When Threads launched in July 2023, it made headlines for breaking records \u2014 100 million sign-ups in less than five days \u2014 and was quickly dubbed the \u201cTwitter killer.\u201d But within weeks, usage dropped sharply. Headlines followed, warning that Threads was already losing steam.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n Fast forward to 2025, and the picture looks very different. Despite early skepticism, Threads has quietly grown into an active conversation platform online, yet it is still murky waters for brands.<\/p>\n So, is Threads really losing steam? Not quite. The platform may have cooled from its explosive debut, but recent data and the marketers I spoke with suggest it\u2019s gaining traction in a more sustainable, long-term way.<\/p>\n Short answer: No \u2014 at least, not anymore.<\/p>\n After the initial burst of downloads and attention in July 2023, Threads experienced a steep drop in engagement. According to SimilarWeb<\/a>, usage fell by 79% just one month after launch, and average time spent on the app dropped from 21 minutes to just 3 minutes per day in the U.S.<\/p>\n But those early numbers told only part of the story.<\/p>\n In January 2025, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that Threads had surpassed 320 million monthly active users<\/strong>. Data from Backlinko<\/a> supports that growth:<\/p>\n Threads now has 100 million daily active users globally. \u201cThreads now has more than 320 million monthly actives, and has been adding more than 1 million sign-ups per day. I expect Threads to continue on its trajectory to become the leading discussion platform and eventually reach 1 billion people over the next several years,\u201d he wrote<\/a> in an earnings statement.<\/p>\n When I log on to Threads, I\u2019m impressed at how lovely my feed feels. Essentially, it\u2019s the text version of Instagram. My experience seems to match many of the users and brands who\u2019ve adopted the program, especially the ones who have fled Twitter in the past few years.<\/p>\n\n While app downloads have slowed compared to launch week, retention and engagement have quietly climbed.<\/p>\n Threads hasn\u2019t replaced X<\/a> (formerly Twitter) across the board, but it has found a strong foothold \u2014 especially among creators, lifestyle brands, and those looking for an alternative to heavily algorithm-driven feeds.<\/p>\n\n My feed, for example, is a mix of memes, aesthetic photos, and political news stories. It nostalgically feels like 2015-era Twitter again\u2026 nature is healing.<\/p>\n\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n While users have embraced Threads, the reactions from marketers have been more muddled. Here\u2019s what I found in HubSpot\u2019s Marketing Trends report:<\/p>\n Only 9% of marketers are using Threads <\/strong>in their overall strategy. For those using Threads, however, they are seeing positive results. 39% of marketers will continue their investment<\/strong> on the platform in 2025, while 24% will increase their investment. <\/p>\n To understand how marketers were incorporating Threads into their strategy, I spoke with several creators and strategists who\u2019ve embraced the platform.<\/p>\n Many early users credit Threads\u2019 integration with Instagram as a key driver of growth. Gigi Robinson<\/a>, a managed Meta creator and founder of Hosts of Influence, said the crossover made it easy to bring over existing audiences:<\/p>\n \u201cA bunch of followers just came on over from Insta to Threads or Facebook to Threads, which I think was really cool.\u201d To date, she\u2019s gained more than 10K followers on the platform.<\/p>\n\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n She told me that the decline of X, particularly its shift to paid verification, was a major turning point for her. \u201cWhen X rolled out that they were getting rid of verification \u2014 even for credible media sources \u2014 it felt like a slap in the face,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cIt made Threads a much more appealing alternative.\u201d<\/p>\n Robinson\u2019s content strategy on Threads blends humor, relatability, and a dose of realism. \u201cSh*tposting, affirmations, crazy headlines \u2014 that\u2019s what gets attention,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve had about 2 million impressions from Threads and gained 1,500 followers just by consistently engaging and showing up.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n As a creator, speaker, and advocate who\u2019s been building an online presence for nearly a decade, Robinson sees Threads as an extension of her broader ecosystem \u2014 one that includes Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and now her new education platform for creators. She often repurposes content across channels and uses Threads to test ideas, share behind-the-scenes moments, and land brand partnerships.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels like a shared Notes app with my community,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s no pressure to be perfect \u2014 and that\u2019s why people engage.\u201d<\/p>\n Though the platform doesn\u2019t yet have the depth of conversation in certain industries (such as crypto or B2B tech), its steady user growth and positive sentiment suggest it\u2019s far from fading.<\/p>\n As creative director Mike Vannelli<\/a> put it, \u201cThreads is less volatile, more intimate \u2014 kind of like early Instagram but for ideas. We\u2019re seeing more meaningful engagement, especially from creative audiences who are tired of the noise.\u201d<\/p>\n Vanelli says he and his team are experimenting with \u201csofter storytelling\u201d on Threads.<\/p>\n Marketers are still figuring out where Threads fits into their larger strategy \u2014 but one thing is clear: The platform rewards experimentation, authenticity, and low-pressure content.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re highly regulated in financial services, so Threads doesn\u2019t fit our compliance needs yet,\u201d said Kelley Muhsemann, a marketing manager at wealth management firm R.W. Rog\u00e9 & Company, Inc.<\/a> \u201cBut if your audience is Gen Z or Millennial, it could be a goldmine.\u201d<\/p>\nIs Threads losing steam?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n In the U.S. alone, there are 30 million monthly active users.
\n The app has maintained steady growth every month since its rocky post-launch period. <\/p>\nHow Marketers and Creators Are Using Threads<\/h2>\n
\n The ROI is much less tangible than other social platforms \u2014 only 3% of respondents saw a return.<\/strong><\/p>\nBut it\u2019s still not right for every brand.<\/strong><\/h3>\n