Meta's Threads Surpasses 175 Million Users Ahead of First Anniversary
Meta's Threads has reached over 175 million monthly active users. The platform gained 100 million users within a week of its launch. User engagement on Threads has declined significantly since its inception.
This achievement comes just before the platform's one-year anniversary.
Threads, which emerged as a competitor to X (formerly known as Twitter), was launched on July 5 last year, strategically timed to attract users during the tumultuous acquisition of the popular micro-blogging site by billionaire Elon Musk. The platform quickly gained traction, with an impressive 100 million users joining within a week. This rapid growth was partly attributed to the seamless integration of Threads profiles with Instagram, a widely-used platform. However, some early adopters eventually dropped off.
Reflecting on the platform's success, Zuckerberg shared his excitement in a Threads post, stating, "What a year." In April, he had previously reported the monthly active user count to be over 150 million.
While the number of monthly active users provides a glimpse into Threads' popularity, key metrics such as daily active users and average time spent per user remain undisclosed. Market intelligence firm Sensor Tower suggests that despite expanding internationally and introducing new features, Threads has struggled to drive user engagement. Recent data from Sensor Tower reveals that users now average only three sessions and seven minutes per day on the app, marking a significant decline of approximately 79% and 65%, respectively, compared to July of last year.
Unlike other social media platforms, Threads does not feature advertising, resulting in minimal revenue generation for Meta. However, the platform has recently joined the Fediverse, a collection of social media sites that support the ActivityPub protocol, enabling users to interact across various platforms.
Analyst Jasmine Enberg from eMarketer commented on Threads' future prospects, stating, "A year after launch, we know what Threads isn't, but we don't know what it is." Enberg suggests that a lack of clear direction and original content could hinder its growth. She also raises the question of whether Meta should maintain Threads as a standalone app or redirect user engagement back to Instagram. On a positive note, Enberg highlights the high level of advertiser interest in the platform.
Meta's Threads has reached over 175 million monthly active users.
The platform gained 100 million users within a week of its launch.
User engagement on Threads has declined significantly since its inception.
Source: REUTERS