By Meta, the social media conglomerate, has been making waves with its latest offering, Threads, a Twitter-esque platform that burst onto the scene last month and swiftly ascended the app rankings. Now, Threads is taking its presence to the next level by gradually launching on the web, enabling users to access it from their personal computers. The website, Threads.net, is currently undergoing a phased rollout, though it might presently display only a link for downloading the mobile app.
According to a spokesperson from Meta, the company is gearing up to progressively introduce the web version of Threads to the wider public within the upcoming days. Notably, Meta has revealed its intentions to enhance the web interface over the next few weeks, aligning its appearance more closely with the mobile app’s design and features.
Although Threads experienced a surge in user adoption during its debut in July, it encountered a subsequent dip in growth and engagement the following week. This downturn was attributed to the app’s inherent limitations, which became more apparent as users delved deeper into its functionalities. Addressing these shortcomings, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, divulged in early August that the company was diligently working on developing a web iteration of Threads and implementing a search function. These efforts underscore Meta’s commitment to refining the app’s appeal.
Industry insiders, including advertisers and influencers, have expressed the view that Threads needs to incorporate additional features, such as a robust search tool and desktop accessibility, to truly challenge its competition, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter). Influencers and power users gravitate towards X’s desktop version to seamlessly post comments and share content throughout the day. Acknowledging this demand, Meta is striving to bolster Threads’ capabilities and reach.
Meanwhile, X has been striving to regain the trust of advertisers by introducing novel brand safety tools designed to foster a more comfortable environment for running ads on the platform. This move comes as a response to concerns voiced by several nonprofit organizations and researchers, who have documented a surge in hate speech and racially insensitive content following CEO Elon Musk’s assumption of control over X in October. The company, however, disputes these claims.
While Mark Zuckerberg has expressed considerable optimism about the potential of Threads, Meta has opted to delay monetization plans for the app until it achieves a more solid footing in the market. This measured approach aligns with Meta’s strategy to ensure the app’s stability and widespread acceptance before capitalizing on its potential revenue streams.
