While New Zealands population is quite small when compared to the rest of the world, our internet habits definitely are not. In actual fact, NZ internet surfers are some of the most engaging when it comes to time on site, sites visited per day and the different types of websites visited.
After trawling thought a lot of data using tools like Alexa and SimilarWeb, I have compiled this list of the most popular websites in New Zealand. This particular list is based on traffic numbers, so it includes international and local websites.
If you would someday like to join this list and make your own website. You can check out my guide on the best NZ web hosts so you can kickstart your very own website within 5 minutes!
Ok, lets get stuck in!
10 Of The Most Popular Websites In New Zealand
1. Google.co.nz
Google is everyone’s friend nowadays. Can’t find a recipe, Google it. Want to buy a motorcycle, Google it. Want to adopt a pet, Google it. The list goes on. Google by far tops the list of the most popular websites in New Zealand.
According to Alexa, the average user spends around 6 minutes and 54 seconds on the website daily viewing over 9 pages. While other search engines are trying to catch on, the closest one is still 91% behind (Bing)!
2. Facebook.com
There are an astounding 850,000 people within the age of 25 and 34 that are using Facebook in New Zealand. This is an impressive number given the island nation’s small population. Facebook as we all know is no longer keeping itself bound by the norms of Social Media. Zuckerberg is busy adding new features, usually rolling them out without prior notice.
Even though its been clouded by suspicion over the past few months, its comprehensive feature-set earns it the number 2 spot on the list of most popular websites in New Zealand. The average user spends almost 10 minutes on it daily, while there is an astounding 6.5 million + websites linking to Facebook.
3. YouTube.com
Us kiwis love spending time on YouTube, showing the most love to the channels LordeVEVO, Shaaanxo and Disney Junior Artist Australia & New Zealand. Over 81% of New Zealand’s residents use YouTube (not surprising since its the world second largest search engine).
As for the average surfing time, YouTube is almost 9 minutes, garnering five different page views daily. Not only is the website used by nearly all of us, it is also being used as a marketing strategy by NZ businesses. Currently, the number isn’t that huge (15%), but its bound to grow.
As a whole, almost 16% of search engine hits within New Zealand are for YouTube.
4. Trademe.co.nz
Trademe is New Zealand’s very own auction platform, specialized to assist its citizens and provide them a trustworthy trading community. While its no match for specialized giants such as Amazon in terms of net worth, it is no doubt so insanely popular among us Kiwis.
Over 14 minutes are spent a day by a single user on the website, while he/she switches between 11 different pages. The website offers free classifieds, auctions and nifty features such as voice chat to ease the entire process. There’s no point wondering what you can and can’t sell, as there’s a category for everything imaginable on the platform, from antiques to electronics.
5. Yahoo.com
Do you know that there was a time when Google used to be a part of Yahoo? Seems unimaginable, doesn’t it? But while Google may have taken the upper hand in serving as a Search Engine, Yahoo still grabs a significant market share with its email, news, sports and weather services.
It has only 0.53% share in NZ’s search engine market, but is ranked fifth overall, as one of the most popular websites in New Zealand. Average time spent by a user in a day is almost 4 minutes with almost 700,000 sites linking their content to Yahoo in some way.
6. Suff.co.nz
Published by Fairfax Digital, Stuff.co.nz is NZ’s go-to news website with round-the-clock news, earning it the sixth spot on our list of most popular websites in New Zealand. The news website keeps itself alive by adhering to the culture, national holidays and major events going on in New Zealand.
For instance, in 2013 it changed the color of its logo when same-sex marriage was permitted in New Zealand. The site also creates dedicated section for major news such as Bain Family Murders Retrial, etc.
7. Nzherald.co.nz
Next up on this list is the Nzherald which serves as New Zealand presence on the web to make up for the lost interest in newspaper ever since digitization took over. The website provides daily news relating to current affairs, business, sports and entertainment.
It must be known that it’s a digital arm of NZ’s most distributed newspaper agency and therefore holds trust within the community. On a daily basis, 6 minutes are spent on the website per person with over 20,000 links pointing to its various webpages.
8. Amazon.com
You may have heard Jeff Bezos overtaking his competitors in terms of Net Worth by over 80 Billion USD? The man is the CEO of Amazon, and has stake in several other companies, officially the world’s richest person. Amazon started out as a simple buy & sell website but now has its tentacles in Cloud Computing, Web Hosting and so many other arenas.
While Trademe.co.nz is good enough when serving within the community, Amazon is the real-deal when NZ wants to buy and sell stuff on a global front. And let’s face it, in this globalized world, there’s only so much you can find at the local hardware store; a global platform is vital for the most economic shopping experience.
9. Wikipedia.org
The list of most popular websites in New Zealand would be incomplete without Wikipedia! The reason for Wikipedia’s usage in the country is the same as it is for any other country. The website has become a pool of information for almost every imaginable topic, with the average Kiwi spending 4 minutes and 13 seconds daily.
There are almost 2 million sites in NZ that link to Wikipedia, solidifying the online encyclopedia’s position in the country.
10. Reddit
Reddit is a website that wants to be known as a media aggregation website, holding up text, pictures, animations and what not on almost every single topic. The website even has a NSFW section for more explicit content and holds discussion on all topics. Things can quickly get very controversial, but the community is usually tolerant. I
f not, a moderator can always cool things down. In New Zealand, every user spends 14 minutes on the website daily visiting 10 unique pages. The website generates 17% of its traffic from search results which is something quite impressive.