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Threads: not the Twitter killer it seemed
Summary: In July 2023, Meta launched Threads with great fanfare, attempting to capitalize on Twitter’s vulnerability following Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover. The app, a Twitter clone, debuted in 100 countries simultaneously — initially excluding the European Union due to regulatory concerns — and was heavily promoted on Instagram, Meta’s most successful platform for dissemination. Initially hailed ...
In July 2023, Meta launched Threads with great fanfare, attempting to capitalize on Twitter’s vulnerability following Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover. The app, a Twitter clone, debuted in 100 countries simultaneously — initially excluding the European Union due to regulatory concerns — and was heavily promoted on Instagram, Meta’s most successful platform for dissemination.
Initially hailed as a potential Twitter killer, media outlets breathlessly reported that Threads had amassed 90 million users in just four days, touting it as the fastest-growing tech phenomenon in history. However, industry insiders knew better: Twitter challengers had come and gone before, and app downloads don’t necessarily translate to active users.
Zuckerberg himself soon had to concede that less than 50% of initial downloads converted to active users by July 2023. More reliable sources estimated the drop-off at 80% in July and 82% in August. A year post-launch, Threads has reportedly reached 175 million users — still a fraction of X’s 600 million. Threads users typically report having only one-fifth to one-sixth of their X followers, often using the platform merely to cross-post content from X, resulting in significantly less engagement.
Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover was undeniably tumultuous, as detailed in Zoë Schiffer’s highly recommendable book…
see more https://edans.medium.com/threads-not-the-twitter-killer-it-seemed-f560bab9a39d
