Social media isn’t just for scrolling anymore. It’s where people get their news, shop, and even form political opinions.

During the 2025election period, political parties spent around $36 million on Google and Meta ads between January and April. That figure doesn’t include all the content creators, videographers, and marketers behind the scenes.

Social Media Expert and Digital Marketing Specialist, Nicole Jameson, says this election saw the tides turn to connect to young voters who are now the majority. “It really highlights that digital marketing, and social media are here to stay…Parties who don’t speak fluent digital, aren’t speaking to one of their largest target demographics.”

What the Election Taught Us About Digital Strategy

According to Nicole, political parties in Australia learned from the U.S. elections. They began targeting nontraditional media: social platforms, Google, podcasts, and influencers.

Some parties did this well. Others, not so much.

“The Greens and Labor did a much better job,” she said. “They spoke the language of the platforms.”

In contrast, Liberal Party content on TikTok missed the mark. Some efforts were cringeworthy or felt out of touch.

“It just felt like someone let the Boomer in the gates,” Nicole joked.

Quality Over Quantity on TikTok

It wasn’t just about how many videos each leader posted. It was about whether those videos connected.

Albanese posted 86 TikTok videos. Dutton posted 31. But Labor’s content had better engagement.

“They understood the audience. They didn’t try to force weird memes or bad AI tricks,” said Nicole.

Know Your Audience or Risk Missing the Mark

Many parties didn’t fully understand who their audience was or where they were. “47% of voters were Millennials or Gen Z,” Nicole shared. “For the first time, they were the majority.”

Yet some politicians still focused on Boomers and Gen X. They used outdated marketing strategies and ignored the digital shift. “They weren’t speaking the right language in the right spaces,” Nicole said.

Lessons for Small Businesses and Personal Brands

What can everyday people take from all this? “If you have a small business or personal brand, you need to invest in digital marketing,” said Nicole. “It’s not optional anymore.”

Her advice:

  • Start with Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
  • You can post the same message at first.
  • As you learn, tailor your content to each platform.

Also, avoid direct tactics that feel invasive, like those dreaded political texts. “Australians don’t like being bothered,” Nicole laughed. “That strategy totally backfired.”

Don’t Just Post, Plan

Nicole recommends speaking to an expert, even if just for a strategy session. “Getting a map and a guide can save a lot of time and money,” she said.

She also warned against using the same content everywhere. “What you post on TikTok should be different to what you say on the nightly news,” Nicole explained. “Each platform has its own style.”

Where to From Here?

The digital marketing landscape is changing fast. Younger consumers are native to social media. That means every business and brand needs to keep up.

Nicole summed it up: “You can’t afford to ignore where people are. And right now, they’re online.”

Listen to the full conversation below.