Meta has announced plans to introduce advertisements on its Threads platform globally, with a gradual rollout set to commence soon. The company anticipates that the complete deployment of ads may span several months as the feature is progressively implemented.
According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads has amassed over 400 million monthly active users, positioning it as a significant asset for Meta. Zuckerberg previously forecasted the app’s potential to attract 1 billion users within a few years of its inception.
Since its launch in July 2023, Threads has experienced rapid growth, reaching 200 million users by mid-2024, 320 million by January 2025, and 350 million as of last April. Despite not yet hitting the 1 billion user mark, Threads has been under the scrutiny of ad testing initiatives. Advertisements were initially trialed in the U.S. and Japan a year ago, with global advertisers gaining access to the platform in April of the following year.
Meta has streamlined the process for advertisers to extend their campaigns to Threads through Meta’s Advantage+ program and manual campaigns. Ad formats such as image, video, 4:5 aspect ratio, and carousel ads are supported, facilitating advertisers to manage Threads ads alongside those on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in Business Settings.
Furthermore, Meta has extended third-party verification services to the Threads platform, enhancing brand safety and suitability through Meta Business Partners. This move is particularly significant given the prevalence of illicit deepfakes on rival platforms.
While Meta has not disclosed the frequency of ad displays on Threads feeds, it has stated that initial ad delivery will be limited as the feature is introduced to global users.
Source: TechCrunch