Is Meta's Threads the Game Changer Twitter Needs?

In the fast-paced world of social media, Twitter has been facing a downward spiral in recent weeks.

Twitter users were bombarded with frustrating "rate limit exceeded" messages when Elon Musk, the prominent figure behind many discussions on the platform, decided to throttle the number of Tweets users can see. This move was intended to prevent scraping activities, but it left many users unable to access more Tweets throughout the day.

As it stands, Twitter sets the limit at 10,000 posts a day for Twitter Blue subscribers, 1,000 a day for free accounts, and 500 for newly created free accounts. Once these limits are reached, ads placed in feeds and threads are also no longer displayed.

Moreover, the 'For You' feed has turned into an absolute nightmare.

Musk's goal of fostering "free speech" on the platform seems to have backfired, as false information and hate speech have become prevalent. As someone responsible for managing Twitter accounts for clients, I have come across truly horrifying content in the 'For You' feed, including Elon Musk's own tweets appearing multiple times, tweets spreading baseless conspiracy theories, racist and transphobic tweets, and even tweets promoting extreme ideologies. Within just a few minutes of scrolling, I encountered content that was disturbing and beyond mentionable.

Furthermore, trending hashtags often lead to results dominated by bot accounts. It takes considerable effort to find credible articles from reputable sources amid the sea of low-quality content when exploring hashtags.

With diminishing trust and a decline in content quality, it is no surprise that Twitter is witnessing a significant drop in ad revenue.

So, can Meta's Threads bring a breath of fresh air?

Unveiling Meta Threads

Launched in July 2023, Threads is a new Twitter-style app developed by Meta's Instagram team.

By logging in with an existing Instagram account, users can seamlessly sync their existing followers and followings. Posts on Threads can be up to 500 characters long and can include links, photos, and videos of up to 5 minutes in length.

I found the sign-up process to be swift and hassle-free. Upon opening the app, I was pleasantly surprised to find content predominantly from people I actually follow.

At first glance, Threads aesthetically resembles Twitter, so users will quickly feel at home.

Exploring the Threads App

My Threads account. Follow me

Presently, the app lacks hashtags, and the search function is limited to finding accounts only. Accounts that I follow but haven't created a Threads account yet are listed in my 'Pending' followers section.

Threads provides all the standard account settings, such as setting your profile to private, muting accounts, and filtering out specific words to prevent harassment or unwanted content in your feed.

Overall, it took me only a few minutes to familiarize myself with the Threads app's features.

What Marketers Should Know about Threads

While Twitter boasts an estimated 450 million active monthly users, Instagram's user base stands at a staggering 1.35 billion. Given that Threads accumulated 10 million users within its first 24 hours, the potential for it to outpace Twitter seems promising. For now, the app offers a simple and functional experience, a contrast to Twitter's ongoing issues. This will undoubtedly appeal to numerous users.

Unlike Twitter, Threads lacks direct messages, trending stories, and hashtags. This limitation makes it impossible to identify trends or reach out to influencers. Another drawback is that the platform mixes accounts you follow with those you don't in a single feed. However, since signing up, I have only muted accounts I have no interest in, such as Chris Moyles and a few football-related accounts.

For brands looking to advertise on Threads, despite Meta's ownership and integration with Instagram, reports suggest that an ads solution won't be available for another year.

Meta plans to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub, an open social networking protocol. This move would enable interoperability with other apps that support the protocol, potentially leading to a more cohesive online experience where users can seamlessly engage across platforms.

However, one significant hurdle for Threads is its uncertain future in the European Union due to Meta's data privacy concerns and the challenges posed by GDPR. If your business has a substantial European market, it might not be worthwhile to invest time and resources in the platform, at least for now.

Have you tried Threads yet? Could it mark the end of Twitter as we know it? Join the conversation on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_.imsanjams._