Twitter rival Threads’ launch of much-anticipated feature did little to attract more users, data suggests

Instagram Threads lacked one of the most basic features of social networks weeks since it launched

The recent launch of an anticipated Threads feature seems to have done little to attract more users onto the platform, new data suggests.

Instagram’s Threads, launched in early July, swiftly became the fastest-growing app in the world and initially posed as a legitimate rival to Elon Musk’s platform Twitter, now rebranded as X.

Though launched without key features of its rival, its early strategic roll out at a key time when Twitter was facing widespread backlash for policy changes under Mr Musk helped Threads quickly accumulate users.

But weeks since its launch, Threads lacked one of the most basic features of social networks – to be able to use it outside of an app.

Last week, the Threads web app was finally rolled out, with the platform’s chief and Instagram boss Adam Mosseri announcing that the web experience was available for everyone at threads.net.

“Let us know what you think,” he said.

While in the US, Threads’ website use jumped up by a fifth over the past week compared to the week prior, how this traffic may have contributed to the onboarding of new users remains unclear.

Globally, the traffic increase to the platform via the website during this period was also only 3 per cent, according to digital intelligence firm Similarweb.

In terms of other parameters as well, Threads’ traffic appears worrying.

Mobile intelligence firm Sensor Tower reported earlier this month that daily active users on Threads dropped over 80 per cent since the platform’s launch, with only 8 million users using the app daily.

There isn’t much data to also suggest there’s a rapid influx of new users signing up to join Threads since its web app launch.

Similarweb speculates that much of the new Threads website visitors in the US were likely just older users moving from the app to the web.

The Meta-owned app is continuing to test and roll out new features to woo in more users.

The company is also starting to test keyword search in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Mosseri said the tests began on Thursday, and would expand to countries including the US “soon”.

“Get excited – search is coming to Threads,” Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg posted on Threads along with a GIF of Vin Diesel from the Fast and Furious franchise saying, “I bet you gonna enjoy this.”