Meta launched Threads in 2023 as an alternative to X, and the platform is now catching up in user adoption. Despite that growth, Threads’ value remains uncertain for marketers, who are still figuring out how to engage.

• Threads users will increase 19.6% in 2026 and will surpass X in US users by 2027, EMARKETER forecasts.
• Threads surpassed X in daily mobile users earlier this month, according to SimilarWeb data cited by TechCrunch, and the platform will show ad inventory to all users in late January.

As a space built around community and fandom, Threads offers a new way for brands to understand their audiences, but they must tread carefully on the platform to avoid feeling intrusive or out of place.

Why Threads isn’t a priority yet

Marketers aren’t showing up consistently on Threads. Even among brands widely praised for their social media strategies, there is no uniform cadence: Wendy's and Duolingo post at least weekly, but Nike’s last post was in October and Dunkin’s was in March.

selective about where they invest time and resources, said Jacquie Kostuk, group strategy director at FUSE Create.

“Brands are hiring differently for social media now that it’s an established practice,” she said. “If you want to win big on TikTok, you need dedicated personnel. You can’t just have a generalized specialist.”

While Threads are packaged into the broader Advantage+ Meta ecosystem for paid social buyers, clients aren’t explicitly requesting Threads placements, said Michael Lindquist, SVP of social at BarkleyOKRP.

“Threads needs to create clearer differentiation,” said Lindquist. “It should focus on reducing bots and plagiarized content and avoid becoming just another short‑form video feed.”

The crossover of Instagram to Threads users is significant; nearly one-third of Instagram users in 2026 will use the platform, EMARKETER forecasts. But that doesn’t mean content translates seamlessly across platforms.

“Content that works on Facebook or Instagram would feel too produced or promotional for Threads, so ads on the platform will need to feel closer to joining a conversation than delivering a traditional ad unit," said Margot Eddy, partner and head of social at Acadia.

What Threads does differently

While Threads is an X/Twitter lookalike, consumers don’t approach the platforms with the same purpose. Treating them identically risks making brand activity feel disruptive rather than native.

“The platform is rooted in interest‑based conversations, so you can’t approach it like X or even late‑stage Twitter, which revolved much more around breaking news and what’s happening right now,” said Lindquist.

Consumers are using Threads to bond over common interests, an appeal that can work for and against brands. The growth of a fandom for HBO’s hit show “Heated Rivalry” on Threads is one example, said Eddy.

The mega fans that call themselves ’Loons’ have flocked to Threads as their platform for conversing,” she said, adding that consumers could react negatively to brands that intrude on a space for fandom in a social landscape full of branded content.

“This same dynamic is also why Threads may not be the strongest platform for brands at the moment,” said Eddy.

Balancing platform priorities

Even when brands understand what makes Threads different, prioritizing the platform remains a challenge.

Because Threads is tied to Instagram, a platform where users are often more curated, it doesn’t appeal to users the same way Reddit does, said Kostuk. The anonymity isn’t there, and the instant feedback loops that once made Twitter feel novel are now commonplace on faster-paced, video-driven platforms like TikTok.

“Organically, we’ve put a pause there and invested more heavily in TikTok for community and conversation-based content,” she said.

Until Threads clarifies what role it plays for marketers, its growing user base may not be enough to move up in their social platform hierarchy, said Eddy.

“Until Threads develops clearer discovery mechanics or norms for brand participation, it feels better suited for organic conversation and community-building than for scaled brand reach or performance-driven objectives,” she said.

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