If you’ve been following the social media landscape, you might remember Threads, the app from Meta designed to take on Twitter. Well, it seems like Threads has been making a comeback, and here’s why you should pay attention.

A Threads Revival?

Back in August, we conducted a study that revealed Threads had experienced a significant drop in usage and engagement shortly after its July launch. Many big brands that initially joined Threads weren’t active on the platform anymore. However, fast forward to today, and I’ve started to notice a shift in the Threads landscape based just on my own still infrequent use.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve come across posts from users reporting a surge in new followers, likes, and engagement on Threads. People are sharing their excitement about gaining thousands of new followers in a short period. This uptick in engagement sparked my curiosity and raised questions about whether Threads is making a comeback.

A Glimpse of Increased Engagement

It’s not just individual users experiencing a boost in engagement; Threads as a platform seems to be gaining more attention. Posts that typically garner engagement on other social media platforms are now also raking in likes and interactions on Threads.

For example, a heartwarming post received almost 2,500 likes, while a niche topic about a skateboarder received nearly 1,300 likes. It feels like this could be the start of a shift happening in Threads usage.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Digging deeper, I stumbled upon an interesting article on TechCrunch. It revealed that Threads’ daily downloads, which had been hovering around 350,000, have seen significant growth since Thanksgiving, reaching 620,000 daily downloads. This surge in downloads signifies a renewed interest in the platform, and it’s translating into increased engagement.

Threads Competing with X

One significant factor contributing to Threads’ resurgence is its ability to provide real-time updates and news. While X/Twitter has long been the go-to platform for breaking news due to its chronological feed, Threads is improving in this aspect.

It successfully kept up with the unfolding drama surrounding OpenAI and Sam Altman’s leadership, showcasing its potential utility as a platform for timely information.

At the same time, Elon’s actions on X have caused a significant exodus of big advertisers, costing the platform millions in lost advertising revenue. This opens up a significant opportunity for Threads to gain ground.

Threads vs. X: Who’s Winning?

Is Threads winning the social media battle against X (formerly Twitter)? Based on the recent developments and engagement trends, Threads appears to be gaining momentum. While it’s always hard to predict the future, this is the first sign I’ve seen in a while that Threads could become one of the major social networks.

While social media networks tend to decline slowly, I starting to believe X is on a downward path from which it will not recover. This is a major opportunity for Threads. While I wouldn’t recommend shifting much of your social media marketing energy to Threads just yet, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on over the first half of 2024.

Threads still needs to add features (including reporting) to make it have real utility for brand marketers. However, Meta has consistently indicated that they are investing over time in this platform.  That, plus this increase in engagement, coupled with the platform’s improving real-time capabilities, makes it a contender in the ever-evolving social media landscape. Stay tuned, stay innovative, and keep an eye on Threads. It just may yet become part of your social media marketing strategy.