Meta’s new Twitter competitor, Threads, experienced a surge in user sign-ups with a record-breaking 100 million registrations in just five days. However, recent data from Sensor Tower and Similarweb indicates a decline in growth and user engagement on the platform.
Sensor Tower Report
Sensor Tower, a marketing intelligence firm, reported a significant drop in user engagement since the launch of Threads. The platform experienced a 20% decrease in daily active users on Tuesday and Wednesday compared to the peak on Saturday. Additionally, the average time spent by users on the app decreased by 50%, from 20 minutes to 10 minutes. Anthony Bartolacci, Managing Director at Sensor Tower, emphasized that despite the initial excitement during the launch,
Threads face an uphill battle to establish itself as a regular part of users’ social network routine. Bartolacci also noted that the support from Meta and the integration with Instagram give Threads an advantage over other services, but a more compelling value proposition is needed beyond being a Twitter alternative without Elon Musk.
The Similarweb Data
Similarweb’s data further supported the downward trend in Threads’ user engagement. The platform witnessed a drop of over 25% in daily active users between the peak on July 7 and Monday for Android users worldwide. However, the data for iOS users is still being calibrated. Similarweb also revealed that the average usage time declined by more than half, with U.S. users spending just over 8 minutes on the app on July 10 compared to about 20 minutes on July 6.
David Carr, Senior Insights Manager at Similarweb, acknowledged the initial interest in Threads but highlighted that not all users have made it a regular part of their social app routine. The decline in engagement was observed after an initial surge as users explored the new platform and assessed its community and content offerings.
Meta’s Response
In response to the findings, a Meta spokesperson expressed excitement about the initial success of Threads and mentioned that the company exceeded its expectations. They emphasized the focus on ensuring stable performance, introducing new features, and improving the overall user experience in the coming months.
Threads’ potential impact on Twitter was also noted. Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram and Threads at Meta, clarified that the platform would not prioritize news or politics, potentially making it a less appealing alternative for power users seeking such content. Similarweb’s Carr suggested that Threads could steal significant usage away from Twitter, particularly if it introduces missing features like hashtags and topical search.
