Weekly Prompt: Threads might be getting ads and other news

Threads ads rumoured for January 2025 rollout

Meta is reportedly preparing to introduce ads to its social media platform Threads early in 2025. According to a report by The Information, the company is considering allowing a limited number of advertisers to create and publish ads on the app starting in January. The initiative is reportedly being led by a team within Instagram’s advertising division.

Since its launch in July 2023, Threads has grown rapidly, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealing last month that the app reached 275 million monthly active users. Despite this growth, Meta Chief Financial Officer Susan Li stated during an October earnings call that the company does not anticipate Threads becoming a significant source of revenue in 2025. Instead, Meta remains focused on developing features that enhance user engagement and community value.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri previously said that ads would eventually be part of Threads, explaining that monetisation is necessary to sustain the platform’s operations. However, a Meta spokesperson reiterated that Threads currently has no ads or monetisation features, prioritising user value at this stage.

Meta’s advertising strategy has been a cornerstone of its business model, and while the potential introduction of ads on Threads aligns with the company’s broader goals, any rollout would initially be experimental.

Sources: Reuters,  Social Media Today, The Verge,

Additional Prompts

Amazon is discontinuing Freevee, its Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) platform, as a standalone service. The company will integrate Freevee's TV and movie content into Prime Video, its premium streaming platform that offers both ad-supported and ad-free subscription options. The Freevee branding will be phased out, with no impact on the content available to Prime members. Read more

Spotify is set to launch a new program in January that will share subscription earnings and ad revenue with creators of video podcasts, initially rolling out in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. The company also revealed that ads will no longer be inserted into video podcasts for Spotify Premium subscribers, aiming to enhance the viewing experience and potentially boost video consumption on the platform. However, not all ads will be removed—creators will still have the option to include host-read ads within their podcasts. Read more

TikTok has announced its 2024 holiday shopping campaign, featuring celebrity-led live shopping streams with stars like the D’Amelio family and Nicki Minaj. The campaign will also include significant discounts from major brands. Live-stream shopping, a major trend in China and a key part of TikTok’s e-commerce strategy there, is now being actively promoted to build momentum in Western markets. Read more

YouTube has introduced new tools to help brands leverage creator content and its growing Shorts format. Updates include format-buying controls for customised ad placements, interactive Shorts-specific ad formats like “stickers” and animated image ads, enhanced viewer data for improved targeting and measurement, and streamlined tools for collaborating with creators.  Read more