evaluate your current state:
✅ 3-4 yes answers? Launch a pilot program with willing participants.
❌ Fewer than 3? Build internal brand pride and develop guidelines before launching formal program.
The deprecation of third-party cookies, coupled with increasingly stringent privacy regulations, has fundamentally altered the personalisation landscape. Australian marketers must now deliver tailored experiences whilst respecting consumer privacy — a challenge that requires both technological innovation and strategic rethinking.
Australia's privacy landscape is evolving rapidly, with reforms to the Privacy Act bringing Australian standards closer to the European Union's GDPR. The Australian Information Commissioner has signalled increased enforcement, particularly around consent, data minimisation, and transparency.
For marketers, this means explicit consent is non-negotiable. Pre-ticked boxes and buried consent in terms and conditions won't suffice. Consumers must actively choose to share their data, understanding clearly what they're consenting to and what value they'll receive in return.
The principle of data minimisation — collecting only what you genuinely need — forces marketers to be strategic about data requests. Rather than gathering everything possible "just in case," you must justify each data point collected. This constraint actually improves marketing by forcing focus on data that genuinely drives value.
Transparency requirements mean explaining not just what data you collect but how you use it. Australians are increasingly privacy-conscious, and opaque data practices erode trust. Conversely, clear, honest communication about data use can actually increase willingness to share information when consumers understand the benefit.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to Kantar's Marketing Trends 2025 report, 67% of Australian consumers are willing to share personal data with brands they trust, but only 23% currently trust most brands with their data. The trust gap represents both risk and opportunity for transparent, privacy-respecting brands.
Zero-party data — information customers intentionally share with you — becomes the gold standard. This includes preference centres, surveys, quizzes, and direct profile information. The key is making data sharing feel valuable rather than invasive. When customers complete a style quiz that helps you recommend products, they're willingly providing detailed preferences in exchange for better service.
First-party data from direct customer interactions — purchase history, website behaviour, email engagement — provides rich personalisation opportunities without privacy concerns. The challenge is using this data effectively across touchpoints. A customer who browses outdoor gear on your website should see relevant content in your emails, but implementation requires robust data infrastructure.
Building a first-party data strategy requires rethinking customer relationships. Rather than relying on third-party data brokers, invest in creating direct value that encourages customers to engage repeatedly with your own channels. Loyalty programmes, content communities, and useful tools all create reasons for customers to interact directly with your brand, generating valuable first-party data in the process.
Emerging technologies enable personalisation without compromising individual privacy. Federated learning allows AI models to learn from decentralised data without centralising sensitive information. Differential privacy adds mathematical noise to datasets, enabling aggregate insights whilst protecting individual privacy.
For most Australian businesses, these advanced techniques are implemented through marketing technology platforms rather than built in-house. When evaluating martech solutions, prioritise vendors that have privacy-preserving capabilities built into their architecture rather than bolted on afterwards.
Contextual targeting — serving relevant content based on the current page or activity rather than historical tracking — is experiencing a renaissance. Modern contextual technologies use AI to understand content semantically, enabling sophisticated targeting without user tracking. An article about hiking can trigger outdoor gear ads without knowing anything about the individual reader.
Privacy-first personalisation isn't just about compliance — it's about trust. Australians will share data with brands they trust to use it responsibly. This trust is built through consistent, transparent practices over time.
Make your privacy practices visible and comprehensible. Rather than legal jargon buried in policies, explain in plain language what data you collect, why you collect it, how you use it, and how customers can access or delete it. Some brands are creating "privacy centres" that make these practices clear and empower customers with easy-to-use controls.
Give customers genuine control over their data and personalisation experience. Preference centres that let people choose what types of communications they receive, how personalised their experience should be, and what data you can use demonstrate respect for autonomy. Paradoxically, giving people control often results in them sharing more data because they trust you to use it appropriately.
When mistakes happen — and they will — be transparent about them. Data breaches, unauthorised access, or errors in data handling should be communicated clearly and promptly, along with steps being taken to prevent recurrence. Transparency during problems can actually strengthen trust if handled well, whilst cover-ups destroy it permanently.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Privacy-First Personalisation
What it means for your business: Third-party cookies are gone. Winning personalisation strategies now rely on zero-party data (customers tell you preferences) and first-party data (direct interactions), combined with transparent privacy practices.
Start here:
ROI indicator: 67% of Australians will share data with trusted brands, but only 23% currently trust most brands (Kantar, 2025). Transparent privacy practices are a competitive differentiator that unlocks personalisation without tracking.
📊 PRIVACY-FIRST PERSONALISATION AUDIT
Evaluate your current approach:
✅ All yes answers? You're positioned as a trustworthy data steward.
❌ Any no answers? Priority compliance and trust-building work needed before expanding personalisation efforts.
Social platforms are no longer just discovery channels — they're becoming complete commerce ecosystems. Australian consumers are increasingly comfortable purchasing directly through social media, bypassing traditional e-commerce sites entirely. This evolution demands integrated strategies that treat content and commerce as inseparable.
TikTok Shop has launched in Australia with remarkable momentum. The platform's unique blend of entertainment and commerce creates purchasing moments that feel spontaneous rather than transactional. Australian brands finding success on TikTok Shop focus on authentic demonstrations, creator partnerships, and trend participation rather than polished advertising.
Instagram Shopping continues to evolve, with features like product tags, Shop tabs, and checkout functionality creating seamless purchase journeys. For Australian fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands, Instagram remains the social commerce platform of choice. The visual nature of the platform aligns perfectly with these categories, allowing products to be showcased naturally within content.
Facebook Marketplace and Shops serve different purposes — particularly strong for local businesses and secondhand commerce. Australian small businesses are using Facebook Shops to reach community audiences without the overhead of traditional e-commerce platforms. The integration with Messenger enables direct customer communication that builds relationships alongside transactions.
Emerging platforms are worth watching. Pinterest is deepening commerce features, particularly valuable for Australian home, design, and DIY brands. LinkedIn is experimenting with B2B commerce opportunities. Even YouTube is testing shopping features integrated with video content. The social commerce landscape will continue evolving rapidly throughout 2026.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to Digital Crew Agency's analysis (2024), social commerce sales in Australia are projected to reach $3.2 billion in 2026, representing 18% annual growth. Gen Z and Millennial shoppers now complete 40% of online purchases directly through social platforms without visiting brand websites.
Whilst livestream shopping hasn't achieved the same penetration in Australia as in Asian markets, it's growing steadily. Australian consumers are becoming more comfortable with the format, particularly for product launches, limited releases, and expert-led demonstrations.
The key to successful livestream commerce is entertainment value. Australians won't tune in for a straightforward sales pitch. They'll watch for entertainment, education, and personality. Beauty brands demonstrating makeup techniques, fashion brands styling complete looks, and tech companies unboxing and reviewing products all provide value beyond just selling.
Interactivity drives livestream success. Real-time questions, polls, and limited-time offers create urgency and engagement. The most successful Australian livestream sellers build anticipation before the event, create community during it, and follow up afterwards with highlights and additional purchasing opportunities for those who missed the live session.
Influencer marketing is evolving into direct commerce partnerships. Rather than paying creators for brand awareness posts, companies are increasingly offering affiliate arrangements or revenue sharing that align incentives around actual sales.
Micro and nano-influencers often outperform major influencers for commerce outcomes in the Australian market. Their audiences are more engaged, their recommendations more trusted, and their authenticity more apparent. A genuine product recommendation from a creator with 10,000 engaged followers often drives more sales than a polished endorsement from someone with 1 million.
Long-term partnerships outperform one-off posts. When creators genuinely use and recommend products over time, their audience perceives it as authentic endorsement rather than paid promotion. Australian brands are moving away from transactional influencer relationships towards ongoing partnerships where creators become genuine advocates.
Social commerce success requires infrastructure that can handle direct-from-platform purchases smoothly. Payment processing must be seamless — any friction dramatically increases cart abandonment. Integration with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or native commerce tools is essential.
Fulfilment speed matters enormously. Consumers purchasing impulsively through social platforms expect quick delivery. Australian brands must ensure their logistics can support social commerce volume and velocity. Consider partnerships with third-party logistics providers if your current fulfilment can't scale to meet social commerce demand.
Customer service channels must align with purchase channels. If someone buys through Instagram, they'll likely reach out through Instagram with questions or issues. Ensure your customer service team can handle enquiries across the platforms where you're selling, not just through traditional email or phone support.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Social Commerce
What it means for your business: 40% of Gen Z/Millennial purchases now happen directly through social platforms. Your social strategy must integrate content, community, and commerce seamlessly.
Start here:
ROI indicator: Social commerce in Australia projected to reach $3.2B in 2026 with 18% annual growth. Gen Z/Millennials complete 40% of online purchases through social platforms (Digital Crew Agency, 2024).
📊 SOCIAL COMMERCE READINESS CHECK
Assess your current capabilities:
✅ 3-4 yes answers? Scale your social commerce efforts across platforms.
❌ Fewer than 3? Build infrastructure before expanding social selling to avoid negative customer experiences.
Video isn't just another content format — it's becoming the dominant form of digital communication. Australian marketers must understand not just that video matters, but which video formats serve which strategic purposes throughout the customer journey.
Short-form video continues explosive growth, with TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts competing for attention. Each platform has distinct characteristics that inform content strategy. TikTok rewards trend participation and authentic, rough-around-the-edges content. Instagram Reels favours polished aesthetics consistent with overall feed quality. YouTube Shorts benefits from connection to the broader YouTube ecosystem, serving as entry points to longer content.
For Australian brands, platform selection should align with audience demographics and content strengths. Fashion and lifestyle brands often find Instagram Reels most effective. B2B companies are discovering unexpected success with LinkedIn video content, particularly thought leadership and behind-the-scenes content. Service providers are using TikTok to demystify their industries through educational entertainment.
Long-form content is experiencing a resurgence, particularly on YouTube. Australians are hungry for deep-dive content — detailed tutorials, comprehensive reviews, and thoughtful analysis. Brands that can provide genuine value through longer content are building authority and trust that short clips cannot achieve. The key is ensuring long-form content genuinely warrants the time investment rather than padding short concepts unnecessarily.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to Social Media Today's 2025 predictions, video content generates 1200% more shares than text and image content combined. Additionally, 85% of Australian internet users watch video content monthly, with average daily video consumption exceeding 2.5 hours across all platforms.
The pendulum has swung decisively towards authenticity over production polish. Australians, particularly younger demographics, often perceive highly produced content as inauthentic or corporate. They prefer content that feels real, even if technically imperfect.
This doesn't mean quality doesn't matter — it means the definition of quality has shifted. Good lighting and clear audio remain important. But a perfectly shot, scripted video often performs worse than an authentic, conversational piece filmed on a smartphone. The human element matters more than production values.
That said, production quality expectations vary by category and platform. A luxury brand can and should maintain higher production standards than a casual fashion retailer. YouTube audiences expect better production than TikTok audiences. Understanding these nuanced expectations for your specific audience and platform is crucial.
Efficient video marketing requires strategic repurposing. A single piece of content can and should serve multiple purposes across platforms. A long-form YouTube video can be broken into multiple short clips for TikTok and Reels. Key quotes or insights can become standalone posts. Particularly compelling moments can be extended into their own longer pieces.
The most sophisticated Australian brands are creating content with repurposing in mind from the outset. Rather than shooting for one platform and trying to adapt afterwards, they plan content that can naturally be segmented and reformatted. This maximises ROI on content production whilst ensuring platform-appropriate formatting.
Audio extraction extends video content value further. Video content can become podcast episodes, reaching audiences who prefer audio consumption. This is particularly valuable for interview-style content, discussions, or educational material where visuals aren't essential to comprehension.
Australian video audiences display some unique characteristics worth noting. Humour resonates particularly well — dry, self-deprecating, or absurd humour aligns with Australian cultural preferences. Local references and slang create connection, though overly forced "Australian-ness" can backfire.
Story-driven content outperforms hard-sell approaches. Australians want to be entertained or educated first, sold to second. Video content that leads with value — whether entertaining, informative, or inspiring — earns permission for promotional elements. Content that leads with promotion gets scrolled past.
Captions are essential, not optional. Many Australians watch video content in sound-off environments — commuting on public transport, in waiting rooms, or during work breaks. Content without captions excludes a significant portion of potential viewers and dramatically reduces engagement.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Video-First Content
What it means for your business: Video generates 1200% more shares than text/images combined. Both short-form (TikTok/Reels) and long-form (YouTube) video are essential for reaching Australian audiences across the customer journey.
Start here:
ROI indicator: 85% of Australians watch video monthly with 2.5+ hours daily consumption. Video content generates 1200% more shares than text/images (Social Media Today, 2025).
📊 VIDEO CONTENT STRATEGY ASSESSMENT
Evaluate your current video approach:
✅ All yes answers? Optimise production workflows and repurposing systems.
❌ Any no answers? Start with one platform and one format, build consistency before expanding.
The final frontier of marketing sophistication is anticipating customer needs before they're expressed. Advanced predictive analytics enable Australian brands to shift from reactive to proactive engagement, creating experiences that feel intuitive and personalised.
Churn prediction identifies customers likely to disengage before it happens. Rather than reacting to customers leaving, you can intervene proactively with targeted retention offers, personalised outreach, or product recommendations that address their evolving needs. For Australian subscription businesses, this capability can dramatically improve retention rates and lifetime value.
Next-best-action modelling determines the optimal engagement for each customer at each moment. When a customer visits your website, predictive systems can determine whether they need educational content, product recommendations, customer service assistance, or a promotional offer. This prevents the one-size-fits-all approach that frustrates customers by failing to meet their actual needs.
Lifetime value prediction helps allocate marketing resources efficiently. By identifying which customers or prospects will generate the most long-term value, you can justify higher acquisition costs for high-value segments whilst maintaining efficiency overall. This is particularly valuable in competitive Australian markets where customer acquisition costs continue rising.
Purchase prediction enables proactive inventory management and personalised timing. If analytics indicate a customer is likely to reorder soon, proactive outreach with a timely reminder or incentive increases conversion. For seasonal products, predicting demand patterns ensures inventory availability when customers are ready to buy.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? According to Ovative Group's 2026 marketing trends analysis, businesses using predictive analytics for customer retention see 25-35% reduction in churn rates and 15-20% increase in customer lifetime value. The technology is becoming accessible to mid-market businesses, not just enterprises.
Predictive analytics demands robust data infrastructure. Customer data must be unified across touchpoints — website, mobile app, email, customer service, and in-store interactions must feed into a single view. Siloed data limits predictive accuracy and prevents acting on insights effectively.
Data quality matters more than volume. Inaccurate, outdated, or inconsistent data produces unreliable predictions. Australian businesses must invest in data hygiene — regular cleaning, validation, and updating — to ensure analytics are built on trustworthy foundations. A smaller amount of high-quality data outperforms massive quantities of questionable information.
Real-time or near-real-time data processing enables acting on predictions whilst they're relevant. A prediction that a customer is likely to churn needs to trigger intervention immediately, not days later after they've already cancelled. Modern data architectures must support the speed that predictive marketing requires.
Predictive analytics raise ethical questions that Australian businesses must address thoughtfully. The line between helpfully anticipating needs and creepily predicting behaviour is subjective but real. Transparency about how predictions inform experiences helps customers feel in control rather than manipulated.
Bias in predictive models is a serious concern. If historical data reflects biased decisions, predictive models will perpetuate and potentially amplify those biases. Regular auditing of predictions for fairness across demographic groups protects both customers and your brand reputation.
Customer autonomy must be preserved. Even accurate predictions shouldn't remove choice. If analytics suggest a customer will want to upgrade their subscription, offering that option is appropriate. Automatically upgrading them would be overreaching. Recommendations informed by predictions are valuable; decisions made for customers are problematic.
Predictive analytics must integrate with existing marketing tools to deliver value. Predictions that sit in analytics dashboards without triggering action waste their potential. Integration with email platforms, CRM systems, advertising platforms, and customer service tools enables predictions to inform actual customer interactions.
Most Australian businesses will implement predictive analytics through platforms rather than building custom systems. When evaluating martech solutions, assess not just predictive capabilities but integration with your existing stack. The best predictive technology is worthless if it can't communicate with the systems that interact with customers.
Start with specific, high-value use cases rather than attempting comprehensive prediction across all customer behaviours. Focusing predictive efforts on areas with clear business impact — churn reduction, upsell optimisation, or inventory management — delivers ROI that justifies expanding to additional applications over time.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Predictive Analytics
What it means for your business: Anticipating customer needs before they're expressed transforms reactive marketing into proactive experiences. Accessible predictive tools now deliver enterprise capabilities to mid-market Australian businesses.
Start here:
ROI indicator: Businesses using predictive analytics see 25-35% churn reduction and 15-20% lifetime value increase (Ovative Group, 2024). Technology costs have decreased 60% since 2023, making it accessible beyond enterprises.
📊 PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS READINESS CHECK
Evaluate your current data capabilities:
✅ All yes answers? Ready to implement predictive analytics for churn or LTV.
❌ Any no answers? Focus on data unification and quality before investing in predictive tools.
You've just explored ten transformative marketing trends shaping 2026 in Australia. The question now is: where do you start?
Step 1: Prioritise Review the ten trends and identify which 2-3 align most closely with your current business challenges and opportunities. You don't need to master everything at once.
Step 2: Assess Use the readiness checklists throughout this article to evaluate where you stand on your priority trends. This honest assessment reveals where to focus first.
Step 3: Get Expert Perspective Book a free strategic consultation with our team. We'll help you understand which trends offer the highest ROI for your specific situation and create an actionable roadmap.
For Immediate Implementation:
For Brand Building Focus: If micro-communities, authentic sustainability, or employee advocacy resonated with you, our brand strategy services help you build meaningful, lasting connections with Australian audiences.
For Performance Optimisation: If AI agents, predictive analytics, or social commerce aligned with your goals, our digital marketing services deliver measurable results through data-driven execution.
For Integrated Strategies: If you recognise that brand and performance must work together (as the research clearly shows), our holistic approach ensures nothing falls through the cracks as you scale.
✓ Nearly 20 years of Australian marketing experience across government, retail, professional services, and lifestyle brands
✓ Complete picture marketing that integrates strategy, creative, and performance
✓ Unique cross-cultural expertise including Chinese marketing through WeChat and Little Red Book
✓ Proven track record with clients like City of Melbourne and successful mayoral campaigns
✓ Strategies that compound over time, not just quick wins
We've walked in your shoes. We understand the pressure to deliver results while building for the long term. That's exactly what these trends demand.
The marketing landscape of 2026 is defined by a fascinating paradox: technology is becoming more sophisticated whilst consumers demand more authenticity. AI agents handle complex optimisation whilst micro-communities crave genuine human connection. Predictive analytics anticipate needs whilst privacy-first approaches respect boundaries.
The brands that will thrive are those that master this balance.
For Australian businesses, these trends represent both challenges and tremendous opportunities. The organisations that act decisively — implementing AI thoughtfully, building genuine communities, optimising for generative engines, understanding treatonomics, demonstrating authentic sustainability, empowering employee voices, respecting privacy, embracing social commerce, leading with video, and deploying predictive analytics — will establish commanding competitive advantages.
The key is starting now with strategic focus. You don't need to master all ten trends immediately. Identify which trends align most closely with your business model, audience, and capabilities. Pilot implementations, measure rigorously, and scale what works. The brands winning in 2026 won't necessarily be those doing everything — they'll be those doing the right things excellently.
As you navigate these transformative changes, remember that successful marketing has always been about understanding and serving customer needs. These trends are simply new tools and contexts for that timeless purpose. Stay grounded in what your customers value, use these trends to serve them better, and you'll not just survive the evolution — you'll lead it.
Ready to turn these trends into action? Let's cultivate a fruitful partnership.
Kantar. (2025). Marketing Trends 2026. Retrieved from https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/marketing-trends
Wilson, P. (2024). Top Digital Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2026. Think with Google. Retrieved from https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-emea/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/digital-marketing-trends-2026/
Social Media Today. (2025). 36 Predictions for Social Media Marketing in 2026. Retrieved from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/36-predictions-social-media-marketing-2026/802195/
Ovative Group. (2024). The 6 Marketing Trends to Watch in 2026. Retrieved from https://ovative.com/impact/expert-insights/the-6-marketing-trends-to-watch-in-2026/
ROI.com.au. (2025). Australia's Digital Future 2026: Trends, Behaviours & The 3 Shifts Marketers Need to Make Now. Retrieved from https://roi.com.au/blog/australias-digital-future-2026/
Showcase SA. (2025). Australian Marketing Trends 2025/2026 Report. Retrieved from https://showcasesa.com.au/australian-marketing-trends-2025-2026-report/
Digital Crew Agency. (2024). WeChat vs Little Red Book: Who Wins in the Social Commerce Arena? Retrieved from https://www.digitalcrew.agency/wechat-vs-little-red-book-who-wins-in-the-social-commerce-arena/
WARC. (2024). The Multiplier Effect Report. Retrieved from WARC proprietary research database.
WARC. (2024). Voice of the Marketer Survey. Retrieved from WARC proprietary research database.
About Mulberry Marketing
Mulberry Marketing is a boutique creative marketing agency based in Melbourne, specialising in end-to-end digital marketing solutions for professional services and lifestyle brands. With nearly 20 years of experience and unique expertise in Chinese marketing through platforms like WeChat and Little Red Book, we deliver complete picture marketing where nothing falls through the cracks.
Our approach is grounded in truth, clarity, and honest communication. We've worked with clients including the City of Melbourne, Sally Capp's and Nicholas Reece's successful Lord Mayoral campaigns, and dozens of Australian businesses ready to scale sustainably.
Ready to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026?
Contact us today for a free strategic consultation and discover how these trends can drive measurable growth for your brand.
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