Instagram vs TikTok:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Instagram had more branded searches than TikTok among social media platforms in New Zealand. Instagram was estimated to have 582K branded searches compared to TikTok’s 395K, and held a 7.2% Share of Search versus TikTok’s 4.9%.
Follow Instagram vs TikTok and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Which is more popular in search, Instagram or TikTok?
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 Instagram, TikTok. 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 Instagram and TikTok comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Instagram was ahead of TikTok in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Instagram’s estimated Share of Search among social media platforms in New Zealand moved from 8.9% to 7.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 709K to 582K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, TikTok’s estimated Share of Search among social media platforms in New Zealand moved from 4.1% to 4.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 329K to 395K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand social media platforms in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, TikTok overtook Reddit to rank 5th among social media platforms in New Zealand, at 4.9%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Instagram in New Zealand fell 17.9% over 11 measured months, from 709K to 582K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Instagram’s and TikTok’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.
Instagram
25 branded search terms
- free instagram followers
- instagram advertising
- instagram app
- instagram c
- instagram download
- instagram followers
- instagram followers tracker
- instagram hacked
- instagram kim kardashian
- instagram likes free
- instagram lite
- instagram mp3
- instagram near me
- instagram nz
- instagram online
- instagram photo download
- instagram plus
- instagram search
- instagram social media
- instagram to mp4
- instagram video download
- instagram view
- instagram website
- snap instagram
TikTok
24 branded search terms
- free tiktok followers
- tiktok
- tiktok 18
- tiktok app
- tiktok banned
- tiktok com
- tiktok dow
- tiktok for you
- tiktok free
- tiktok leaked
- tiktok mashups
- tiktok near me
- tiktok new zealand
- tiktok nz
- tiktok online
- tiktok porns
- tiktok shop
- tiktok social media
- tiktok studio
- tiktok to mp3
- tiktok to mp4
- tiktok unblocked
- tiktok view
- tiktok website
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.