Instagram’s groundbreaking Threads app has taken the social media world by storm, shattering records and amassing 100 million users in just five days after launch.
By achieving this milestone, Threads has overtaken ChatGPT’s record, making the Twitter competitor the fastest-growing consumer application in history.
Take a look at this chart for how long it took some of the most popular social media services to reach 100 million users after launch.
Data: Gotechtor research; Chart: Herby Jasmin/Gotechtor
Unprecedented User Acquisition
Threads established itself as an instant sensation, captivating users worldwide after it was launched.
Meta provided Threads with a significant advantage by integrating it into Instagram, a platform with a staggering user base of 2 billion, surpassing Twitter’s approximately 500 million global users.
This integration allows Instagram users to effortlessly follow their counterparts on Threads, leading to a rapid increase in new signups and giving the service a substantial boost.
Within a mere two hours post-launch, the app garnered an impressive 2 million users, a clear sign of its immediate appeal.
The upward trajectory continued its meteoric rise, swiftly surging past the 5 million, 10 million, 30 million, and 70 million marks.
On Monday, Zuckerberg announced in a Threads post that Threads reaches 100 million sign ups and confirmed that the growth had been primarily organic.
Unrivaled Engagement
The tremendous success of Threads extends far beyond user sign-ups; the app has witnessed an explosion of user-generated content and engagement.
As of Thursday, statistics revealed that more than 95 million posts and 190 million likes have already been shared on the platform.
This remarkable engagement showcases the app’s ability to captivate users and foster an interactive and dynamic community.
While Threads remains in its early stages, it holds the promise of becoming the go-to platform for conversation-based social media interactions.
Although Instagram head Adam Mosseri clarifies that the aim is “not to replace Twitter,” Threads has the potential to make Twitter irrelevant.
He added that the company will not actively encourage politics or hard news on the platform. Nonetheless, as Threads continues to evolve, it may carve out its own niche in the social media landscape.
A Promising Twitter Alternative
Instagram’s monumental success with Threads has sent shockwaves through the industry, prompting speculation about the platform’s potential to disrupt the status quo.
While comparisons to Twitter’s user base are not directly equivalent, early signs suggest that Threads’ growth trajectory would easily outpace that of Twitter.
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince’s mention of Twitter’s recent traffic decline (as seen above) further bolsters Threads’ ascent in the social media hierarchy.
Implications for the Future
With its monumental growth and undeniable user engagement, Instagram’s Threads app has defied all expectations, cementing its position as a frontrunner in the realm of social media platforms.
As the app continues to mature and solidify its user base, industry experts eagerly anticipate its potential to redefine conversation-based interactions and captivate the ever-evolving digital landscape.
