Threads Loses 80% of Users: A Failure Case Study of Social Media Giant Meta
In the realm of social media, users are the most valuable resource. Recently, Meta’s new application Threads has experienced a significant user loss. Reports indicate that the daily active user count of Threads has dropped by over 80% within just a month. This shocking figure presents a severe challenge for Meta.
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What is Threads?
Threads is a social media application under Meta (formerly Facebook), designed to compete with platforms like Twitter. Threads rapidly attracted a large number of users within a few days of its launch, with its daily active user count reaching 44 million at one point. However, just a month later, this number plummeted to 8 million.
See more：T2 Adds DMs to Compete with Twitter(X),Threads and Bluesky
Current Situation of Threads
Despite the astonishing success Threads achieved within a few days of its launch, it is now facing a severe user loss problem. According to data from market research firms Sensor Tower and Similarweb, the daily active user count of Threads has dropped by over 80% within just a month. Moreover, the time users spend on Threads has also decreased from an initial 20 minutes to the current 3 minutes.
Despite this, Meta has not given up on Threads. On the contrary, they are striving to improve Threads to enhance user retention and engagement. For example, they have already added some new features to Threads, such as following tags and post editing tools.
Initial Success of Threads
Threads achieved astonishing success within a few days of its launch. Its daily active user count reached 49 million within two days of its launch, making Threads the fastest-growing application in history. However, this success did not last long.
Reasons for User Loss
According to data from market research firms Sensor Tower and Similarweb, the user loss of Threads mainly stems from the following reasons:
Lack of Unique Features
Threads does not surpass its competitors in terms of features, and is even inferior in some aspects. For instance, Threads lacks features such as direct messaging and content produced by popular influencers.
Decreased User Engagement
Data shows that the time users spend on Threads has decreased from an initial 20 minutes to the current 3 minutes. This indicates that users’ interest in Threads is gradually waning.
Low User Retention Rate
Although Threads attracted a large number of users within a few days of its launch, these users did not become long-term users. Data shows that the daily active user count of Threads is decreasing at a rate of 1% per day.
See more：Threads Follow Feed Tab:How to Find It and How to Use It?
Future of Threads
Regarding the future of Threads, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed that he is “quite optimistic” about Threads’ prospects. He stated that Meta’s current focus is to enhance Threads’ user retention and engagement, and then consider how to expand Threads’ user base.
However, to achieve this goal, Meta still has a lot of work to do. Firstly, they need to add more unique features to Threads to attract and retain users. Secondly, they need to improve the user experience of Threads so that users are willing to spend more time on Threads. Lastly, they need to find an effective way to bring those users who have left Threads back to Threads.
In general, although Threads is currently facing a severe user loss problem, its future is still full of possibilities. As long as Meta can adopt the right strategies, Threads may be able to attract users again and become a successful social media application.
Also read：Platform Wars: Twitter vs Threads and What is Twitter’s Future?
Conclusion
In general, the user loss of Threads serves as a warning, reminding us that users are the most important in the field of social media. Any social media application that neglects user needs and fails to provide unique value may face the risk of user loss. For Meta, they need to learn from the failure of Threads to better meet the needs of users.
