Australia’s first influencer election: How TikTok reshaped the 2025 campaign

TikTok, memes and influencer cameos have emerged as defining features of the 2025 federal election, with new analysis confirming what many industry watchers have suspected: this is Australia’s first truly social media–led election.

As social platforms played host to politicians across the spectrum – from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s policy explainers and podcast appearances, to meme-driven reels from Greens leader Adam Bandt – the battleground for younger voters has well and truly shifted online.

The strategic use of TikTok, influencer collaborations and rapid-response content has transformed campaign messaging into scroll-stopping moments, leaving traditional formats like door-knocking and TV spots fighting for attention.

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“We are witnessing Australia’s first truly social media–led election, where influencers and social-first content are setting the tone of the national conversation,” Ross Candido, Meltwater VP ANZ, said.

“Australians have been highly engaged online, and some of the most impactful voices this election aren’t politicians or journalists, but everyday creators shaping public opinion in real time.”

In the battle for TikTok supremacy, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has taken a commanding lead, posting more than double the amount of content as his political rivals and generating significantly more engagement and reach across the campaign period.

New data from influencer marketing platform Fabulate shows Albanese’s TikTok account (@albomp) pulled in 4.97 million cumulative views across the campaign, compared to 1.23 million for Liberal leader Peter Dutton and 957,000 for the Greens' Adam Bandt. On engagement, the ratio was 2:1 in Albanese's favour.

Nathan Powell, chief strategy and product officer at Fabulate, said Gen Z and millennial voters could deliver unexpected results. Data shows these demographics now make up more than one third of voters in a slew of key seats.

“This is an election campaign where the votes of young Australians have mattered like never before,” Powell said.

“TikTok is a central platform for reaching many of these voters, and the numbers clearly show Labor and Albanese were far more effective in utilising the platform.”

Fabulate shows that key to Labor’s success was consistency. Across the campaign, Albanese increased his TikTok follower count by over 25%, and posted more frequently than Dutton and Bandt combined.

“TikTok is a platform that is not solely dependent on your follower count to determine how far your videos go,” said Powell.

“What Labor has been excellent at is consistently posting – using a test-and-learn strategy built for the platform.”

Top-performing Labor content included posts on Medicare, construction apprenticeships, and tariffs – tapping into everyday issues with a relatable tone and presentation. The Greens found traction by leaning into influencer partnerships and viral moments, including a video of Bandt DJ-ing, which drew more than 22,000 engagements.

Data from Meltwater backs up the broader trend. The media intelligence company found overall election-related social media posts increased by 20% in the two weeks leading up to May 1, generating more than 4 million engagements.

“We’re seeing a clear shift, not just in what voters care about, but how and where they engage,” Candido said.

“The latest polling shows early voting preferences leaning toward the Liberal Party, though Labor maintains a slight lead on a two-party preferred basis. What’s particularly compelling is how closely social media sentiment mirrored voter behaviour in the last election - and whether that will prove true again.”

While the Liberal Party drove a higher volume of posts and engagements overall, sentiment around Dutton remained skewed negative. Labor, on the other hand, surged in areas such as healthcare, with Albanese's Medicare messaging emerging as a key narrative battleground in the final fortnight of the campaign.

Meltwater and Fabulate’s findings collectively illustrate a changing media environment, one where consistency, authenticity and creator alignment have replaced big-budget ad buys as the pathway to influence.

SEE MORE: Election sees politicians flood airwaves, podcasts and social feeds

Among the most influential voices this campaign has been Abbie Chatfield, whose platform has become a key channel for youth political messaging. Her Instagram reel featuring Bandt DJ-ing encouraged youth voting and attracted over 22,000 engagements and 79,000 reach.

“Australians are showing up in force online this election, but it’s clear from the data that emotional fatigue and scepticism are running high,” Candido added.

“What we’re seeing is a real shift - not just in what voters care about, but in how and where they’re engaging. Influencers and social-first content are driving the conversation, far outpacing traditional media. For brands and political campaigns alike, tools like Meltwater’s Election Centre are critical to understanding these evolving dynamics, identifying the right channels, tailoring content that actually cuts through, and monitoring any unintended association with misinformation or content that doesn’t align with the brand’s or campaign’s values.”