Meta’s Threads app is expanding its “Trending Now” feature to Japan after a successful rollout in the United States earlier this year.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, announced that the company is responding to user demand for this feature outside the US, stating, “Lots of folks outside the US have been asking for the ‘Trending Now’ feature.”
The feature aims to spotlight conversations generating buzz in real-time, allowing users to discover popular topics within their communities.
Threads seeks to compete with established players in Japan’s social media landscape, particularly X, which maintains a strong presence through various trending hashtags that reflect local interests. The introduction of trending topics could significantly reshape user interactions on Threads, positioning it as a more dynamic space for real-time discussions.
Threads burst onto the scene on July 5, 2023, as Meta’s answer to the growing discontent with X under Elon Musk’s leadership.
The app’s launch was strategically timed to capitalize on user frustration with X’s instability and controversial changes. Initially offering basic features like text posts, image and video sharing, and interactions, Threads has since evolved, adding functionalities such as post scheduling and even experimenting with fediverse integration.
The platform’s growth has been remarkable, albeit with some fluctuations. After an initial surge that saw it reach 100 million sign-ups in just five days, Threads experienced a dip in activity. However, it has since rebounded impressively. Last April Mark Zuckerberg told investors that the platform garners about 150 million monthly active users. Three months later, the number was reported to have jumped to 175 Million monthly.
While the number is short of X’s 250 million active daily users, the success of the “Trending Now” feature in Japan could be critical in determining Threads’ long-term viability in the country.