Threads, Meta's Twitter competitor, topped app store rankings and became the fastest-growing app in history in its first week. Despite not being accessible in the European Union, one of Meta's core markets, Threads amassed over 100 million users in only five days, breaking the previous marks set by chatGPT and TikTok.
Mark Zuckerberg called much of this quick growth "organic," which was a severe blow to Twitter.
Although the long-term viability of Threads has yet to be proven, in its first week, it unquestionably dominated Twitter. Numerous analytics show that Threads has grown into a self-contained viral phenomenon and significantly affected Twitter user engagement.
Matthew Prince, the CEO of DNS provider Cloudflare, saw a sharp drop in Twitter traffic shortly after Threads went up. Since the end of June, when Elon Musk restricted the ability to see tweets and Threads was subsequently released, there has been a dramatic decline in the number of visitors to twitter.com, according to a graph Prince posted.
Users' Average Time on Threads Declines
The statistics from SimilarWeb, which shows a 5% decrease in traffic to twitter.com in the two days after Threads' introduction compared to the prior week, supports this pattern, according to Engadget. Even before the introduction of Threads, Twitter's traffic was on a general declining slope.
Though early numbers show that Threads already substantially influenced Twitter's user base, early virality may not translate to long-term success, like what happened to platforms Google+ and Clubhouse.
According to an Ipsos survey, more than half of American Twitter users had little interest in switching to Threads soon.
Additionally, the average time spent on Threads decreased, according to app analytics company Sensor Tower, despite consistent interaction on Twitter after Threads' rollout.
Despite Threads strong sign-ups/DAUs, ST data shows engagement remains low. Weekend time spent declined 60% from Jul 6 highs; this was 60% & 85% lower than avg time spent on Twitter & Insta, resp.#SensorTower, #Threadsapp, #mobileappdata, #Instagram #Twitter pic.twitter.com/tFHyuBG7UO
— Sensor Tower (@SensorTower) July 12, 2023
Threads' explicit emphasis on staying away from news and politics is one remarkable feature. The fact that news organizations have a far smaller number of followers on Threads than they do on Twitter demonstrates this deliberate deviance. Conversely, companies are using Threads more often and getting more likes and comments than they are on Twitter.
Challenges of Keeping Users Engaged, EU Restrictions
Threads head Adam Mosseri highlighted the platform's capacity to build lively communities without politics or hard news, per Sky News.
While Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk's joking banter hints that Threads may be positioned as a Twitter competitor, Twitter's status as a source for breaking news makes it difficult to unseat.
Due to worries about moderation under Musk's leadership, firms afraid to advertise on Twitter may find Threads a more sterilized option. Threads provide an ideal platform for marketers to partner with Meta and gain substantial profits.
However, Threads must provide stimulating material to hold users' attention when the novelty of joining a new social network wears off.
Unlike TikTok, which became famous because of viral material, Threads now draws people's attention more because it stands apart from Twitter than because of any particularly engaging content. For long-term success and user retention, the capacity to develop interesting content will be essential.
Furthermore, while Threads waits to get launched in the European Union, its growth potential still needs to be improved. Meta has temporarily postponed the platform's debut to analyze the possible effects of the EU's Digital Markets Act, which governs data sharing between Instagram and Threads, per Yahoo! Finance.
As Threads strives to exceed Twitter and establish itself as a significant worldwide hub for breaking news and updates, this delay represents a substantial barrier.
