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Are ads coming to Threads in January? That’s the name according to an article from TheInformation.com.
You’ve probably seen the article: “Meta to introduce ads to Threads in early 2025”
Since the article itself is behind a paywall, it is the article itself that has gone viral on social media. But it is misleading.
What the Title Means
The article itself says:
Meta Platforms plans to launch ads on its text app, Threads, early next year, hoping to cash in on the app’s rapid growth, according to three people with direct knowledge of the company’s plans.
And then there are some very necessary details (emphasis mine)…
A team within Instagram’s advertising division is leading the effort, which is in its early stages, the people said. Threads are planning to start the effort to allow a small number of advertisers create and publish ads on the app starting in January, one of those people said.
Allowing a small number of advertisers to run ads sounds like an experiment, not a launch. So i TEST it starts in January, but there is no indication when the new placement will take place Present it to all advertisers.
Advertisers know that ads will come to Threads eventually. It’s just a matter of when. But January’s anticipation feels premature.
What Meta said
Meta recently said this on the Q3 earnings call:
In particular, as it pertains to monetization, we do not expect Threads to be a significant revenue driver in 2025 at this time.
If Meta were making immediate plans to launch ads on Threads, the Q3 lead call would be the exact audience they’d want to hear about. But that quote doesn’t sound like a company ready to launch ads in January.
This is consistent with my theory that the story itself from TheInformation.com can be true while the headline is misleading. Testing may begin soon, which would not be unexpected. But marketers know that testing can take months, if not more, before a feature becomes official.
Mark Zuckerberg once said he was on the “road to 1 Billion people” before making money.
Yes, that is not clear. Weaves do not technically need to reach 1 Billion users before the ads arrive. But the latest figure is 275 Million. Is that “on the way” to 1 Billion?
My Theory
Rumors about ads coming to Threads are not new. I’ve covered these here and here and here. Eventually, it will happen.
The story itself would be much more interesting if there was an updated timeline of when ads would be fully introduced to Threads, but that didn’t happen. Instead, any speculation based on the January test would be pure speculation.
My guess is that testing starts soon, but the full release will be a while. Meta’s statement on the Q3 earnings call leaves the door open for tests and a possible launch as late as 2025, but my guess is that they didn’t have the confidence to make that statement.
So, sure. We may see ads in 2025. But when? We will see.
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