New Zealand exporters are boosting their business through online orders.

That's one of the findings of the latest DHL survey of exporters.

Spokesperson Selina Deadman said 18 percent of businesses now generate more than half of their export orders online.

"Small office and home office, they were using a lot of social media to generate orders over a quarter of small office and home office exporters are doing that and the majority of companies that we surveyed in fact said 72 percent were generating export sales from online orders."

Exporters have also indicated they're confident of increasing orders over the coming year, despite the fluctuating exchange rate.

Deadman said 65 percent of them are optimistic about improving business.

She said many are overcoming the fluctuation of the dollar by entering new markets, developing new products and improving business processes. But she said they still face challenges.

"Exchange rate is one, some of the other challenges in the past have been rising fuel costs but they're less of a concern now and then also regulatory environments is a barrier to trade. Different business and cultural principles and different markets around the world."