Recent data from market researchers Sensor Tower and Similarweb suggest that Meta Platform Inc.’s much-hyped Twitter competitor, Threads, is experiencing a decline in growth and engagement. Since its impressive start with 100 million users in less than a week, the platform has seen a significant decrease in daily active users and time spent on the app.
According to Sensor Tower, the number of daily active users on Threads dropped by 27% from Saturday to Thursday. Additionally, users now spend only 5 minutes a day on the app, a plummet of 70%. Abe Yousef, senior insights analyst at Sensor Tower, expressed that launching a social network with lasting appeal is challenging. He noted, “Despite the initial hoopla, it will take a longer time for Threads to carve out space in most users’ social network routine.”
One of the main factors contributing to the growth stagnation on Threads is the lack of compelling content compared to Twitter. Many Twitter users have been hesitant to make the switch, as evidenced by the torrent of anti-Threads remarks on Twitter. Yousef suggests that Meta may have rushed Threads to market to capitalize on user dissatisfaction with Twitter’s handling of misinformation and hate speech issues since Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform.
Yousef highlights that while the ease of joining Threads and importing users from Instagram initially generated hype among consumers, it has been challenging for users to bring their followers from Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms onto Threads.
Data from Similarweb supports these findings, showing that daily active users on Threads decreased by over 25% between its peak on July 7 and Monday for Android users worldwide. Data for iOS devices is still being analyzed. Additionally, Similarweb reports that average usage time on Threads has reduced by half, dropping from 20 minutes on July 6 to approximately 8 minutes on July 10.
In conclusion, Threads faces obstacles in achieving sustained growth and user engagement. It will require significant improvements and a strategic approach to overcome the challenges posed by the current social media landscape.