Twitter Rival Threads Struggles To Keep Users Hooked, But Is Zuckerberg Using It Himself?

As Meta Platforms Inc. META grapples with a staggering user decline on Threads, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly addressed the challenge of retention during an internal company town hall. 

What Happened: At an internal company town hall, Zuckerberg acknowledged that while user retention on the text-based app was better than expected, it was far from perfect. 

The company had managed to attract over 100 million sign-ups, a remarkable feat, but the challenge now lies in keeping these users engaged and returning for more.

“Obviously, if you have more than 100 million people sign up, ideally, it would be awesome if all of them or even half of them stuck around. We’re not there yet,” Zuckerberg said during the town hall, as reported by Reuters.

At Meta's second-quarter earnings call on July 26, Zuckerberg said, "In general, we haven't had a lot of success with building standalone apps. We have a lot of work to do to really make Threads reach its full potential.”

He added that Threads team is currently working on user retention and "improving the basics" of the app because "the product was built by a relatively small team on a tight timeline."

Well, this shows that Zuckerberg expected the retention issues, and his team is also working on retaining users with new inititatives.

See Also: Meta’s Threads First Impressions: Is This The Instagram-Twitter Mashup We Really Need?

Meta’s chief product officer, Chris Cox, emphasized their focus on implementing “retention-driving hooks” to entice users back to the app. One strategy involves integrating Threads with Instagram, potentially exposing more users to the app’s offerings.

However, what adds an intriguing twist to the situation is that Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, themselves, haven’t been posting actively on the Threads app. It raises questions among netizens about Meta’s level of confidence in the platform’s appeal and functionality.

Earlier this month, an X user named Greg expressed his surprise at Zuckerberg’s apparent lack of activity on Threads. At the time, Elon Musk responded with a jab at the Meta CEO, saying, “He doesn’t seem to care about his new product.” While Meta chief has been relatively chatty on Threads, he’s still not close to Musk’s barrage of posts and replies on Twitter.

Why It’s Important: Last month, the tech world became abuzz with anticipation after Zuckerberg accepted Musk’s open challenge for a “cage match.” While Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, appeared to call off the fight, UFC president Dana White did everything to make the rumored fight a reality. 

However, the report noted that when Zuckerberg was asked about this proposed “cage match” against the tech billionaire and he responded by saying, “Not sure if it’s going to come together.” 

Check out more of Benzinga’s Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.

Read Next: Meta’s Threads Attracts Influencers from Twitter with Welcoming Atmosphere and Creative Freedom: Report