SAN FRANSICO:
The user growth rate of Threads tripled over the last month, marking a significant opportunity for the app to capture a substantial share of online attention.
Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg announced during yesterday’s Q2 earnings call that Threads has reached 200 million monthly active users, a milestone confirmed by Threads chief Adam Mosseri as reported by
Threads has achieved this key milestone in just over a year, despite initial skepticism that the app’s growth relied heavily on its integration with Instagram. While some may dismiss this achievement due to its connection with Instagram, the fact remains that 200 million users actively participate on Threads each month, indicating substantial engagement.
The remarkable growth momentum is even more noteworthy, as Zuckerberg pointed out. Recent data from Meta shows a significant increase in Threads’ growth rate in recent weeks.
As the accompanying chart illustrates, Threads is gaining growth momentum over time. The flat periods on the chart still signify steady growth, but using Meta’s milestone figures as a reference, Threads has gained more users in the past month than in the previous three months combined.
To recap, Threads reached 100 million active users in October 2023, followed by 130 million in February, seven months after its launch. The app then reported 150 million users in April and 175 million users early last month.
Based on averages, Threads added 7.5 million new users per month between October 2023 and February 2024, increasing to 9 million monthly additions up to July. However, in the last four weeks alone, Threads gained 25 million more monthly active users. This indicates that Threads’ growth momentum has nearly tripled in July, a promising sign for its future potential.
Several factors may be driving this growth. The upcoming US election has sparked significant interest in political discussions. Despite Meta’s aversion to politics, major events, such as the switch from Biden to Harris for the 2024 election campaign, have fueled increased discussions.
Moreover, the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13 shifted dynamics on X, as owner Elon Musk publicly endorsed Trump for the next presidential term. This may have pushed users away from X and towards Threads, which is also benefiting from increased interest in real-time discussions during the Olympics.
As more commentators and users flock to Threads, its momentum continues to build. The app’s growth is significant, and it will be interesting to see if Threads reaches the 250 million MAU mark soon, as an indicator of its rising popularity.
