March saw a significant surge in digital news consumption, with a 4.3% increase in audience engagement as 21.6 million Australians flocked to news websites and apps.
According to the latest Ipsos iris data, the surge was driven by a potent mix of breaking weather coverage, major news stories, and pop culture TV.
Cyclone Alfred dominated attention in Queensland and northern NSW, prompting real-time searches for emergency alerts and service disruptions.
Meanwhile, headlines involving Shane Warne, struggling retailers, and TV shows like Married at First Sight and Australian Idol kept eyeballs glued to screens.
The latest Ipsos iris report for March 2025
Utilities, auto and property brands benefit from digital shift
The uptick wasn’t limited to news: utilities platforms saw a 12.7% year-on-year increase in usage, with Queensland alone spiking 47.4% as locals sought updates during the storm’s aftermath.
Automotive sites rose 13.4%, homes & property lifted 8.3%, and career and gaming platforms also saw solid gains, signalling increased opportunity for brands to capture audiences during high-engagement news cycles.
Global headlines add fuel to local engagement
It wasn’t just local stories capturing attention, international news played a key role in lifting Australian digital audiences.
March saw high engagement with global events including a tense standoff in the Oval Office involving Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, along with widespread disruption at Heathrow Airport following the Hayes substation fire.
The 2025 Oscars, the tragic deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, and broader geopolitical tensions added further momentum.
Time online climbs
Australians spent an average of 4.8 hours online per day in March, that’s up 12.3% on last year.
The most visited digital categories were search, social networking, technology, retail and entertainment. With 22.1 million Australians aged 14+ now active across digital platforms.