Meta's Threads Marks First Anniversary with 175 Million Users
Menlo Park, Thursday, 4 July 2024.
Meta’s Twitter rival, Threads, celebrates its first year with 175 million monthly active users. The platform aims to create a less hostile environment compared to X, focusing on positive engagement while still allowing for constructive criticism.
Explosive Growth and Initial Challenges
Launched on 5 July 2023, Threads quickly gained traction, amassing 100 million users within just five days, largely due to its integration with Instagram [1]. This rapid growth made Threads the fastest-growing app at the time. However, despite this explosive start, the platform experienced a significant drop in user engagement within the first month, with many users trying out the app and then abandoning it shortly after [2].
Positioning and Expansion
Threads was initially positioned as a competitor to Twitter, now rebranded as X, following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform. To differentiate itself, Threads emphasized positive engagement and largely banned political content, a move supported by Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram [3]. The app was not initially launched in Europe due to strict legislation but expanded to the region on 14 December 2023 [4].
Current User Base and Market Strategy
As of its one-year anniversary, Threads boasts 175 million monthly active users. Despite this impressive figure, the platform still lacks the scale and influence of X, which has 250 million daily users and 550 million monthly users [5]. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, expressed satisfaction with the growth trajectory, highlighting the platform’s potential to become Meta’s next billion-user app [6].
Focus on Positive Engagement
Meta aims to make Threads a fun and enjoyable platform, allowing for constructive criticism while avoiding the hostility often found on other social media platforms. To achieve this, Threads provides users with tools to manage criticism and control who can comment on their posts [3]. The platform prioritizes content related to sports, music, fashion, beauty, and entertainment, steering clear of political discussions [2].
Future Prospects and Monetization Plans
Meta has not disclosed daily user numbers for Threads, indicating that many users are not regular users [6]. Despite this, there are plans to introduce advertising in the app next year, potentially using Instagram’s existing ad system [2]. This move is expected to help monetize the platform, which is currently not profitable for Meta. The company is focusing on markets like Japan to take more market share from X [6].
Cultural Relevance and Long-Term Goals
Adam Mosseri has emphasized the importance of cultural relevance over sheer size. He stated, ‘It would be great if it gets really, really big, but I’m actually more interested in if it becomes culturally relevant and if it gets hundreds of millions of users’ [6]. The presence of high-profile users like Taylor Swift has significantly driven engagement, particularly among Gen Z users [5].