Threads, the new social media app from Meta, has had a strong start, attracting more than 100 million users in its first few days. However, the app’s daily active users have dropped significantly since then, and it remains to be seen whether it can maintain th momentum.
On July 7, Threads had 49 million daily active users on Android, about 45% of Twitter’s 109 million users. On July 14, Threads had 23.6 million users, around 22% of Twitter’s audience. Peak engagement in the US dropped from 21 minutes on July 7 to just over 6 minutes on July 14. During Threads’ initial release, Twitter’s web traffic decreased by 5%, and Android app usage declined by 4.3%.
One of the reasons for Threads’ initial success was its close integration with Instagram. Users could easily create a Threads account using their existing Instagram credentials, and their contacts on Instagram were automatically added to their Threads network. This helped to solve the “empty party problem” that often plagues new social media platforms.
Threads lacks key Twitter features like retweets, quote tweets, and robust search functionality. It has also faced criticism for its limited privacy settings. However, with a strong user base and support from Meta, Threads could become a successful social media platform. To achieve this, it must address these shortcomings by adding more features and enhancing privacy settings to sustain its momentum.
The sources for this piece include an article in SimilarWeb.