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Phil Goff and John Key on Twitter - Source: ONE News -
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Green Party candidate Gareth Hughes is top of the 'Twee' when it comes to using social media in the election campaign.
Internet research website, Klout, has analysed the effectiveness of the various candidates' Twitter accounts and three Green candidates and three National candidates make the top 10.
Klout gives social media users a percentage score based on the number of people who follow them and how those people are influenced by their Tweets.
So, the more people who follow you, and re-tweet or respond to your posts, the higher your score.
Based on this analysis Hughes scored 65%, while National leader John Key came in second on 56%, and Labour leader Phil Goff came fourth with 53%.
"I think I'm being really genuine with it," Hughes told ONE News.
"It's not just my assistant that does it for me, I'm doing it, it's myself and it's my real personality."
However, a social media expert says candidates are missing out an a huge opportunity by not fully engaging with the platform.
Strategist Justin Flitter said interaction is crucial if they want to get their message across.
"If MPs and parties aren't engaging and contributing to those conversations, people are going to feel ignored," he said.
"They're missing out on a big opportunity for the people who'd like to vote for them to actually have some kind of a relationship - we want to feel that we connect."
The leaders of the two main parties say they do understand the power of social media but they don't have a lot of time to concentrate on it.
"I think over time you're going to see more and more focus on that (social media) as more and more people draw their information online," Labour's Phil Goff said.
National leader John Key said public opinion can be easily shaped by what is said online.
"If a movie comes out and on premiere night a lot of people don't like it and they start twittering that, then it can have a big impact on whether people turn up to the movies," he said.
"I think it's the same in politics."
Top 10 election Twitter users:
Gareth Hughes - Green - 65%
John Key - National - 56%
Nikki Kaye - National - 56%
Phil Goff - Labour - 53%
Kevin Hague - Green - 53%
Hone Harawira - Mana - 53%
Tau Henare - National - 51%
Trevor Mallard - Labour - 50%
Russel Norman - Green - 49%
