How popular isYouTube?
In September 2026, people searched for YouTube by name about 3.4 million times in New Zealand, about the same as the previous year. These searches made up 42.8% of all New Zealand social media platform searches, placing YouTube first out of ten platforms. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about social media platforms, YouTube appeared in four of the five answers and was the fourth most recommended of the ten.
YouTube is the most searched of 10 competitors and the fourth most recommended in AI answers.
YouTubeShare of searches 42.8%Mentioned in 4 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
FacebookShare of searches 30.6%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
InstagramShare of searches 7.1%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
TikTokShare of searches 4.9%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd
PinterestShare of searches 4.7%Mentioned in 2 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 9th
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Top social media platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, YouTube was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. YouTube is the fourth most recommended of the ten.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Facebook5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Instagram5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- TikTok5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- YouTube4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Reddit4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
LinkedIn3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Snapchat3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Pinterest2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
WhatsApp2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Threads0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about social media platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which social media platform should I use in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best social media platforms in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best social media platform in New Zealand for sharing and browsing?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“social media platforms nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“popular social media apps”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 19, 2026.
Which social media platforms compete with YouTube?
Share of searches by month for YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Reddit, WhatsApp, LinkedIn. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | YouTube | TikTok | Snapchat | Threads | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 42.9% | 30.2% | 8.7% | 4.1% | 4.7% | 3.4% | 2.1% | 2.5% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 43.8% | 30.9% | 7.3% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 3.5% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 44.8% | 31.6% | 7.4% | 4.2% | 4% | 3.5% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 1.1% | <0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 44% | 31.2% | 7.3% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 2% | 2.1% | 1% | <0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 43.8% | 31% | 7.2% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 3.5% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 46.2% | 27.2% | 7.7% | 4.3% | 5% | 3.7% | 2% | 2.3% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 42.9% | 30.7% | 7.1% | 4.9% | 4.7% | 4.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| May 2026 | 41.7% | 29.8% | 8.4% | 4.7% | 5.5% | 4% | 2.3% | 2% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Jun 2026 | 42.4% | 30.2% | 7% | 4.8% | 5.6% | 4% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Jul 2026 | 43.4% | 30.9% | 7.2% | 4.1% | 4.7% | 4.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1.3% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 42.2% | 30.2% | 7% | 4.8% | 5.6% | 4% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Sep 2026 | 42.8% | 30.6% | 7.1% | 4.9% | 4.7% | 4.1% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 42.8% | 3.4M | -<0.01% | +0.7 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 30.6% | 2.4M | -0.13% | +0.4 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 7.1% | 564K | +0.07% | +0.1 points | |
| 4, moved from 5th to 4th | 4.9% | 388K | -0.42% | +0.1 pointsmoved from 5th to 4th | |
| 5, moved from 4th to 5th | 4.7% | 371K | -18.2% | -0.9 pointsmoved from 4th to 5th | |
| 6, held 6th | 4.1% | 322K | -0.41% | 0 points | |
| 7, moved from 8th to 7th | 2.3% | 184K | -0.02% | 0 pointsmoved from 8th to 7th | |
| 8, moved from 7th to 8th | 2.1% | 166K | -17.9% | -0.4 pointsmoved from 7th to 8th | |
| 9, held 9th | 1.5% | 120K | -1.5% | 0 points | |
| 10, held 10th | <0.01% | 440 | +25.7% | 0 points |
1.
YouTube42.8%
Held 1st. 3.4M estimated branded searches, -<0.01% vs prior month. Share +0.7 points.
2.
Facebook30.6%
Held 2nd. 2.4M estimated branded searches, -0.13% vs prior month. Share +0.4 points.
7.1%
Held 3rd. 564K estimated branded searches, +0.07% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.
4.
TikTok4.9%
Moved from 5th to 4th. 388K estimated branded searches, -0.42% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.
4.7%
Moved from 4th to 5th. 371K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share -0.9 points.
6.
Reddit4.1%
Held 6th. 322K estimated branded searches, -0.41% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
7.
WhatsApp2.3%
Moved from 8th to 7th. 184K estimated branded searches, -0.02% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
8.
LinkedIn2.1%
Moved from 7th to 8th. 166K estimated branded searches, -17.9% vs prior month. Share -0.4 points.
9.
Snapchat1.5%
Held 9th. 120K estimated branded searches, -1.5% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
10.
Threads<0.01%
Held 10th. 440 estimated branded searches, +25.7% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
Compare popularity between YouTube and its closest rivals
Every comparison with YouTube
12 comparisons
How has branded search demand for YouTube changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months?
2 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for YouTube in New Zealand held steady at 3.4M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, YouTube’s share of searches among social media platforms in New Zealand peaked at 46.2% in March 2026 and was lowest at 41.7% in May 2026.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand social media platforms in September 2026?
6 changes
In September 2026, YouTube gained share of searches among social media platforms in New Zealand, from 42.2% to 42.8%.
In September 2026, Pinterest lost share of searches among social media platforms in New Zealand, from 5.6% to 4.7%.
In September 2026, TikTok rose from 5th to 4th among social media platforms in New Zealand.
In September 2026, WhatsApp rose from 8th to 7th among social media platforms in New Zealand.
In September 2026, LinkedIn fell from 7th to 8th among social media platforms in New Zealand.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Threads in New Zealand rose 18.9% over 12 measured months, from 370 to 440 in September 2026.
How are YouTube’s branded searches counted?
12 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using YouTube’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- bluey youtube
- open youtube
- peppa youtube
- youtube
- youtube app
- youtube c
- youtube downloading
- youtube home
- youtube movies
- youtube shorts
- youtube social media
- youtube studio
Who owns YouTube?
YouTube is owned by 
Google. Brandwave also tracks 
AppSheet, 
Chrome Remote Desktop, 
Display & Video 360, 
Firebase, 
Fitbit, 
Gemini, 
Gmail, Google, 
Google Ads, Google Analytics, Google Authenticator, 
Google BigQuery, Google Calendar appointment schedules, Google Chat, 
Google Chrome, 
Google Chromecast, 
Google Classroom, Google Cloud, 
Google DeepMind, Google Drive, 
Google Family Link, Google Forms, Google Keep, Google Maps, 
Google Maps Platform, Google Meet, Google Nest, Google Nest Wifi, Google Pixel, Google Slides, 
Google Translate, Google Veo, Google Workspace, 
Looker Studio, Snapseed, YouTube Audio Library and 
YouTube Music, owned by the same company, in New Zealand.
Do you work for YouTube? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.
Where does YouTube compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of searches | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social media platforms | 1st of 10 | 42.8% | Shown above |
| Video hosting platforms | 1st of 7 | 99.8% | Show ranking |
Is YouTube your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.