Threads Sees Increased Download Momentum in December, Amid EU Launch of the App

Whereas Meta’s Twitter-like Threads app nonetheless has a protracted technique to go to meet up with different platforms within the house, it’s seemingly nonetheless including customers at a reasonably sturdy fee, primarily based on the newest knowledge from Appfigures, which tracks general obtain exercise tendencies.

And whereas “downloads” and “lively customers” are wholly totally different measurements, the truth that Threads remains to be driving curiosity is a optimistic, which can a minimum of see extra folks making an attempt out the brand new app.

As reported by TechCrunch:

“Threads noticed 12 million new downloads in December 2023, incomes it a No. 4 spot within the High Charts by downloads on Apple’s App Retailer. It additionally noticed 16 million downloads on Google Play, which gave it the No. 8 spot. On each shops mixed, it was the No. 6 app by means of new installs.”

These outcomes will not be overly stunning, on condition that Threads was launched to European customers on December 14th. Based mostly on Instagram adoption figures versus Threads, my assumption was that the Threads EU launch would doubtless drive round 25 million extra downloads general, which is considerably in step with these stats.

As such, these figures will not be essentially indicative of standard natural development, as there was a big occasion inside this era. However nonetheless, it does present that Threads remains to be rising, and that it nonetheless maintains its alternative to problem X.

Although there have been some detrimental indicators as effectively.

Threads downloads had slowed considerably earlier than December, whereas some distinguished former Twitter customers are both sticking with X, and even reverting again to the app, the place they’ve already established a big following.

I not too long ago regarded on the Threads exercise of the highest 50 most adopted profiles on X, and matched that to their posts on Threads, and located that nearly half of those prime accounts don’t also have a Threads presence, which isn’t an ideal sign for the app.

The vast majority of sports activities and information accounts are nonetheless prioritizing X, whereas massive title Indian celebrities additionally haven’t made the change. These are important components of the Twitter/X expertise, and if Threads can’t win them over, it may make it troublesome to keep up its development momentum.

Nonetheless, it’s early days for the app, and I do count on that Threads will cross 200 million month-to-month customers shortly, versus X’s claimed 500 million month-to-month actives. That’s numerous alternative, and it feels prefer it may solely take a couple of extra Elon controversies to drive a extra important shift away from his app.

And on the identical time, X remains to be struggling to win again advert companions, which will even play a key position in its future evolution.

The challenges for X on this regard are diverse, starting from Musk’s ongoing criticisms of former advertisers which have reduce their X advert spend, to his many controversial takes on political scorching button points, to Group Notes being displayed on advertisements within the app, explaining why they’re deceptive.

In consequence, advertisers are seemingly nonetheless staying away from the app.

AdWeek has reported that massive manufacturers are spending round 55% much less on Tremendous Bowl advertisements on X this yr, with their budgets as an alternative going to TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram. That would counsel that X’s advert income, its key revenue supply, remains to be down by round half on what it was earlier than Elon took over on the app, and at some stage, primarily based on X’s prices, and required funding in new tasks, it may turn out to be an existential concern for the app.

Possibly that would be the factor that pushes extra customers in the direction of Threads, and actually, that’s doubtless what Meta constructed the app for, to supply an alternate in case of a full X collapse, with the intention to scoop up these cast-offs with an identical expertise.

To be clear, the entire destruction of X nonetheless appears unlikely, particularly in an election yr. However the challenges for Elon’s “every thing app” are persevering with to mount, whereas on the identical time, extra individuals are, as a minimum, giving Threads a shot.