Threads App Usage Plummets 79 Percent — Retail Bum

Meta’s Threads App is seeing its usage plummet after an initial strong start.

According to digital intelligence platform Similarweb, engagement with the social media app is down 79% from a high of 2.3 million active users in early July 2023 to 576,000 as of August 7, 2023.

The sharp decline in engagement activity on Threads has come along with a slowdown in U.S. businesses’ interest in leveraging the app for awareness and marketing purposes. Companies ranging from fast food giant Wendy’s to clothing retailer Anthropologie and makeup brand Rare Beauty have all reportedly reduced the number of posts they publish on the app.

The news marks a quick reversal in the app’s fortunes after becoming the most rapidly downloaded app in the world. Threads has gained five million registrations in just a week of its launch, and a total of 100 million have signed up since.

Threads was launched by Meta as an alternative to X, formerly known as Twitter, amidst continued chaos resulting from owner Elon Musk’s leadership.

After acquiring the app in October 2022, Musk fired the bulk of the app’s staff, which led to frequent glitches and implemented controversial policies — actions that have increased hate speech and resulted in the departure of several major advertisers.

Still, Thread’s rival X might be better positioned to win the long game. Similarweb’s data shows that the number of active users on Thread’s app on its busiest day was less than half of Twitter’s daily average of 100 million.

Originally published at https://retailbum.com on August 15, 2023.