Threads vs. Twitter (X): What Social Media Managers Need to Know to Succeed
With the rise of Threads, Meta’s response to X (formerly Twitter), social media managers are considering the differences. They are deciding where to invest their time for small and medium-sized business (SMB) clients.
While both platforms focus on real-time conversation, they cater to different audiences and offer unique advantages.
This guide breaks down the key differences in the "Threads vs. Twitter" debate to help agencies make informed decisions.
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As of April 2025, Meta's Threads and X show clear differences in audience sizes, engagement rates, and new user sign-up rates. These factors affect their appeal to social media managers
X has about 586 million users who can be monetized each month. This provides a large and varied audience for brands and individuals.
Launched in July 2023, Threads experienced rapid initial growth, reaching 100 million users within five days. By November 2024, it surpassed 275 million users, indicating sustained growth and a substantial user base.
In 2024, influencers on X had an average engagement rate of about 0.09% per post. Video posts did better, reaching an engagement rate of 0.42%.
On Threads, posts had a median engagement rate of 6.25%. This is much higher than X's rate of 3.6%. This means Threads posts drove 73.6% more engagement on average.
Specific data on new user sign-up rates for X is limited. The platform continues to grow, but it faces competition from emerging platforms like Threads and Bluesky.
Threads has experienced unprecedented growth at launch, reaching 100 million users in five days. Growth stabilized over time, with the platform surpassing 275 million users by November 2024.
These metrics show that while X has a larger user base, Threads has higher engagement rates. This makes Threads an appealing platform for brands looking for active audience interaction.
However, X's established presence and broader reach continue to make it a valuable platform for marketers.
Since it’s closely tied to Instagram, Threads leans toward casual, community-driven conversations with a younger demographic. The content is typically more positive, conversational, and less news-driven than Twitter.
X remains a hub for breaking news, real-time trends, and professional discussions. It serves a diverse audience, including journalists, politicians, and thought leaders. This makes it perfect for brands that depend on trending topics and industry discussions.
Understanding who’s on each platform can help social media managers allocate time and budget more effectively.
Threads has attracted a largely Instagram-native audience, skewing younger and more lifestyle-oriented.
Early user data shows that most Threads users are between 18 and 34 years old. There is strong interest from content creators, fashion and beauty influencers, and wellness brands.
Its close ties to Instagram make it a natural fit for brands already succeeding in visual-first, personal content.
X (formerly Twitter) maintains a broader and more globally distributed user base.
While Gen Z usage has dropped a bit, X remains popular among Millennials and Gen X. This is especially true for professionals, journalists, tech enthusiasts, and news consumers.
The platform has a history as a real-time newsfeed. This makes it ideal for B2B brands, media companies, and businesses that focus on thought leadership or trendjacking.
Meta has opted for a more controlled approach. Threads currently lacks hashtags, trending topics, and a robust search function. Discovery primarily happens through algorithm-driven recommendations, making organic reach somewhat unpredictable.
Twitter’s trending topics, hashtags, and search functions make it a stronger platform for discoverability. Brands leveraging viral conversations and real-time trends have a significant advantage.
Threads: As of now, Threads doesn’t have an ad platform, meaning organic content is the only way to reach audiences. However, Meta’s history suggests that advertising options will likely come soon, integrating with Instagram Ads.
Twitter (X): X offers a range of advertising options, including promoted tweets, subscriptions, and revenue-sharing opportunities for creators. For brands that rely on paid promotions, X currently provides more tools.
Integrating with social media management tools is a must-have when it comes to managing a brand presence efficiently.
X has historically supported an open API. However, with recent changes to X’s API policies and pricing, many third-party platforms have dropped the platform.
Brands can automate much of their X strategy and plug it into broader omnichannel workflows.
Threads, by contrast, has opened up its API to allow third-party platforms to automate posting and create reports. It is expected that more features will be accessible in the future.
Moderation policies and AI-driven algorithms have major implications for brand safety and content visibility.
Threads uses Meta’s current moderation systems. These include AI-driven content filtering and community guidelines that match Instagram's. They also focus on reducing the visibility of harmful content.
The platform focuses on positivity and civility. It intentionally avoids trending topics or hashtags to reduce viral spikes related to culture wars.
For brands, this can mean a more stable environment—but also less opportunity for visibility via controversy or debate.
X, since Musk’s takeover, has significantly altered its approach to moderation.
The company has cut back on staff focused on trust and safety. It has also reinstated accounts that were previously banned and relaxed content rules in the name of “free speech.”
X uses AI for some moderation tasks but has adopted a more hands-off approach. This can result in the brand being associated with polarizing content.
Threads may provide a safer and more curated space. In contrast, X allows for real-time visibility but carries a higher risk to your reputation.
The long-term viability of any platform depends on where it’s headed and how fast.
Threads continues to evolve rapidly. Meta has already rolled out a web app, keyword search, and a chronological feed option.
The platform still lacks features like hashtags, trending topics, or DMs. Meta has a history with Instagram. This suggests that monetization is on the horizon.
We can also expect improvements in algorithms. Additionally, integration with the larger Meta Ads system is likely to occur soon.
Threads is being set up as a long-term alternative to Twitter. Meta has the resources to make this vision a reality.
X, under Elon Musk, is undergoing a more radical transformation. Musk has called X a future "everything app." It will include payments, job listings, video content, and AI chat tools.
However, these goals have had mixed results. Frequent policy changes and feature removals have left some users and advertisers feeling uncertain.
Threads may seem limited right now. However, its steady growth and support from Meta make it a reliable choice for brands. This platform is a good option for those looking to build a community over the long term.
X offers broader features and reach now, but its volatility may require more careful management.
For SMB clients, the decision between Threads vs. X depends on the brand’s goals and target audience:
While Twitter (X) remains the go-to platform for news, trends, and professional discourse, Threads is carving out a more casual, engagement-focused space.
Marketing agencies should keep an eye on Threads’ evolution, especially as Meta introduces advertising and discoverability features. You can get a jump start on Threads for your clients using Cloud Campaign's Threads integration to link accounts and schedule posts. Click here to give it a try for two weeks FREE!
As social platforms continue to shift, staying adaptable is key. Whether your SMB clients should prioritize "Threads vs. Twitter" depends on their content strategy, audience, and long-term goals.
Do you want to stay ahead of social media trends? Follow our blog for more insights tailored to marketing agencies and SMBs!
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