5 of the Most Popular Online Pastimes in NZ
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The advent of the internet has changed every facet of our daily lives, from how we consume news to how we navigate our cities to how we order commodities. With technological devices becoming ever smaller and 5G on the horizon, the trend towards internet-based activities is only set to intensify in the future.
So what are the most popular online pastimes in New Zealand? Here’s a quick rundown of five of the most commonly practiced activities in cyberspace by the country’s 4.8 million populace in 2021. Have you tried them all? You never know – you might just discover your next favourite hobby.
Online casinos
There are a wide range of online casinos to choose from these days – so many so, in fact, that the sheer range of options can sometimes be overwhelming. However, poring over online casino reviews to narrow down the options and get a feel for the various merits of different sites can help to make the choice that much easier – as well as let you see what all the fuss is about among your fellow Kiwis.
E-commerce
The New Zealand e-commerce industry was worth a whopping $4.2 billion in 2018, with approximately one third of the population (1.8 million people) partaking in the activity. On average, each consumer made a total of 22 transactions, while domestic retailers are more popular than overseas ones. $2 out of every $3 spent at an ecommerce store goes to a Kiwi supplier, which is great news for the local economy.
Streaming media
The ability to stream media has changed the way we consume music and television forever. Services like YouTube and Spotify allow us to watch the latest videos and listen to our favourite musical artists whenever and wherever the fancy takes us, while even the sporting world has been revolutionised by the arrival of streaming services. It’s no surprise, then, that this is one of the most popular online activities in NZ.
Video calls
The forward march of technology never ceases to amaze. Video conferencing tools like Zoom, Skype and FaceTime allow us to converse with friends, family and acquaintances from the other side of the planet, thus truly transforming the world into a global community. With NZ such a remote island that’s home to a high proportion of ex-patriots, it’s not surprising that video calls are a hugely popular online activity.
Social media
According to research conducted by Hootsuite in conjunction with We Are Social, over two-thirds of the Kiwi populace (or 3.6 million individuals) are active social media users. On average, they spend almost two hours on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter every day, which have become new ways to share information, keep up to date with news stories and stay in touch with their loved ones.
The internet is a vast and varied place to explore, but there are inevitably some platforms and services which have proven to be more popular than others. Which of these activities is your favourite way to surf the web?