This Summer has been the season of new social media channels, with the launch of Lemon8 last month and now Threads, Meta’s new rival app to Twitter which launched on Thursday 6th July. Some have said Threads has launched at the perfect time, with Twitter seeing a decrease in interest since some limitations were put into place. And with thirty million users signing up to the new app on its first day, according to Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, Threads may well be the new place to be. And that’s not lost on Twitter owner, Elon Musk, who has threatened Meta with legal action over similarities in the two platforms.
So, the fight between Twitter and Threads begins. “One the right side, we have Twitter! And on the left, we have Threads!”
Here’s our Social Media Team’s take on Threads so far…
Quick links:
- What is Threads and what do I need to know?
- Is Threads Different from Instagram?
- Where did Twitter go wrong?
- What was our first day like on Threads?
- What is the future for Threads?
What is Threads and what do I need to know?
Designed as a direct rival to Twitter, and with a name synonymous with Twitter, Meta’s new app ‘Threads’ allows its users to post text, links, media, and reply to or repost content from others.
As the app was built by the creators of Instagram, users sign up to Threads with their Instagram username and credentials, and it automatically transfers their followers across; meaning the people who love your Instagram profile can also love and support your Threads profile. That also applies for the people you don’t want to support your page, as the accounts you have blocked on Instagram will also be automatically blocked on Threads – Phew!
Threads opens to a scrollable feed of short-form text limited to 500 characters a post, with the ability to add individual or carousel photos and videos.
Is Threads Different from Instagram?
Put short, the purpose of the two apps differs. Instagram always has and always will focus on imagery as its main purpose. Users can’t post to Instagram without some sort of image or media. Instagram was intended to be a place for people to share life updates through their pictures or videos, although it has become a showcase of aesthetic lifestyles, creativity and passions and a breeding ground for influencers – something which many have criticised Instagram for, seeing it as too curated.
However, much like Twitter, Threads is text-based and is a way of sharing opinions and thoughts with an option of an image. Unlike Instagram, the app does not feature direct messaging and doesn’t allow hashtags.
So far, users seem to be loving the opportunity for a fresh start on Threads, likening it to the early days of Instagram when people were more authentic and cared less about making their posts ‘perfect’.
Where did Twitter go wrong?
We think it’s fair to say Twitter has not been seen in the best light recently. As of today, there is now a limit on how many tweets users can read in one day. Currently, this stands at 600 tweets per day for regular users, 6,000 for verified users and just 300 for new accounts. What was the suspected purpose for these restrictions? Well, according to the main man himself (Elon Musk) the restrictions were put in place due to “extreme levels of data scraping” and “system manipulation”. This caused a little bit of friction for some, as it was believed that Twitter’s “verification” system, which allows anyone to buy a blue checkmark at £11 per month, was not selling very well and Musk was trying to push users to buy it.
Does that mean Meta has saved the day?
Like everything in life, Threads isn’t perfect. With it being new, there are some features of the app that are making the user experience a little frustrating. The first thing that a lot of people think of when downloading a new app onto their device is security and the amount of data it has access to. Some sources have said the app may be able to have access to some personal information such as health, financial, and browsing data linked to users’ identities.
As well as data, some users have found that it is not possible to delete your Threads profile without deleting the associated Instagram profile. And some bad news for social media managers… switching between accounts is harder than what you think in Threads at the moment, making it unclear as to how social media agencies will manage multiple client accounts alongside their own. Furthermore, unsurprisingly due to its infancy, there doesn’t seem to be any obvious way to schedule posts on Threads yet, meaning it’ll require a lot of time and resources to manage.
If you’re the type of person that likes all notifications to disappear as soon as they are opened, maybe don’t download Threads for now as it seems some users are having trouble clearing notifications from the app, with the little red icon lingering on home screens! So, it’s clear to see the app has a little way to go until it’s perfect, but 10 million sign ups in the first seven hours of launch, including people like Sarah Jessica Parker, Shakira, and Kim Kardashian, isn’t a bad start.
What was our first day like on Threads and what does the future look like for the shiny new app?
As soon as you sign up, expect to see a lot of fun, light-hearted content including a lot of memes and gifs. Users were giddy playing with the app yesterday, making light of their first posts and getting stuck into Threads. Imagine opening the gate and letting 30 million puppies run free, that’s the only way to describe it!
Seeing the users establish the app’s direction was interesting to watch. Currently, there are no expectations for the app and the users are jumping at the chance of being able to post freely. Twitter is known for political, debate worthy content and Instagram is a place to share passions and inspire others, whereas Threads doesn’t have a label to fit into yet, and for most, this is exciting.
When we look into the crystal ball, we see Threads thriving in the short term and creating its own persona within the social media madness, but it does have a way to go. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has already hinted with his own threads that Meta is looking into new features, including a ‘following feed’ (currently the feed appears to be of random accounts rather than those you follow from your account).
Only time will tell if Threads is just popular because it’s new, and if it’s the toy we’ll all get bored of soon enough. But although there are some teething problems, it’s hard to deny the power of 30-million users. If – and only if – Meta can find ways to keep those users engaged, then the next step is monetisation and for businesses to harness its power.
We’ll be watching from the sidelines and seeing how the platform performs, but it’s definitely refreshing to have a space where users can speak freely without restrictions or expectations.
Why not join us on Threads? Follow us here: https://www.threads.net/@cdagroupuk
