Stacy Jo Dixon
Research expert covering social media usage worldwide
Threads - statistics & facts
Threads wove its way into the social media tapestry when it was released in the summer of 2023. The platform’s headline-generating launch was well-received, with users signing up in their millions. But now that the dust has settled, just how much of an effect has Threads made in the evolving world of social media?
The text-based platform earned the impressive title of being the fastest mobile app to reach 150 million downloads accomplishing this in just six days. For comparison, “Pokémon GO” and “Call of Duty: Mobile” – two massively successful games – ranked second and third in the list, respectively.
Uncertainty about the future of X (formerly Twitter) undoubtedly added to the highly anticipated launch of Threads. A quick and easy sign-up process further aided the flurry of action upon its release. Users of Meta’s Instagram could effortlessly sign up to the new platform using their existing Instagram credentials.
Threads is still a young platform, and the future of the network remains to be seen. The early surge in users boded well for the newcomer, but finding a niche corner of the internet can be difficult in the long run, given the competition of established social media platforms.
A new contender enters the arena
Thanks to Meta Platforms’ global status, there was much media buzz surrounding Threads. Just seven hours after its release, the number of Threads sign-ups hit 10 million; within five days, the app had around 100 million users.The text-based platform earned the impressive title of being the fastest mobile app to reach 150 million downloads accomplishing this in just six days. For comparison, “Pokémon GO” and “Call of Duty: Mobile” – two massively successful games – ranked second and third in the list, respectively.
Uncertainty about the future of X (formerly Twitter) undoubtedly added to the highly anticipated launch of Threads. A quick and easy sign-up process further aided the flurry of action upon its release. Users of Meta’s Instagram could effortlessly sign up to the new platform using their existing Instagram credentials.
A stitch in time …
Data released in the months after Threads’ launch indicated that Mark Zuckerberg’s latest app had a place in the social media space. The number of monthly active Threads users stood at 100 million in the third quarter of 2023. By the end of the fourth quarter, the app had 130 million monthly active users, a 30 percent increase. However, not all figures pointed to a positive future. The average daily time spent on Threads took a hit shortly long after release. Over seven days in July 2023, people spent 15 fewer minutes per day on the platform.Tying up loose ends
The online buzz surrounding Threads meant that conversations about the new platform could be found on many other social networks, especially X. As of July 2023, over 63 percent of social media mentions of Threads could be found on Musk’s microblogging platform. Fortunately for Meta and Zuckerberg, opinions and mentions of Threads across online platforms were far more positive.Threads is still a young platform, and the future of the network remains to be seen. The early surge in users boded well for the newcomer, but finding a niche corner of the internet can be difficult in the long run, given the competition of established social media platforms.
