Meta’s Threads launched with a bang, becoming the quickest app to reach 100 million signups, crossing that milestone after just five days.
Now, just over a year in, the microblogging app created in response to Elon Musk’s takeover of X (formerly Twitter) has seen growth slow as the sheen of the latest shiny toy in the social media playpen has worn off.
Although Meta didn’t have any Australia-focused stats they could share with AdNews, a spokesperson for the tech company said that there are over 175 million monthly active users on Threads worldwide.
By comparison, X’s most recent (self-reported) data show that 250 million people use X every day, 550 million people visit the site every month and on average, users spend 30 minutes a day on X.
Similarweb reported that based on estimates, the Threads Android app peaked at 49.3 million daily active users worldwide on July 7 2023, but just a month later on August 7, the app was down to 10.3 million daily active users.
The average amount of time daily active users spent with the app started out at about 14 minutes worldwide - and significantly higher in the US at nearly 21 minutes - on July 7, but by August 7, that was down to a mere 3 minutes.
Graph via Exploding Topics
Orange Line’s head of organic, Bruno Rodriguez, said that the platform’s initial growth came from pushing Threads to Meta’s combined 5 billion accounts — but it showed how much people longed for an X/Twitter alternative.
“Threads lacks the unhinged energy of some of Twitter’s micro-cultures, and most people on the app don’t seem even to use it,” he said.
The Pistol’s head of strategy, Emilia Chambers, said that the uptake of Threads has panned out largely as expected - a big launch, followed by a big decline.
“The positioning of Threads was never very clear so understanding how it would work amongst other social platforms and wider marketing efforts was a challenge and caused many clients to disregard the channel until the reason to invest time and money became clearer,” she said.
Zuckerberg said last year that he has thought for a long time there should be a billion-person public conversations app that is “a bit more positive”.
“I think that if we keep at this for a few more years, then I think we have a good chance of achieving our vision there,” he said.
Wavemaker’s social and influencer director, Grace Robinson, said the initial surge in Threads users demonstrated a clear appetite for a Twitter/X alternative, especially due to Musk’s perceived negative changes in content moderation, platform functionality and ideological clashes.
“Many users found Threads to be too like Twitter, though, without offering enough unique features to justify a switch. At the time of launch, the absence of features like hashtags, direct messaging, and an advanced search function limited its appeal,” she told AdNews.
“Think of Threads' first year as a work in progress – Threads has potential, but still needs refining. It failed to benefit from its initial momentum and struggled to carve out a distinct identity in the social media landscape. However, its initial growth and connection to Instagram mean it still holds promise.”
Prophesy Digital’s founder and digital media strategist, Mehrak Saheb, said that the rushed release meant Threads started off pretty bare-boned and lacked a clear identity beyond being a text extension of Instagram.
“Since then, Meta has been hard at work, adding features that users have come to expect from platforms like X and positioning Threads as a more positive alternative by downplaying political content and focusing on more lighthearted content,” she said.
“Meta’s recent moves show that while user numbers are growing, keeping people engaged is another story. They’re making a big push to attract high-profile creators, offering some up to $5,000 to post on Threads. Deals with celebrities and sports teams are also part of their strategy to ignite interest.”
Who is using it and why?
Those creators may be one of the key target markets for using the app; Born Bred Talent GM Stephanie Scicchitano said that as a talent agency, Threads provides a unique platform for creators to connect with their audiences in a whole new way.
“Across our roster we have multiple creators who use Threads, such as Taz and Alessia, Chantel Mila and Ramon Israel,” she said.
Creators and influencers that AdNews spoke to shortly after the platform launched were cautiously optimistic about how it could help them expand their businesses.
The Washington Post, however, reported a few weeks ago that creators were “struggling to understand the platform” due to “Threads’ lack of a distinct identity” and that as a result, influencers “invest much less time and effort there than on the platforms that provide the bulk of their income”.
Wavemaker’s Robinson said that she personally finds it tricky to evade Threads, especially as a regular Instagram user, due to Meta’s photo-sharing platform having an inbuilt Threads suggestion panel that previews half of a post.
“I find myself clicking over on impulse or sheer curiosity to read the rest of the thread,” she said.
“Just like Reddit, it’s full of micro communities and is a great place for social listening. As Thread is a newer platform, I find people are being raw and honest because there’s a feeling that no one’s watching.”
Robinson said that personally, it’s her bedtime reading material as the threads she’s served are personalised to her taste, and professionally, she uses the app to gain valuable insights on what creators and influencers are really thinking.
“Threads is vent central and usually the tea is hot!” she told AdNews.
Enigma’s performance manager – media, Noah Smith, said Threads has underwhelmed him as like many others, he joined Threads in the hopes of a unique experience.
“At first it seemed different. A breath of fresh air, a space for genuine connection. It felt lighter and less image-driven, but despite the reported millions of sign-ups within the first week, the Threads hype quickly dwindled,” he said.
“I lasted no longer than a month engaging with and creating content. Adam Mosseri highlighted Threads' current focus on ‘keeping the lights on and fixing bugs’ which to me denotes how far we are from a thriving platform. It feels far from Instagram’s usual innovative brand perception.”
Smith said that in its current state, it struggles to maintain his interest as he is “uninspired” by the platform and its offerings.
“My weekly average screen time for Threads is three minutes. That’s 0.5% of my total compared to other apps,” he said.
“We’re all still trying to figure out how Threads works and the experience of Threads does not captivate one to want to create content. Instagram themselves, despite the over 25 million follower count on the platform, struggles with engagement.”
The Pistol’s Chambers said she hasn’t used it beyond signing up to understand it enough to talk to clients about.
“Personally I don't see the point of the platform, but then I never got on the Twitter/X bandwagon either so maybe it's the text-based format that just isn't for me,” she said.
Prophesy Digital’s Saheb similarly said she doesn’t use it, beyond having downloaded it to see what the hype was about and because it’s her job to keep an eye on the latest digital platforms.
“The reality is I already spend too much time on social media and don’t feel like I am missing out on anything by not being on Threads,” she told AdNews.
“I’d imagine a high majority of Australians feel the same. That said, the folks at Meta are pretty clever, and I’m curious to see how they’ll tackle the challenge of changing entrenched habits and making Threads a success.”
Does the platform have a future?
Will Threads go the way of the likes of Vine, Bebo and Google+ before it, confined to the ash heap of history as merely the latest flash-in-the-pan fad à la BeReal – or will it find a way to endure to have as serious staying power as the likes of current industry behemoth TikTok?
Other microblogging platforms like Tumblr have managed to stand the test of time – albeit with less users than their late 2000s/early 2010s peak - and even one of the originators of everything we now know as social media, Myspace, still exists, but more so as a sad relic of its former self, the site not having been updated in years and functionality broken across the board.
Half Dome’s head of digital and co-founder, Joe Frazer, said that he doesn’t believe there is a long-term future for multiple text-based apps to live alongside one another – but it is hard to bet against either Zuckerberg or Musk in this space.
“One is the king of social media (and lobbying) and the other has a good track record of winning at all costs,” he said.
“Either way, the fact the President of the United States literally announced he was pulling out of the next election via a press release on X, indicates to me the popular vote is a long way from shifting at this stage.”
Wavemaker’s Robinson said that being integrated with Instagram, a platform with more than a billion users, gives Threads a significant advantage in terms of reach and potential for future growth.
“Instagram is actively working on adding new features and improving the user experience on Threads. The success of these updates will determine whether Threads can evolve into a true competitor in the social media space or fade into the digital dustbin, like many other social media platforms we’ve seen before,” she told AdNews.
Prophesy Digital’s Saheb said that whether Threads will succeed in becoming the next big thing in social media and a replacement for X remains to be seen.
“It will largely depend on Meta’s ability to make the platform culturally relevant and change deeply ingrained habits. Here in Australia, text-based social platforms aren’t exactly our thing—X is more of a playground for politicians and journalists than everyday Aussies,” she said.
Others are more optimistic, however - Orange Line’s Rodriguez said that the fact that Meta continues to report engagement growth and that X continues to be in disarray are “positive signs” for the platform's future.
Enigma’s Smith said that US food chain Wendys offers a great example of how text-based content can hold attention, though what Threads must work towards is a point of difference to platforms like X and Reddit.
“With their announcement of joining the Fediverse, I predict we will see the app becoming a centralised place for engaging with content across other social apps,” he said.
The ‘Fediverse’ is a collection of social networking services that can communicate with each other using a common protocol that already includes the likes of Mastodon, WordPress and FlipBoard and will include Tumblr in the future.
“As a performance marketer, I’m eager to also see how and when Threads tackles advertising,” said Smith.
“To see their longevity, they’ll have to focus on producing something that feels different and exciting.”
The Pistol’s Chambers said that despite its rocky start, she wouldn't rule out Threads' long-term prospects in Australia, mainly due to its integration with Instagram.
“If Meta can successfully differentiate Threads from Twitter and leverage its existing user base better than it has so far, then the platform could find a suitable space to play in the social media landscape,” she said.
“I don't expect it to take off like other platforms have, but it does still have potential.”
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