Meta’s New Threads App Surpasses 100M+ Members in Record Time
Meta’s New Threads App Surpasses 100M+ Members in Record Time
As mentioned in our last blog post, capitalizing on the user dissatisfaction caused by Musk’s alterations at Twitter, Meta launched its new app, Threads, last week. The new app operates like Twitter, emphasizing public conversations and allowing users to follow individuals they already connect with on Instagram.
The Threads app has exceeded all expectations and has become the fastest-growing app of all time. Meta’s highly anticipated Twitter alternative launched a day earlier than expected last Wednesday and immediately gained immense popularity. Within 24 hours of its release, it attracted a staggering 30 million sign-ups. The app’s popularity continued surging, reaching 50 million users within a few hours and 70 million in less than two days.
Continuing its record-breaking streak, Threads has surpassed the milestone of 100 million sign-ups, solidifying its position as the fastest app to reach this impressive membership count.
It is crucial to distinguish between “sign-ups” and “active users.” Although Threads has managed to attract millions of people to create an account, we are currently unsure about their level of engagement and the amount of time they spend using the app. However, the fact that Threads has gained such significant traction so quickly is a promising indication of its potential as a challenger app. This is particularly noteworthy, considering Twitter has approximately 206 million daily active users.
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has expressed that Meta’s approach to fostering discussion in Threads is distinct from Twitter’s emphasis on news and current events. Meta aims to steer users away from news content and political discourse and instead prioritize positive human interaction and light entertainment. This change in focus prompts the question of how Meta intends to guide Threads toward more positive interactions.
The critical change highlighted by Mosseri is that Meta no longer considers news and politics as a primary focus, as the company does not benefit significantly from engaging users through news-related content. Instead, Meta seeks to showcase the most entertaining content across its apps, emphasizing positive experiences over divisive political discussions. Although news posts will still garner attention and remain a part of the conversation, Meta no longer feels compelled to focus on news and politics. This shift allows Meta to create an environment where people are not encouraged to provoke each other with polarizing political opinions. While the news will still be part of the broader discussion, it no longer holds the same type of significance within Meta’s platform.
Mosseri also explained that the features we enjoy on Twitter, such as hashtags, the following feed, and DMs, are currently being developed. However, he cautions that the team needs time to develop these features. With that said, since Threads is the fastest-growing app of all time, Meta is sure to be dedicating its resource to building the platform as quickly as possible.
So, what are the implications for Twitter in light of the rapid rise of this new app? While Musk can take legal action against potential violations of Twitter’s intellectual property (IP), there are limited options available to directly respond to the growing competition. Given these constraints, Twitter’s best course of action may be to rely on its own network effects and unique approach to attract and retain its audience.
You may also be wondering what this all means for your business. If you are currently active on Twitter, we recommend continuing to push your scheduled content out as normal, while utilizing Threads as an additional platform. Since Threads is still new and developing, it is critical to see how things play out before abandoning Twitter as a place to reach your consumers!
Our team is keeping a close eye on all things Twitter and Threads and will keep you informed as new developments arise.
Ready to have a successful social media strategy? Call, DM, or email us at sbellem@bbrookstone.com to get started. We would love to help your business stay up to date on the latest tactics and tools to be successful.
