Google Ads vs Meta Ads:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Google Ads had more branded searches than Meta Ads among advertising platforms in New Zealand. Google Ads was estimated to have 19.7K branded searches compared to Meta Ads’ 4.6K, and held a 74.7% Share of Search versus Meta Ads’ 17.5%.
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Which is more popular in search, Google Ads or Meta Ads?
Compare the ad platforms New Zealand marketers buy media 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 Google Ads, Meta Ads. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Google Ads | Meta Ads | TikTok Ads | LinkedIn Ads | Microsoft Advertising |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 79.5% | 12.7% | 4.7% | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| Nov 2025 | 79.9% | 12.8% | 4.4% | 1.3% | 1.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 76.9% | 13.9% | 6.1% | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 75.6% | 16.2% | 5.4% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 76.3% | 16% | 4.3% | 1.9% | 1.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 78.1% | 14.4% | 3.9% | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 77.8% | 16.1% | 3.3% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| May 2026 | 74.2% | 18.7% | 4.6% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 69.1% | 23.7% | 4.4% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 67.2% | 23.7% | 6.7% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 74.7% | 17.5% | 5.2% | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Google Ads and Meta Ads comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Google Ads was ahead of Meta Ads in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Google Ads’ estimated Share of Search among advertising platforms in New Zealand moved from 79.5% to 74.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 16.9K to 19.7K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Meta Ads’ estimated Share of Search among advertising platforms in New Zealand moved from 12.7% to 17.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.7K to 4.6K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand advertising platforms in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Google Ads gained estimated Share of Search among advertising platforms in New Zealand, from 67.2% to 74.7%.
In August 2026, Meta Ads lost estimated Share of Search among advertising platforms in New Zealand, from 23.7% to 17.5%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Google Ads’ and Meta Ads’ 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.
Google Ads
29 branded search terms
- ads google com
- adwords google ads
- google ads
- google ads ads
- google ads advertising
- google ads agency
- google ads campaign
- google ads certified
- google ads company
- google ads consultant
- google ads cost
- google ads editor
- google ads expert
- google ads for business
- google ads for small business
- google ads help
- google ads keyword planner
- google ads management services
- google ads manager
- google ads marketing agency
- google ads near me
- google ads new zealand
- google ads nz
- google ads online
- google ads signup
- google ads specialist
- googleads
- googleads ads
- googleads g doubleclick net
Meta Ads
8 branded search terms
- fb meta ads
- meta ads
- meta ads ads manager
- meta ads advertising
- meta ads near me
- meta ads online
- metaads
- metaads manager
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.