Meta has announced the global expansion of advertisements on Threads, allowing all eligible advertisers to activate campaigns on the social network integrated with Instagram. Threads Ads is already available in more than 30 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Japan. The platform, which exceeds 130 million monthly active users, had begun experimenting with advertising content at the end of January with very few accounts: “As we learn from this test, we will incorporate improvements and bring this experience to a larger audience,” they stated at the time. With the first phase completed, a second, broader, but not definitive phase opens.
The advertisements will appear in the users’ feed with a “Sponsored” label in gray, located next to the advertiser’s name. This advertising insertion strategy is designed to naturally integrate with the user experience, leveraging the conversational format of Threads.
Example of sponsored content within the Threads feed
The company has explained that a gradual rollout will be implemented to ensure a positive experience for both users and brands.
Threads was launched in July 2023 as a direct response to X (formerly Twitter), and its accelerated growth has sparked the interest of advertisers. Until now, Meta had restricted access to its advertising spaces in Threads to selected brands such as Nike and Wendy’s, which participated in a trial phase initiated in January 2025.
This global expansion aims to extend the reach of Meta’s advertising inventory and capitalize on the behavior of users migrating toward platforms more focused on text. The monetization of Threads is part of a broader strategy to reduce dependence on Facebook and Instagram as the main revenue generators, and to diversify points of contact with young and mobile audiences.
One of the most notable benefits for advertisers is the ability to extend Facebook and Instagram campaigns to Threads using the Meta Ads Manager. No additional content or new media planning is required, as campaigns can automatically adapt to Threads’ formats.
Additionally, Meta has implemented an artificial intelligence-powered content filtering system that allows advertisers to choose the sensitivity level of the content alongside which their ads will appear. This tool, available since December 2024, ensures greater brand safety and control over the advertising environment.
The initial brands participating in the pilot test reported good results in metrics such as viewability, engagement, and CTR (click-through rate). Wendy’s, for example, used Threads to launch promotions targeted at young audiences, achieving an interaction rate higher than the average for campaigns on other Meta platforms.
Adam Mosseri, director of Instagram, explained that the inclusion of advertisements is necessary to ensure the economic viability of Threads: “We are a business and we need Threads to generate the necessary revenue to maintain the service and make it sustainable,” he candidly stated.
The advertising community has received the expansion enthusiastically, although some users have expressed reservations about the emergence of advertisements on a platform initially perceived as more “clean.” Meta has responded by stating it will prioritize user experience and adjust the model based on the feedback received in this new phase.
Photo: Canva.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Δ