Threads, the social media app developed by Meta, formerly known as Facebook, made a remarkable entrance into the market, attracting over 100 million users within just five days of its launch. However, recent reports have shown a significant decline in user engagement, with more than 50 million users leaving the app.
In an internal town hall meeting, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg candidly admitted that Threads fell short of their desired user retention level, despite surpassing initial expectations. While the decline in users is a setback, Zuckerberg remains optimistic, stating that it is a common occurrence for new apps. He expressed confidence that Meta’s continuous introduction of new and enticing features would improve user retention over time.
To win back users, Meta is actively exploring strategies to make Threads more appealing. Chief Product Officer Chris Cox revealed that they plan to incorporate more “retention-driving hooks,” including enabling Instagram users to access important Threads content. This move leverages Instagram’s vast user base to attract more people to Threads.
Before the drop in user engagement, Threads experienced a rapid decline in daily visits, going from 49 million to 23.6 million within a single week after its launch. This information was reported by SimilarWeb, an online traffic service. Furthermore, Threads’ audience size is approximately 22 percent of Twitter’s, highlighting the significant gap between the two platforms.
Despite being one of the most prominent challengers to Twitter, Threads faces tough competition in the social media landscape. While it closely resembles Twitter’s functionality, including the ability to post text, links, and interact with other users, Threads has not managed to displace Twitter’s position as one of the world’s largest social media platforms.
As Threads strives to navigate the evolving social media landscape, Meta remains committed to refining the app’s user experience. They believe that continuous improvements and the introduction of engaging features will pave the way for Threads to become a more sustainable and competitive player in the realm of social media platforms.
