Meta's Threads Retains User Base After One Month, Yet to Establish Authentic Atmosphere
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| Meta's Threads Retains User Base After One Month, Yet to Establish Authentic Atmosphere (Image Source: htdigiday.com) |
Exactly one month has passed since the launch of Meta's text-based application, Threads. During this period, businesses and brands are in the process of familiarizing themselves with the platform's dynamics.
The current absence of a well-defined social strategy for Threads in its initial stages shouldn't be a cause for concern. Typically, strategic approaches evolve as platform cultures become more entrenched, allowing individuals and brands to grasp its purpose and optimal utilization.
Over the past four weeks, there has been a noticeable division among brands utilizing Threads, falling into distinct categories. In one group, certain brands have embraced a playful and irreverent approach, adopting what's been humorously labeled the "unhinged social media manager" persona.
A prime example is Gymshark, whose Threads bio humorously declares, "Writing bios? Nah, cba [can't be arsed]." Their posts exude a conversational tone, creating the impression that the brand's account engages directly with its followers.
On the other side of the spectrum, a separate category accommodates brands that prioritize avoiding the fear of missing out (FOMO), potentially reaping benefits from early adoption of a burgeoning platform.
These brands have integrated Threads into their social media repertoire, and while their posting frequency may vary, they've largely transposed their messaging from Twitter (now X) onto the Threads platform.
This practice is particularly evident among publishers. In essence, their posts exhibit consistency between Twitter and Threads, as their overarching objective remains driving traffic to articles hosted on their respective websites.
"Determining their approach on Threads will require a period of contemplation for marketers," mentioned Danielle Carter, who holds the role of paid social account director at Croud, a digital marketing agency. "At present, there's no definitive right or wrong; marketers are in the process of navigating the terrain."
However, Carolyn Garavente, serving as the associate director of paid social at Brainlabs, a media agency, highlighted that although brands initially reacted swiftly to the launch of Threads, continually reactive strategies cannot be sustained in the long run.
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"With the platform's momentum waning, an opportune window emerges for formulating enduring and sustainable brand strategies," she elaborated. "This juncture also affords them the chance to observe forthcoming updates from Threads and assess their potential impact on their strategic direction."
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| Image Source: htdigiday.com |
The challenge of deciding which persona to project onto the novel text-based app isn't exclusive to marketers; even users grapple with this uncertainty.
"Should I embody my Twitter-self or my Instagram-self on this platform? Perhaps a fusion of both, a manifestation of my Twinstagram self," mused Amy Gilbert, Vice President of Social Innovation at The Social Element.
The creators of Threads themselves remain in the process of defining the essence of this social network and its significance to its users. As Gilbert pointed out, it lacks a distinctive set of inside jokes and a discernible culture.
This cultural aspect is bound to evolve as additional features are introduced, as it's understandably challenging to find one's footing on a new platform that currently imposes limitations on user interactions.
However, does the decline in user engagement (concerning brands) raise alarms in the current scenario?
Threads' rapid surge has been matched by an equally swift reality check. Undoubtedly, the platform stands as the swiftest-growing in history, yet, a month later, the majority of users have seen a decline in their activity levels.
For context, data sourced from Similarweb - which analyzes social media engagement on Android devices due to Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy - unveiled that on July 7, a mere two days after Threads' launch, the count of daily active users (DAUs) globally on Android devices hit a peak of approximately 49.3 million. By July 29, this number had dwindled by approximately 78%, resting at around 11.1 million.
This dip in DAUs doesn't catch Gilbert off guard, as she considers the initial growth rate to be so meteoric that expecting the same scale of user retention at this early stage isn't realistic.
Gilbert's perspective aligns with that of Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, who acknowledged the scenario.
"The early growth was unprecedented, but even more significant is the fact that tens of millions of individuals now return daily. This surpasses our expectations," shared Zuckerberg on Threads two weeks ago.
He further outlined the focus for the coming year: refining the fundamentals and enhancing user retention. While stabilization might require time, once achieved, attention will shift towards expanding the community.
Zuckerberg drew parallels with Meta's past endeavors (FB, IG, Stories, Reels, etc.), expressing confidence that Threads is on a promising trajectory.
And indeed, he's accurate. Meta has tread this path before, armed with the knowledge of what clicks and how to generate revenue.
"People tend to overlook the fact that platforms are initially crafted for users, not brands," Gilbert emphasized. "With Threads originating from Meta, the inclination towards advertising and targeting audiences is deeply ingrained from the outset. However, this will demand a bit more time."
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