TikTok vs YouTube:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, YouTube had more branded searches than TikTok among social media platforms in New Zealand. YouTube was estimated to have 3.5M branded searches compared to TikTok’s 395K, and held a 43% Share of Search versus TikTok’s 4.9%.
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Which is more popular in search, TikTok 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, 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 TikTok and YouTube comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- YouTube was ahead of TikTok in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- 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.
- 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, TikTok overtook Reddit to rank 5th among social media platforms in New Zealand, at 4.9%.
In August 2026, YouTube lost estimated Share of Search among social media platforms in New Zealand, from 44.2% to 43%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using TikTok’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.
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
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.