Facebook vs YouTube:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, YouTube had more branded searches than Facebook among social media platforms in New Zealand. YouTube was estimated to have 3.5M branded searches compared to Facebook’s 2.5M, and held a 43% Share of Search versus Facebook’s 30.5%.
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Which is more popular in search, Facebook or YouTube?
Compare the social media platforms New Zealanders and New Zealand brands spend time on. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for YouTube, Facebook. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | YouTube | TikTok | Snapchat | Threads | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 43.8% | 30.3% | 8.9% | 4.8% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 2.8% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 44.6% | 31% | 7.5% | 4.8% | 4.2% | 4% | 2.4% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 45.5% | 31.6% | 7.6% | 4.1% | 4.2% | 3.9% | 2% | 1.1% | <0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 44.8% | 31.4% | 7.5% | 4% | 4.2% | 4.7% | 2.4% | 1.1% | <0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 44.5% | 31.3% | 7.5% | 4.8% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 2.4% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 46.9% | 27.4% | 7.8% | 5.1% | 4.4% | 4.1% | 2.5% | 1.7% | <0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 43.8% | 30.9% | 7.3% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 2.3% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| May 2026 | 42.6% | 30.1% | 8.6% | 5.7% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 2.3% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Jun 2026 | 43.3% | 30.6% | 7.2% | 5.8% | 4.9% | 4.4% | 2.3% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Jul 2026 | 44.2% | 31.3% | 7.4% | 4.8% | 4.1% | 4.5% | 2.4% | 1.3% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 43% | 30.5% | 7.2% | 5.7% | 4.9% | 4.5% | 2.8% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Facebook and YouTube comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- YouTube was ahead of Facebook in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Facebook’s estimated Share of Search among social media platforms in New Zealand moved from 30.3% to 30.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.4M to 2.5M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, YouTube’s estimated Share of Search among social media platforms in New Zealand moved from 43.8% to 43%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 3.5M.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand social media platforms in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, YouTube lost estimated Share of Search among social media platforms in New Zealand, from 44.2% to 43%.
In August 2026, Facebook lost estimated Share of Search among social media platforms in New Zealand, from 31.3% to 30.5%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Facebook’s and YouTube’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Facebook
15 branded search terms
- facebook app
- facebook c
- facebook download
- facebook long in
- facebook market
- facebook msn
- facebook near me
- facebook nz
- facebook online
- facebook open
- facebook social media
- facebook video downloader
- liverpool facebook
- www facebook c
YouTube
22 branded search terms
- bluey youtube
- open youtube
- peppa youtube
- www youtube co
- youtube
- youtube app
- youtube c
- youtube downloading
- youtube home
- youtube kids app
- youtube mo3
- youtube movies
- youtube mp3
- youtube near me
- youtube new zealand
- youtube nz
- youtube online
- youtube premium
- youtube shorts
- youtube social media
- youtube studio
- youtube to mp4
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.