NZ's Facebook status: Kiwis #love Lorde

Kiwis use Facebook to find sources of entertainment, new recipes and to read breaking news, according to the first release of data about New Zealand users.

The insights also showed those using Facebook-owned photo sharing app Instagram love the Kardashian family, Lorde - and using the hashtag #love.

A statistical breakdown showed 2.5 million Kiwis used Facebook each month - 1.9 million use it every day, on an average of 14 times.

It is most popular with students aged under 25, with 85 per cent of people in that demographic using Facebook each day - 81 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds and 82 per cent of mums also use it every day.

Almost 80 per cent of users want to stay connected, or to reconnect, with friends and family, while about half want to meet new people or relax.

Facebook's NZ head of data science Andy Ford said the interaction with entertainment was a stand out trend in New Zealand compared to other countries.

Data shows 71 per cent of people use Facebook to find entertainment and things to do, followed by 65 per cent who use it to find out about food and recipes, and 64 per cent who use it to keep up with news.

Facebook client partner Rowan Spinks said Instagram data showed reality TV stars were the most followed by Kiwis, with Kendall and Kylie Jenner and their half sisters Kim and Khloe Kardashian leading the charge.

The most followed New Zealanders included Lorde and Dan Carter, and the most popular hashtags used by Kiwis included #love, #summer and #selfie.

Head of Facebook NZ Spencer Bailey said it was the first piece of in-market research revealed locally.

"We are taking this market a lot more seriously and putting more investment in this market - more staff and more focus."

A Facebook spokeswoman said insights were typically only given in larger markets.

In the past, New Zealand was included in Australian statistics, so this information provided a unique snapshot of Kiwis' online activity.

Globally, 1.4 billion people are Facebook users.

Working in the marketing and communications field means Ms Turfrey's account is connected to a work account - so she is constantly monitoring what is happening online.

But the Wellingtonian, who now lives in Perth, Western Australia, said she was more likely to contact people via text message, the phone or through apps like WhatsApp, Viber and Skype.

"What I'm noticing is that more older people are on Facebook and younger people are more likely to be on Instagram or Keek."