Twitter's cleanup efforts resulted in its biggest drop ever in monthly users

Twitter's efforts to clean up its platform may be working, but it's also resulted in the loss of millions of users.

The service lost 9 million monthly active users during the third quarter of 2018, Twitter revealed during its third-quarter earnings call. The drop is the largest ever decline for the company, which also lost 1 million users last quarter.

SEE ALSO: Twitter's Jack Dorsey doesn't use a computer or a tablet, apparently

That may sound like bad news for Twitter, which has long faced pressure to maintain user growth. But the company's latest results were much better than its monthly active users would suggest.

Twitter attributed the decline in users to its investments in "conversational health," and efforts to root out spam, as well as Europe's GDPR legislation.

Tweet may have been deleted

Twitter also noted that its daily active users, a metric that hasn't previously been given as much weight, are up 9 percent from the same time last year. That suggests that the company's efforts to take down spammers and trolls are actually paying off.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

"This quarter’s strong results prove we can prioritize the long-term health of Twitter while growing the number of people who participate in public conversation," CEO Jack Dorsey told investors.

More importantly for investors, Twitter's revenue was significantly higher than expected, with $758 million in revenue. This is the fourth quarter in a row the company has been profitable.

Importantly, the company said it expects to see its monthly active users decline again next quarter, with losses in the "mid-single-digit millions," and again pointed to growth in daily users as "the best measure of our success."

Tweet may have been deleted

Twitter isn't the first company to give more weight to DAUs than monthly users. Snap, a company which has also struggled to meet investor expectations, has typically relied on DAUs. (The company shared metrics for monthly users for the first time ever last quarter.)

For Twitter, though, it shows that the company's recent focus on making its platform a better place for its users is having some effect. While efforts to curb spam and abuse may have cost it some users, those who are left are more engaged. And, given the revenue gains, the users it lost were likely not as valuable to begin with.

---

Featured Video For You

---

The Met is redefining what it means to be a museum in the digital age — Mashable Originals

---