User personas for Threads (Meta App)

Project Overview

This report summarizes a UX project conducted to understand declining user engagement on the social media platform Threads (Meta). Three realistic user personas were developed based on extensive research from real digital sources. The purpose was to identify user needs, pain points, and motivational factors to guide future design and product decisions.

Research Methods and Approach

The following methods were used for data collection:

• Desk research: Analysis of posts and discussions from Reddit (e.g. r/UXResearch, r/socialmedia), Flashback, Quora, and Facebook groups.
• App reviews: Examination of user feedback from Threads, TikTok, Instagram, and BeReal.
• Statistics: References from Internetstiftelsen ("Svenskarna och Internet 2023") and INE (Spain) to validate user behavior.

The Personas were constructed based on a synthesis of qualitative observations and recurring patterns from these sources.

Research Goals

1. Identify why users lose engagement with Threads after initial interest.
2. Map specific pain points related to functionality, content, and interaction.
3. Explore user needs regarding content, visibility, and social interaction.
4. Design personas that can guide future product decisions.

Key Insights from User Interviews

Although no direct user interviews were conducted, analyzed quotes and behaviors from public forums served as qualitative input. Common expressions included:

• "Threads seemed promising, but without essential features, it quickly lost appeal."
• "Feels like a duller version of Twitter without anything unique."
• "I need tools that deliver measurable results, not another app full of noise."

Research Findings

The three personas created represent three distinct user types:

1. Amelia, 29 – A digital marketer seeking industry value, measurability, and structure, but discouraged by low ROI.
2. Alessandro, 22 – A student looking for humor, trends, and friend interaction, but discouraged by low activity and lack of trends.
3. Sofia, 35 – A head of communications focused on brand strategy and KPIs, who finds Threads lacking in functionality and business relevance.

Common pain points:

• Poor content discoverability
• Missing performance metrics
• Irrelevant content feed
• Limited targeting options

Selected Interview Questions

Since this research is based on secondary data and qualitative observation, the following questions are suggested for future user interviews:

1. What makes you return to a social media platform?
2. What kind of content do you find relevant in your feed?
3. How important is it for you to measure visibility and reach?
4. What do you think Threads lacks compared to other platforms?
5. What role do your friends/followers play in your use of new apps?

Conclusion

The project has revealed that Threads (Meta) suffers from perceived shortcomings in value, functionality, and social presence, contributing to declining user engagement. The three developed personas highlight the need for:

• Improved content discoverability
• Clearer audience targeting
• Expanded functionality for professional users
• Integrated analytics tools

Why Include Mental Model?

Including mental models in the persona work was a deliberate methodological choice. It offers a deeper understanding of:

• How users think: What they expect based on past experiences.
• Why they react negatively: When reality doesn’t align with their mental model.
• How to design correctly: By identifying gaps between user expectations and system behavior.

While this is uncommon in traditional personas, it was important in this case as it helps product teams understand not only what the user does, but why they do it.