Threads by Instagram, the social media platform launched by Meta in July 2023 captured headlines at its beginning.
The user acquisition was explosive, reaching more than 100 million users in just one week.
At its beginning, many believed that Threads was going to rule the social media world by being a worthy competitor against X (Formerly Twitter).
Since then, Threads has not found its unique selling point nor reached its goal.
In case you are not familiar with Threads, you may read this post to know everything about it.
In this post, we delve into the quick journey of Threads and explore what the future holds for this not-so-new social media platform.
If you’re wondering if it’s worth uploading content on Threads, or if it’s going to die soon, keep reading!
A Dream Launch and a Fickle Userbase
By the time Threads arrived on the market, X under the new ownership of Elon Musk was facing user dissatisfaction.
Threads took advantage of it and offered a clean interface with advanced Instagram integration.
Threads aimed to create an environment of close connections with your best friends, while X is more public.
The launch of Threads was great, with downloads surging and true excitement around it.
However, some analysts cautioned against overenthusiasm. They explained how fickle userbases can be on social media because it’s all about trends, and what is trendy today might just be forgotten tomorrow.
And right now, some of you may think they were right; Threads lacked the unique selling points of X, like its ability to show news and trendy topics through hashtags.
The Decline and Attempts at Revival
Those early warnings proved to be the truth. The number of daily active users on Threads has dropped by 82% over the following months after its launch – Which is considered a huge number!
However, there have been recent signs that Threads may be up to a comeback. The platform announced a slew of new features, including:
Web Version and EU Launch: The brain behind Threads recognized the importance of a desktop experience, so Threads introduced a web app.
Even though the desktop version of Threads looks great, it didn’t succeed in attracting new users other than mobile users who also use the desktop.
In addition, Threads plans to launch in Europe as soon as possible, but regulatory hurdles prevented this from happening soon.
Focus on Communities: Like Facebook and other social media platforms, Threads seems to be shifting focus towards building communities around shared interests. This move could establish Threads as a different platform than X, which has a more public focus.
Monetization Options: Rumors are suggesting that Threads might be exploring revenue streams because monetization is crucial for long-term sustainability. It’s also a question of whether Threads will enter the Meta Ads platform as a new placement like Facebook and Instagram.
Is It Possible for Threads to Recapture the Magic?
Instead of short momentums, this platform aims to succeed in the long term.
These are some of the key factors that may influence its future:
Competition Against X: The social media landscape is highly competitive and all the platforms keep evolving. X is still the unbeaten champion in the battle against Threads. To attract a loyal user base, Threads should find its uniqueness.
In addition, Threads needs to work on its content to provide a new and engaging experience to its users. If the platform isn’t interesting enough they will keep abandoning it.
Privacy Problems: Data privacy is a major concern for users worldwide. Many users were worried about the platform’s smart integration with Instagram in terms of privacy. Can Threads address these concerns effectively and build trust with its user base?
To conclude
It’s too early to write Threads off.
It is still a new platform that is constantly improving. Threads may become a viable competitor in the ever-evolving social media landscape if the platform launches in Europe and changes its focus to community building and monetization.
If you are into digital marketing and would like to know how to grow on Threads fast, reading this post may give you the answer.
