The majority (60 per cent) of Australian independent media agencies are forecasting a flat or stronger FY27 for advertising expenditure, the Independent Media Agencies Australia (IMAA)’s 2026 Indie Census has revealed.
The annual Census, released by the IMAA today, incudes responses from 157 agencies and has become an industry benchmark for the nation’s vibrant independent media agency sector.
According to the new data, 61 per cent of IMAA members predict advertising expenditure will flatten or increase in the next financial year, with 30 per cent of agencies predicting spend will rise by up to 10 per cent to more than 30 per cent in the next financial year.
The forecast directly aligns with year-on-year growth across the sector, with 70 per cent of IMAA member agencies now billing more than $11 million annually in FY26, compared to 61 per cent in FY25.
Indie agencies anticipate that the top five media channels for ad spend will be BVOD/CTV, digital video, social, search and podcasts – with growth of up to 25 per cent and more expected.
Seven in 10 agencies are expecting podcasts to grow by up to 25 per cent, while 60 per cent believe BVOD/CTV and programmatic out-of-home will grow at the same rate. Digital radio and traditional out-of-home are also having a resurgence, with more than half expecting the channels to grow by up to 25 per cent in the coming year.
Digital remains the primary channel for marketing, with display, social and search commanding the greatest share of spend allocation, followed by classic, transit and programmatic out-of-home, BVOD/CTV digital video and audio (radio, digital radio and podcasts).
Platform measurement and linking media spend to business outcomes on each platform, however, was named as very or somewhat important by almost 92 per cent of agencies.
The Census also revealed that AI is seen as both the largest growth opportunity and the biggest challenge for independent media agencies as they head into the new financial year. AI-assisted creative and media optimisation was reported as the biggest incremental growth opportunity for agencies.
More than a third (33.9 per cent) of agencies, however, reported that adopting and integrating AI and generative AI into their workflows would be the biggest challenge in the coming months, naming data privacy and compliance concerns as the biggest barrier to increasing the use of AI in media planning and buying, along with the lack of skilled talent or internal expertise and unclear or unproven ROI.
Indies also remain committed to hiring the next generation of industry talent, the Census revealed.
Almost 40 per cent of agencies are keen to hire staff with up to three years’ industry experience, and a similar number sought three to seven years’ experience. Most indie agencies agreed that communication and client management were the biggest capability gaps in early media careers, followed by critical thinking and problem solving.
This year’s Census showed upper-funnel brand building (25 per cent) and short-form video (15 per cent) were seen as the next key areas for growth in the coming year, while proving media effectiveness and ROI to clients, along with navigating the increasingly complex media landscape, were seen as critical challenges.
The IMAA Indie Census includes responses from 157 independent media agencies across the nation, capturing valuable insights on how products, platforms and services are perceived by independent agencies.
IMAA CEO, Sam Buchanan, said: “Our latest Indie Census captures frontline perspectives from those making planning, investment and platform decisions every day, providing a trusted source of intelligence for our members and media partners.
“The Census shows a dynamic independent media agency sector, underpinned by solid growth and optimism about the next financial year. Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, local and global uncertainty and significant agency consolidation and job cuts in the broader advertising industry, our members remain positive about what’s to come in the next 12 months. It’s incredible to see that nearly 70% of our members are now billing more than $11 million annually – which is demonstrative of the significant and growing appetite by clients for indie agencies nationally.
“Our annual Indie Census findings continue to help shape the advocacy, initiatives and support delivered by the IMAA, ensuring our programs, partnerships and resources remain aligned with the sector’s evolving needs. This year, we’ll be doubling down on our efforts to support our members as they navigate the AI transition and its impact on everything from day-to-day operations to planning and buying.”
