How are Southeast Asians engaging with Meta's new social app, Threads?

Article first featured on Marketech APAC

Threads, often referred to as the ‘Twitter killer’ by many in the industry, is the latest social media venture from tech giant Meta. Officially launched on July 5, has registered 100 million users in the five days it launched, making it the fastest-growing platform after ChatGPT. The influencer has also spread across markets in Southeast Asia, with Milieu Insight detailing how the app launch rolled out in the region.

This study was conducted just five days after the launch of Meta's new social app. As Threads continues to introduce new features, Milieu Insight will be actively tracking usage and monitor engagement as the dynamics between Twitter and Threads evolve

According to the data, Meta’s Threads app has already gained significant traction across Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines. The study revealed that 3 in 10, on average, across these 3 countries have downloaded the app, with the highest adoption rate observed in the Philippines at around 41%.

Meanwhile, the study also unveiled a vibrant thread culture on Threads. Amongst users who have downloaded the app, 44% in Singapore, 63% in Thailand, and 60% in the Philippines have posted threads since the launch. These findings highlight the app’s potential for fostering user-generated content and encouraging discussions.

Unsurprisingly, the study revealed a skew toward the younger demographic in Singapore. Amongst those aged 16-34, over 7 in 10 have heard of Meta’s new app, compared to the Singapore average of 61%. However, the study also highlighted that only about 1 in 4 of this demographic have downloaded the Threads app, indicating room for further growth among Singaporean youths.

Despite the immediate adoption of Threads, Twitter still remained as the preferred platform among both Threads and Twitter users, with about half of those surveyed (49%) across Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines indicating their preference –  highest in Thailand at 60%. Additionally, one in five respondents mentioned not having a preference.

‍

‍