Meta’s Twitter competitor, Threads, has experienced explosive growth, amassing 70 million sign-ups just one day after its launch, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Users have already posted over 95 million posts and 190 million likes on the text-based social media platform, as reported by The Verge based on internal company data.
The rapid growth of Threads can be attributed to its integration with Meta’s Instagram, allowing users to sign up using their existing Instagram handles and maintain their following as others join the app. With just one in four Instagram users needed to use Threads monthly, it could potentially rival Twitter in terms of size, according to Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence. Twitter reported around 238 million monetizable daily active users in its last quarterly earnings report.
However, Threads still faces challenges. It has yet to launch in Europe due to regulatory complexities, and it has already faced legal concerns. Elon Musk’s lawyer accused Meta of “unlawful misappropriation” of trade secrets, to which Meta’s communications director responded that none of the Threads engineering team are former Twitter employees.
While Threads may attract a broader audience compared to Twitter due to its integration with Instagram, it must demonstrate the ability to keep users engaged and returning to the platform. Its focus on visual-based content and Meta’s efforts to de-emphasize political content could differentiate it from Twitter. However, it remains to be seen whether users will rely on Threads for news and world events like they do on Twitter.
Politicians, including a quarter of Congress members and Republican presidential candidates, have already signed up for Threads, along with top White House aides. Advertisers familiar with Meta’s platforms may also welcome Threads as an alternative to Twitter, particularly if they perceive it to be more brand-safe, as Instagram’s community guidelines apply to Threads as well.
