Meta announced it will begin showing ads on its Threads microblogging service globally starting next week. The rollout will be gradual and could take several months.
The company said advertising on Threads will allow businesses to engage with audiences authentically while connecting with users most interested in their products. Meta first tested ads on Threads in the U.S. and Japan in January. Since its July 2023 launch, Threads has become a competitor to Elon Musk’s X, amassing over 400 million monthly active users, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Industry analysts expect Threads to become a key revenue driver as Meta continues monetizing the platform. The company plans to introduce new ad formats and third-party verification tools similar to those on Facebook and Instagram. The move follows a broader trend in AI and social platforms exploring ad-based revenue, such as OpenAI’s recent plan to test ads for free ChatGPT users in the U.S. while keeping paid subscriptions ad-free.
