Ever since the launch of Threads, people have been speculating as to when Meta will look to insert ads in the app, and generate direct revenue from the millions of people signing up to its Twitter-like platform.
Meta has fended off concerns on this front, noting initially that Threads ads wouldn’t be coming till it reaches a billion users. But it has already been experimenting with Threads ads formats, with a view to one day adding Threads placement into its ad options.
And with Threads now at 275 million active users, maybe Meta’s getting impatient.
According to a new report from The Information, Meta’s looking to introduce ads to Threads early next year, as per people with knowledge of Meta’s plans.
That wouldn’t be a huge surprise, though Meta itself has denied this timeline.
Kind of.
Meta provided this statement to SMT:
“Since our priority is to build consumer value first and foremost, there are no ads or monetization features currently on Threads.”
That doesn’t really deny The Information’s report, but Meta’s still holding firm on its stance that it’s not adding ads into the Threads experience as yet.
That’s consistent with what Meta’s executive team had to say about Threads ads in its most recent earnings call, with Meta CFO Susan Li noting that:
“We don’t expect Threads to be a meaningful driver of 2025 revenue at this time. We’ve been pleased with the growth trajectory, and again, we’re really focused on introducing features that the community finds valuable and working to deepen growth and engagement.”
So Meta has told its shareholders that it’s not yet seeking to bring ads to Threads, which seems like a strong counterargument to the suggestion that Threads ads are coming anytime soon (as this is the audience that would be most interested in that news).
So what should you actually expect on this front?
Judging by Meta’s statement, I would suggest that there has been some internal debate over Threads monetization, and that Meta has no concrete guidance on when Threads ads are coming at this stage. Threads is growing at a solid rate, though the more recent growth of Bluesky could also be raising concerns about the app’s future direction, and where it goes next.
I doubt that ads would be the first thing that comes to mind, but it could be that Meta is considering accelerating its Threads development timeline, which could mean that all plans are up in the air at present. That would explain Meta’s non-committal response, because essentially, nobody likely knows what its broader strategy is at present.
Can you expect to see ads on Threads in 2025? I have my doubts, and I think Meta will hold-off till it reaches at least 500 million actives before making a move on this front. At its current growth rate, that could be relatively soon, but I don’t see Meta making any sudden shifts in direction here, especially after it just told investors that it won’t be happening.
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