From glow to "nothing". Why did "Threads" fail?

The Threads application launched by Meta, which also owns "Facebook", "Instagram" and "WhatsApp", is not a new idea in any sense, although some recent developments have contributed to shaping this idea and changing its features.?

In 2019, Facebook's eyes were focused on the Snapchat application, as a rival competing with it for the views and clicks of younger users.?

In those circumstances, the first form of "Threads" was born, which was, paradoxically, the opposite of the current form, in terms of its focus on more private spaces such as messages, in addition to the predominance of images and videos due to the competition that was raging at the time.

This application, which was based on “Instagram”, also did not last for long, and soon “Facebook” (it changed its name to Meta in October 2021) found itself forced to throw its failed bet away and move towards more glamorous and comprehensive plans, in its frenzied pursuit of Get the elixir of youth.?

In ways that the average person can't imagine or comprehend, Facebook has found its way into the world of Metaverse. And there it seemed that imagining a dystopian future with bad graphics would be an offer that could not be refused, where we could work, relax, and mingle with our friends, while Meta ruled over the eye sockets, fingers, and everything that came to her. There is no need to mention the fate of that revolutionary vision put forward by Zuckerberg and how it failed.

Low number of new users

One worrying trend is the significant drop in users logging into Threads after the first week. While many people initially rushed to sign up, a large portion failed to return to using the app regularly. This suggests that the app's appeal may have faded quickly, and it failed to provide a compelling reason for users to continue engaging.

Low average usage time on the app

In addition to the decline in user numbers, the amount of time spent on Threads has also seen a sharp decline. According to reports, the average duration of use for US users has fallen by more than half. On July 6, users spent about 20 minutes on the app, but by July 10, that number had dwindled to just over 8 minutes.

Some of the reasons for the decline in popularity of threads

Threads focused on making it easier to create, repost, and like content is clearly articulated by Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri. Unlike Twitter, Threads does not prioritize news content. This means that users are essentially limited to interacting with individuals within their existing network, which requires them to start following others from the beginning. Thus, this setup is not ideal for ensuring posts reach a wider audience, beyond family members.

In contrast, Twitter has established itself as a platform known for breaking news in real-time, attracting millions of users during various events, whether political or entertainment-related. On the other hand, Instagram lacks a similar ecosystem for posting real-time news, and Threads users have faced this as well.

Bottom Line?

The story of the social networking application "Threads" can be summed up in this phrase: a very rapid fall and disappearance after a missile launch, within one month.

But in the story there are a lot of interesting details.

Threads achieved huge numbers in the early days, and the following numbers show how the new application was able to capture the attention of millions around the world.

In the first 7 hours: 10 million subscribers.

The figure rose to 30 million 18 hours later.

The number reached 100 million after 5 days.

The first week of the new platform ended with more than 109 million users.

On the tenth day, the number had exceeded 150 million.