📊 Search Engine Statistics in Australia (2025): A Local Look at Adelaide’s Digital Discovery Habits

In a world increasingly driven by data, understanding how people search online is more important than ever. For businesses in Australia—especially in localised markets like Adelaide—knowing where and how your audience searches can mean the difference between staying visible or getting buried in the noise.

From Google’s dominant role in traditional search to the rise of AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity, the search landscape in Australia is shifting rapidly in 2025. This blog unpacks the latest search statistics, trends, and platform usage—zooming in on how Adelaide locals are discovering content, services, and businesses online.

🌏 How Australians Are Searching in 2025: National Overview

Let’s start with a snapshot of Australia-wide search engine usage, based on the latest data:

• Google: 89% market share (~21 million users)

• Bing (including Copilot): 6% (~1.4 million users)

• DuckDuckGo: 1.5% (~360,000 users)

• Yahoo!: 1% (~240,000 users)

• Ecosia & others: 0.5% (~120,000 users)

🟢 Key Insight:
Despite competition from emerging AI search platforms, Google remains the default search engine for the vast majority of Australians.

🧠 The Rise of AI Search: ChatGPT, Perplexity & Copilot

AI-powered platforms are transforming how Australians—particularly in tech-forward cities like Adelaide—search for answers.

• ChatGPT (OpenAI): ~1.6 million monthly users

• Perplexity AI: ~700,000 monthly users

• Bing + Copilot: ~1.3 million monthly users

📍 Local Spotlight: How People Search in Adelaide

Adelaide, as South Australia’s capital and innovation hub, mirrors national trends but with some unique local twists.

🔹 Adelaide’s Top 5 Search Platforms by Volume:

1. Google

2. YouTube (used as a visual search engine)

3. Facebook (for community group-based local discovery)

4. ChatGPT / Perplexity AI

5. Instagram (for cafes, fashion, local events)

🔸 What Are Adelaide Locals Searching For?

Some of the top trending search categories in Adelaide over the last 12 months include:

• Home services (roofing, plumbing, pergola installation)

• Real estate trends

• Best cafes and restaurants (North Adelaide, Glenelg, Norwood)

• School rankings and enrolment guides

• Solar panel and battery installation

• Jobs and career development

• Lead generation services in Adelaide like this one

These trends highlight a growing demand for localised, trust-based content, which is why platforms like Reddit, Facebook Groups, and Google Business Profiles are seeing more interaction than ever.

📱 Mobile vs Desktop Search in SA

Mobile-first search has officially overtaken desktop in Australia, with 72% of all searches in Adelaide now happening on smartphones.

This has major implications for local SEO:

✅ Your website must be mobile-friendly
✅ Google Maps optimisation is essential
✅ Fast load times and click-to-call features are critical

If your business relies on outsourced help, consider remote staff in Adelaide to manage mobile optimisation and keep your digital strategy responsive.

💬 Social Media as a Search Engine

Social media isn’t just for scrolling anymore. For Adelaide’s under-40 demographic, Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok are being used like search engines.

Popular Searches on Social:

• “Best brunch in Adelaide” – Instagram

• “Mechanic near me” – Facebook local groups

• “Adelaide day trip ideas” – TikTok/Instagram reels

• “Which solar battery is best in SA?” – Reddit + ChatGPT

• “How to lodge BAS online Australia” – Quora + OpenAI

Visual search and peer validation are now just as important as keyword ranking.

🔍 Google’s Gemini AI Is Changing Local Search

In early 2025, Google began rolling out Gemini, its AI-powered assistant, into Australian search results—including local business searches in Adelaide.

Gemini offers:

• AI summaries of top local businesses

• Aggregated review snippets

• Side-by-side comparisons of services

• Conversational answers to complex queries

For example, if someone searches:
“Best pergola builders in Adelaide with free quotes”
They may now see an AI-generated list, pulled from Google Reviews, local schema markup, and recent blog posts.

👉 Local SEO now demands structured data, long-form content, and review optimisation to appear in Gemini's featured snippets.

🎯 Key SEO Takeaways for Adelaide Businesses in 2025

If you’re a local business owner or marketer, here’s how to stay competitive:

✅ Focus on Multi-Platform Search:

Don’t rely on Google alone. Optimise for:

• Google & Gemini AI

• Facebook Local Search

• Instagram location pins

• Reddit & Quora threads

• ChatGPT and Perplexity-compatible content

✅ Leverage Reviews & Local Content:

Your reviews, blog posts, and FAQs feed into AI assistants and social search engines. Make sure your lead generation strategy includes these formats.

✅ Think Mobile-First:

Ensure your site is:

• Fast-loading

• Click-to-call enabled

• Responsive across all devices

Consider hiring a virtual assistant in Adelaide to manage customer enquiries and mobile UX improvements.

✅ Optimise for Natural Language:

AI search thrives on conversational content. Focus on long-tail, question-based queries such as:

• “Who are the best-rated electricians in Adelaide?”

• “How much does a roof restoration cost in SA?”

• “Is solar worth it in South Australia 2025?”

🔮 Final Thoughts: Search Is Local, Conversational & Multi-Channel

The future of search in Adelaide—and across Australia—is no longer about ranking #1 on Google alone. It’s about being visible across all platforms where people are actively searching—from AI tools and voice assistants to local community pages and video reels.

By embracing AI-friendly content, multi-channel search strategies, and local SEO best practices, your brand can stay ahead in this fast-evolving landscape.

📢 Ready to Optimise for Adelaide’s Evolving Search Trends?

If you're a local business or marketer looking to dominate on Google, Gemini, ChatGPT, Facebook, Instagram, and beyond, we’re here to help.

👉 Request a free search audit or contact our Adelaide-based team today for a tailored local keyword and visibility strategy.