Just about 12 weeks ago, Threads burst onto the social media scene with a bang, attracting millions of users within its first few hours.
It made more records than it can ever have imagined but now no one has a thing about threads
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, had high hopes for its new app. But Threads’ journey in the competitive world of social media has been anything but smooth.
Threads made a spectacular debut on July 5th, quickly amassing an impressive user base.
Mark Zuckerberg proudly announced that 10 million users had joined the app on its first day, setting a new record for the most downloaded non-game app on launch day in the past decade.
Threads seemed poised to challenge Twitter’s dominance in the social media world, especially considering the ongoing turmoil at Twitter. Twitter X has now introduced refresh limits, premium content, and others that require a competitor to take advantage of its dominance.
However, Threads’ story took a sudden and unexpected turn just six weeks later.
Despite reaching nearly 50 million daily active users on Android devices globally in early July, that number started to decline steadily and now hovers around 10 million, according to Similarweb. This is less than a tenth of Twitter’s user base.
Sensor Tower’s data revealed that Threads users now spend only about 2.4 minutes a day on the app, a sharp drop from its peak in early July.
12 weeks ago, I made my first thread post, but now I spend a week or more without opening the app.
The decline in Threads’ popularity can be attributed to design flaws and network effects, according to experts. They argue that the app lacks the cultural relevance and strong user communities needed to maintain engagement.
When Threads launched, it made it easy for new users to get started. Many could seamlessly import their Instagram information, instantly filling their Threads feed with familiar faces. Celebrities, politicians, and news outlets flocked to the app, seeing it as a friendlier alternative to Twitter with less focus on hard news or politics.
In response to the slowing user growth, Mark Zuckerberg remained optimistic on July 17. He acknowledged the challenges but emphasised that “tens of millions of people now return daily,” exceeding their expectations. Zuckerberg hinted at upcoming features, including search and web functions, as well as the ability to share Threads posts via Instagram direct messages.
As Threads grapples with its ups and downs, its future in the competitive social media landscape remains uncertain. Whether it can recapture its initial momentum and fulfil Meta’s ambitious vision of a decentralised social network is a captivating story to watch unfold. Threads’ journey serves as a reminder that even industry giants like Meta can face obstacles in their quest for dominance in the ever-evolving world of social media.
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MICHAEL AINOMUGISHA 