Threads might not be the first app you open in the morning, but Meta is still plugging away at its attempt at a Twitter replacement.
What happened: Threads had a busy week, which started by debuting its version of hashtags and kept rolling from there:
-
It became available to users half a billion users in Europe, following a delay to make sure it was compliant with EU regulations.
- Tests began for integrations with ActivityPub, a protocol that makes interoperability with other “fediverse” platforms possible. It’s not clear how far it’ll take the integration, but so far, it’s allowing users on fellow Twitter alternative Mastodon to follow Threads profiles.
Catch-up: Threads picked up 100 million sign-ups within a week of its July launch, but people quickly bounced off, with engagement dropping by 80%.
-
Instagram integration may have helped the initial surge, but also might be why it didn’t stick. The algorithmically-generated timeline surfaced posts from celebrities, brands and influencers who had big Instagram followings but were unfamiliar with a text-based platform — in short, it wasn’t funny enough to keep people coming back.
-
It has slowly been adding new features, though, such as a desktop version, GIFs, polls, and feeds that only show content from people you follow.
- In Meta’s Q3 conference call, Mark Zuckerberg said it was still “just under” 100 million monthly active users, though he framed that as a positive sign for growth.
Zoom out: By comparison, X had roughly 500 million monthly active users in the fall, despite its struggles with user churn. It also has roughly 250 million daily active users, which may be a better barometer for a high-engagment social platform.
-
Meta hasn’t released Threads’ daily user numbers, but MarketWatch put it around 1.1 million in September.
- A recent Leger survey found only 4% of Canadians use Threads daily.
Bottom line: Meta is willing to be patient with Threads. Even when it was basking in the glow of its initial launch, the company said it would likely be “a few years” before it would even try to monetize the platform.