Between study, work, social commitments and the constant pull of digital media, finding time to sit down with a book has become increasingly difficult, with moments of quiet often replaced by quick checks of phones, notifications and endless scrolling.
Reading Australia’s 2025 “Understanding Australian readers behavioural insights into recreational reading” report has found the majority of Australians want to read more, but do not have the time.
Of those surveyed, 54.9 per cent of readers and 49.8 per cent of non-readers say they read less than they intend to.
Reading Australia’s CEO, Anna Burkey said in the report’s foreword, that the organisation set out to understand why recreational reading appears to be declining.
“In our busy world, increasing numbers of Australians are reading less frequently, or not at all,” Ms Burkey said.
“We want to understand, and ultimately change, this story.”
The report breaks readers down into six groups: avid, engaged, ambivalent, aspirational, lapsed and non-readers. With the majority of respondents falling into the engaged readers column.
The report found many younger Australians fell into the aspirational reader category. These readers value books and express a desire to read more but often struggle to make reading a consistent part of their routine. Also made up of primarily full-time workers, who lack the time and motivation to read frequently.
Ms Burkey said the purpose of the report is to encourage reading in Australia, and increase the numbers of people interacting with physical media.
“We hope this research will provide a practical and thought provoking base to support an ongoing conversation about how to meaningfully influence reading participation in Australia,” Ms Burkey said.
The findings suggest that a lack of interest is not the reason Australians are reading less. Instead, competing priorities, limited free time and changing media habits appear to be creating barriers for readers who still see value in books.
The high rates of aspirational readers among younger Australians reflects changes in the way leisure time is spent.
Young people are often time poor, balancing study, work and social commitments, while navigating an increasingly digital world, reading tends to compete and fall short in the attention economy.
This raises an important question: is social media contributing to the decline of reading, or is it helping to keep reading alive?
The report found 24.9 per cent of respondents ranked social media as their preferred leisure activity, while only 17.3 per cent selected reading. At first glance, these figures appear to support concerns that social media is replacing books as a preferred form of entertainment.
Studies have shown concerns that commonly used social media platforms are associated with shorter attention spans. These platforms provide continuous streams of content that can be accessed quickly by scrolling, while reading a novel requires sustained focus over a longer period of time.
Online book communities on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Goodreads have blurred these lines, becoming important spaces for exchanging ideas, discussing books and creating online communities of readers.
One of the most influential examples is BookTok. The hashtag first emerged on TikTok in 2019 before exploding in popularity during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. Since then, BookTok has generated more than 80 million posts, transforming the way many readers discover and discuss books.
Australian fantasy author Nicola Murphy said reading is becoming a social activity, with online communities providing readers with opportunities to connect through shared interests.
“It’s a tool to build community, I think that’s what readers are turning to social media for, and vice versa, for social media users that are looking for community, books are a way to connect,” Ms Murphy said.
Ms Murphy said the impact of reading extends far beyond the pages of a book, shaping how readers connect with stories, share ideas and engage with others long after they have finished reading.
“I think that’s kind of the whole point… You’re not just opening a book to take in a story,” Ms Murphy said.
“You’re opening that book to share that story with a book club or on social media, it’s all very community focused.”
As readers increasingly turn to social media for community, these platforms are also becoming powerful tools for discovering new books and authors.
Avid reader Allison Simmons echoed Ms Murphy’s sentiments. She said social media has had an encouraging impact on all aspects of her reading habits, and introduced her to new stories.
“It’s really positive, I’ve read lots of smaller, self-published authors, rather than the big name authors,” Ms Simmons said.
The report found that 38.3 per cent of readers look to social media for inspiration and to find their next read. Ms Simmons said her experience reflects this trend
“My photo library is currently saturated with screenshots of book recommendations from small authors I find on social media.”
As technology has evolved, the relationship between readers, writers, and online spaces have too. Ms Murphy said social media has been a valuable platform for her connection with her readers, and encourages others in her industry to make their accounts.
“For authors, or aspiring authors, use it as a way to gather community around you, also give back to that communit,” Ms Murphy said.
Overall, the report findings indicate that reading habits are being shaped alongside the growing influence of social media, which plays a role in how many readers discover and engage with books.
