Threads may seem like the heir apparent to the short posting format, but it still has work to do.
Threads, Meta’s alternative to X, has officially turned one year old. Launched in a hurry with minimal features, Meta has diligently enhanced the app, making it an attractive option for those seeking a platform beyond X.
The timing was impeccable. Last summer, Elon Musk’s takeover of X — previously known as Twitter — was chaotic. Massive layoffs, server shutdowns, and drastic changes destabilized the platform. Advertisers fled, leaving behind low-quality ads. Verification changes led to impersonations and misinformation spread. In contrast, Threads promised a fresh start, free from such turmoil, despite its initial simplicity when it launched on July 5th, 2023.
Threads allowed users to publish 500-character posts, embed images or videos, and engage with others’ content through comments, likes, reposts, and shares. Crucially, it linked to Instagram accounts, facilitating an easy transition for new users. This simplicity attracted 100 million users within the first five days, surpassing OpenAI’s two-month record with ChatGPT. However, it lacked essential features like hashtags and trending topics, offering only an algorithmic feed filled with celebrity and brand posts.
Meta quickly addressed these shortcomings. A follows-only feed debuted within a month, a web app launched in August, and features like hashtags and trending topics were added. Meta even introduced unexpected features like a TweetDeck-like web interface with refreshing feeds and customizable columns for follows-only content, likes, and saved posts.
While a dedicated Threads inbox for DMs is still absent, with Meta being resistant but experimenting, the platform has significantly improved over the past year.
One standout feature is the integration with the fediverse using the ActivityPub protocol, popularized by Mastodon. Currently in optional beta, this feature allows non-Threads fediverse users to interact with Threads content. Instagram boss Adam Mosseri emphasized that this integration gives creators more control over their social media presence, as they are not confined to Threads.
These advancements position Threads as a strong contender for the former Twitter crown, but it’s not guaranteed to overtake X.
Not everyone appreciates Threads’ focus on positivity. Mosseri and his team have fostered a measured, engagement-driven environment while keeping political content at arm’s length and offering options to limit such posts. However, with the upcoming US presidential election, the platform may face challenges in maintaining this approach.
Despite a dip in activity post-launch, Threads is growing. It expanded to Europe in July, and by November, Mark Zuckerberg reported about 150 million monthly active users. This month, analytics firm Similarweb noted that while X still has a higher daily user count, it is declining, whereas Threads is on the rise, now boasting over 175 million users.
The social media landscape remains fragmented, with Threads facing competition from platforms like Bluesky, which, although smaller, offers unique features like proper DMs and customizable moderation tools. Moreover, Threads has yet to fully attract entrenched X users who have established followings and communities, such as “sports Twitter,” despite efforts to include live scores.
Threads is performing well after its first year. It may lack some of the elements that made Twitter compelling, but with Musk’s disruptive changes to X, Threads’ strategy of simply being good enough and staying the course might just pay off if X’s machinery ultimately fails.
