July 16, 2025
Our latest snapshot takes a look into the rise in Threads after 2 years in the game. Is Meta clamping down on copycat content? LinkedIn and Edelman open our eyes to a new hidden B2B buyer – and Reddit is tightening its rules.
Threads Turns Two: the gift? User numbers close on X
In July 2023, Threads emerged gaining 2 million users in just 2 hours and hitting 100 million users faster than literally any other app in history.
Since then…
– 275 million users by Q4 2024
– Over 350 million monthly active users by Q1 2025
– 33 million people logging in daily
X’s dominance has wavered – but with a 6.25% engagement rate compared to X’s 3.6% (DemandSage) Threads users aren’t just lurking anymore, trying to figure out what this is all about – they’re now actively participating.
Is it finding its feet at last? Is its purpose finally found?
Numbers rose fast at launch and plateaued – but in our view, X’s demise has presented Threads a life raft. No masterstroke from Meta here, it’s just conveniently placed. Can it hold it?
The platform has been working hard to keep things positive and community-focused. For creators and businesses, Threads is becoming a legitimate option for reaching people without all the drama that comes with other platforms…
At least so far.
LinkedIn and Edelman partnership pushing thought-leadership
For the B2Bers among us, the question has always been around efficient social content. Awareness, activation, conversion – the usual nudge-nurture strategy is crucial – but how do we activate awareness to the highest level?
A combined report from LinkedIn and Edelman assesses the importance of the ‘hidden buyer’ and what works for them. No surprise to see thought-leadership winning here.
Together they’ve pulled out:
55% of hidden decision-makers use thought-leadership as part of their vetting process
86% of hidden decision–makers want fresh perspectives and ideas that challenge assumptions, not just validate opinions
53% of hidden decision-makers agree that if thought-leadership is high quality, then brand recognition matters less
So what does this mean?
Get your stakeholders and customers together and have an organic discussion around the topics circulating in your industry. Get the cameras and microphones out and prep your AI tools and design team.
The situation hasn’t changed for impactful brand content – thought-leadership wins every time, but the research here from LinkedIn and Edelman is further assurance that you need to push for budget harder than ever if demand generation is ever going to pay off.
Your hidden buyers are lurking.
Meta getting very picky
Meta is officially over unoriginal content – according to their latest blog – and they’re not being subtle about it; cracking down on accounts that just recycle other people’s material without adding anything new to the conversation.
“We believe that creators should be celebrated for their unique voices and perspectives, not drowned out by copycats and impersonators.”
Says the creator of Threads…
Ahem, anyway – this is actually great news if you’re someone who puts effort into creating original content and are sick of it being rehashed by other inferior creators.
The crackdown is basically trying to get more people using its tools and apps to develop their own content. We get it, makes sense and I suppose we’ll all be better off – at least the original creators will be.
But, we all get a laugh out of memes and original audio from legendary clips that go viral. People love putting their own spin on things – Reels is very popular for this; and some creators who love to jump on trends quickly may find their reach suppressed enormously.
Time to put the thinking hats on, I guess!
To be clear – this doesn’t stop users from utilising other people’s content – it’s just going to cap how many can see your content! Also, the original creator will always be flagged in your content if you choose to repurpose.
ID please
It was only a matter of time, right?
In line with the UK’s Online Safety Act, Reddit has announced it is adding age verification to its platform to prevent people under 18 from seeing mature content. They say they don’t want to know who you are, just how old.
Now in some of the comments at the bottom of the linked thread, there are some people deeply concerned about GDPR and how safe their information really will be if they share documentation on their age – or just a photograph, as they put it.
The whole thing started because governments are getting more serious about protecting kids online, which makes sense. But Reddit’s charm has always been that you could just show up, pick a username, and start participating. Now they’re trying to balance keeping that vibe while also making sure younger users don’t stumble into stuff they shouldn’t see.
Sorry to be a stick-in-the-mud, but this makes a lot of sense.
It’s fair to say the Reddit community has mixed feelings about all this. Some longtime users worry that verification requirements might change what makes Reddit special, while others think protecting kids is worth the extra hassle.
The reality is that Reddit, like every other platform, is dealing with new rules about how to handle younger users. They’re trying to thread the needle between staying true to their community culture and meeting legal requirements, which is honestly not an easy job.
Other platforms will have to follow – at least in the UK.
Watch this space! Let us know what YOU Think