Meta's Threads struggles to attract content creators one year after launch

One year after its debut, Meta's text-based social platform Threads is failing to gain traction among content creators, despite the company's efforts to position it as a rival to Twitter.
Industry insiders report that many influencers and creators view Threads as an afterthought, relegating it to a secondary status in their social media strategies. Keith Dorsey, CEO of Young Guns Entertainment, a talent management company working with hundreds of popular content creators, told The Washington Post, "It's an auxiliary thing, I don't think any of the creators I have even post on Threads.We'd forget it's there if it wasn't for the automatic notifications."
The platform, which launched on July 7, 2023, has reached 175 million monthly users, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. However, this figure pales in comparison to Instagram's 2 billion and Facebook's over 3 billion monthly users.
Content creators cite Threads' lack of a clear identity as a major hurdle. Lia Haberman, a digital strategist, observed, "Threads still seems like a platform in search of a mission. The focus isn't news. It's not about visual creativity or video, like Instagram or TikTok. So what is it?"
Some creators, like Christal Luster, who has over 870,000 TikTok followers, use Threads casually. "I use Threads like a journal. I just put my thoughts there," Luster explained to the Post.
Meta is attempting to incentivize creator participation through cash bonuses for high-performing posts. However, this strategy has led to concerns about low-quality content flooding the platform.
Despite these challenges, Meta remains committed to Threads. The company highlighted success stories like Jessica McBride, who built a following of over 2,700 users by sharing updates about her adopted feral cat.