As the 2025 Australian federal election approaches, opposition leader Peter Dutton may have more followers on his personal TikTok account, but one expert believes Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is performing better on the platform. Both leaders opened their respective accounts at the end of last year, separate from the official accounts of the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party of Australia, and have begun campaigning on the platform.
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03-22, 2025Dr. Susan Grantham, a public relations scholar at Griffith University who specializes in the intersection of social media and politics, said that the presence of both leaders on the popular app is not surprising. The "2024 Digital News Report: Australia" found that nearly half of Australians use social media to access news, and nearly two-thirds of Gen Z use social media as their primary source of news. Video news consumption is also increasingly popular, especially short-form video news on platforms like TikTok and Reels, making them very powerful campaigning platforms for politicians.
Dr. Grantham pointed out that Albanese's performance on TikTok is catching up. She said, "If you had asked me this question a month ago, I would have said Dutton." "But Albanese has been working hard. He has a lot of videos, seems to be getting good attention, and what he's doing, what he's presenting is more diverse... Albanese is absolutely doing a very good job." As of this writing, Albanese has approximately 23,000 followers and 269,000 likes on TikTok, having posted 42 videos, while Dutton has approximately 29,000 followers and 383,000 likes, having posted only 16 videos.
Albanese's TikTok account, @albomp, cultivates an image of an "ordinary Australian," which performs well on the app and is favored by its algorithm. He can leverage social media trends and lighthearted content, such as handheld selfie-style videos, without seeming inauthentic. Dr. Grantham emphasized that the key to TikTok is authenticity, even if you are a politician. On the other hand, Dutton has cultivated an image of a traditional and upright politician for many years, which is reflected in the content of his TikTok account, @peter.duttonmp. While his public image is not as "TikTok-friendly" as Albanese's, he has remained true to his image on the app, rather than trying to participate in trends that do not fit his personal brand. Dr. Grantham believes this is a wise strategic decision.
Dr. Grantham explained, "When we talk about political authenticity, we're not just talking about the authenticity that's popular on social media – what we see influencers doing." Instead, politicians must present a "true" image on social media that is consistent with their public persona; this is what Dr. Grantham calls "politically authentic self." Politicians must be perceived as authentic while not deviating from their already established public or personal image, walking a tightrope between relatability and respect. Therefore, Albanese and Dutton must adopt different TikTok strategies, because the definition of what is "authentic" is different for each of them. Dr. Grantham said, "Peter Dutton has a very distinct personality. He's been in politics for many years, and we expect him to act and behave in a certain way." "Albanese has more of an 'ordinary Australian' style, which really shone through in the 2022 election... He will continue to maintain this personal style in his personal TikTok account."
While Albanese's "politically authentic self" is more suitable for TikTok, as the key to TikTok is relatability, Dutton is also performing reasonably well on the app. Although he has posted fewer videos, the opposition leader has more followers and likes than Albanese, and his content consistently attracts high views. While some of Dutton's videos have attracted negative comments, Dr. Grantham believes this is not a bad thing; negative engagement is still engagement. It is clear that both Albanese and Dutton plan to incorporate TikTok into their campaign strategies for the 2025 federal election, and Dr. Grantham expects that we will see more of Dutton and Albanese on Australians' "For You" pages before we go to the polls this year. Dr. Grantham said, "There are so many different age groups that are using TikTok for these purposes, so absolutely being on a platform like TikTok is essential." "As to whether that's enough to win a leader an election, that remains to be seen."
