July 8, 2024

One year in, is Threads a promising alternative to X?

threads a promising alternative to x

During the past few years, numerous social media platforms have emerged and disappeared with remarkable speed. Vine, Musical.ly, and Kik experienced rapid rises before quickly fading away. Platforms like Snapchat have seen reduced relevance among older users, while others such as LinkedIn have gained appreciation. Among the few that have maintained their significance, TikTok has solidified its place as a lasting presence on social media.

Meta’s introduction of the micro-blogging platform Threads one year ago marked an exciting development. Following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now X) in 2022, various text-based social media alternatives such as Mastodon, BlueSky, and Reddit sought to attract disenchanted Twitter users. For long-time Instagram users, Meta’s new offering was particularly intriguing.

Now that it’s celebrating its first year anniversary, Threads’ evolution has been both fascinating and occasionally frustrating. While Threads hasn’t fully replaced Twitter, and some users feel more disconnected on larger platforms, it still holds significant promise for new and active users alike. Reflecting on Threads’ inaugural year, here are the standout moments and crucial changes Meta needs to implement to prevent Threads from fading into oblivion.

Highlights from Threads’ First Year

Early Successes

Threads’ initial days were a notable blend of excitement and confusion as users explored the new platform. Few brands were posting, and trolls were relatively scarce. Many users relied on successful tweets and posts from other platforms to gain traction. Today, Threads’ 175 million users bring diverse vibes and content.

One of Threads’ smartest moves was allowing users to follow the same people they did on Instagram. This feature facilitated a smooth transition to Threads without the need to start from scratch, which was good news for small businesses, niche influencers, and major content creators alike.

An Ad-Free Experience

Currently, Threads offers a rare ad-free experience, a refreshing change from the ad-heavy feeds on Facebook and Instagram. This clear feed helps users see content they’re genuinely interested in. However, this ad-free period is definitely unlikely to last forever. Reports suggest ads will be introduced to Threads sometime this year, following the pattern of Meta’s other platforms.

Entering the Fediverse

In March 2024, Threads became Meta’s first federated platform, joining the fediverse and enabling cross-platform sharing with other social media sites, including Mastodon. Integrating with the ActivityPub protocols necessary for federation was an unexpected move. Meta executive Adam Mosseri acknowledged that Meta’s systems weren’t initially designed for this use case.

This integration could simplify staying connected and sharing data and information with friends across platforms. However, some users and experts have mixed feelings about Meta’s focus on the fediverse, given other areas that need improvement on Threads.

Key Improvements Needed for Threads’ Growth

Threads Inbox

Now with over 175 million monthly active users, the lack of direct messaging on Threads remains a significant complaint. However, Meta is testing a feature that integrates Instagram’s inbox with Threads, allowing users to initiate messages from the Threads app. Some users have noticed a new “message” button on profiles, replacing the “mention” feature. Despite this, Threads does not have its own inbox, and Mosseri prefers enhancing the Instagram inbox for use within Threads rather than creating a separate one.

While this integration may simplify messaging, users will still need to switch to Instagram to read and reply to messages. Mosseri highlighted the complexity of maintaining two inboxes, suggesting that neither option—mirroring the Instagram inbox or building a separate Threads inbox—is ideal.

Better Display Personalisation

Threads has evolved from its mobile-only beginnings but still needs improved display options. Beyond adding a dark mode on mobile, users need tools to organise their feeds. The new Columns feature, similar to Tweetdeck, still falls short. Users should be able to curate lists of accounts and create specific columns without sifting through irrelevant posts.

Advanced Search and Analytics

Threads currently lacks account analytics, even for verified users. The recent release of its API for developers allows third-party media monitoring, but Threads needs to offer in-app analytics like follower growth, engagement, and visibility metrics. Additionally, an advanced search function with filters by date, account, or keywords would make search more efficient.

Enhanced Video Controls

Although Threads focuses on text, it hosts many photos and videos. However, its video upload options are limited to muting sound and adding alt text. Compared to Instagram’s extensive in-app video editing tools, Threads’ features are lacking. Introducing even a few basic video editing options would significantly enhance the user experience.

The most impressive aspect of Threads’ first year is its continued relevance. While it has benefited from being part of Meta’s ecosystem, Threads must address key areas for improvement to grow and retain its user base. Otherwise, users might just migrate to the next emerging platform.

Subscribe for weekly news

Subscribe For Weekly News

* indicates required