Over half of Threads’ users have stopped using it, prompting Mark Zuckerberg to push for hooks to attract users.

Over half of Threads' users have stopped using it, prompting Mark Zuckerberg to push for hooks to attract users.

Meta’s Threads App Struggles to Retain Users, Mark Zuckerberg Reveals

Meta’s latest venture, Threads, a text-based app designed to compete with Twitter, achieved remarkable success by reaching 100 million users in just five days. This milestone outshined the time it took for ChatGPT to gain the same number of users. However, according to Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, this rapid growth has not translated into user retention. During a recent meeting with staff, Zuckerberg reported that over half of the initial 100 million users have not continued using the app.

“While it would be awesome if all or even half of the 100 million users stuck around, we’re not there yet,” expressed Zuckerberg, acknowledging the challenge of retaining such a massive user base. Despite this setback, he remains optimistic about the future of Threads and the company’s ability to improve user engagement.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, which is owned by Meta, had previously hinted at the app’s plan to incorporate key features such as trending topics, hashtags, translation capabilities, and the ability to view likes. Another anticipated addition is a “following” feed that exclusively displays posts from users you know. These features are expected to enhance the user experience and address some of the app’s limitations.

Meta’s Chief Product Officer also revealed that the company is actively working on “retention-driving hooks” to encourage users to return to the app. One strategy being explored is to make sure that users on the Instagram app have easy access to important Threads content. This move aims to create more synergy between the two apps, as Threads requires users to sign up using their Instagram accounts.

The drop in user retention is not unexpected for Zuckerberg, who considers it a “normal” occurrence during the early stages of app development. With the implementation of new features and the introduction of retention-driven hooks, Meta hopes to recover its user base and increase engagement on Threads.

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In an interesting timing coincidence, Threads was launched shortly after Elon Musk caused frustration among Twitter users by setting temporary limits on viewing tweets. This situation presents an opportunity for Meta to capitalize on potential disillusionment with Twitter’s policies, especially as the company undergoes a rebrand to X.

Despite the revelation about Threads’ user retention issues, Meta has not offered an official statement in response to inquiries. As the tech conglomerate continues to refine its strategies, it remains to be seen how they will address the challenge of retaining users and whether Threads will emerge as a viable competitor to Twitter.

• Mark Zuckerberg
• Meta
• Threads