Meta has officially launched its Twitter competitor, Threads.
Seemingly off to a successful start, Threads has seen 30 million sign ups (so far), is available in more than 100 countries and has seen a number of prominent businesses and public figures joining the social media site within its first few days.
The release of Threads comes fresh off the heels of many changes implemented by Twitter’s owner and CEO, including paid verification, banned account reinstatements, updates to the platform’s rules and regulations and the loss of its content moderation official. Its most recent change, a daily limit on how many tweets users can read, was implemented yet quickly removed after drawing criticism from users.
In the past, Meta has launched different features in order to compete with popular social media apps (most known being Reels as Instagram’s answer to TikTok). And with Threads, it now joins a list of microblogging platforms looking to compete with Twitter including Bluesky, Spill and Mastodon.
Threads Explained
Built by the Instagram team, the goal of Threads is to “take what Instagram does best and expand that to text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas.” Each post can be up to 500 characters long and can include photos, links and videos with a run time of 5 minutes. Users are able to like and share threads onto their own profile, as well as to their Instagram stories.
Similar to Instagram, Threads allows you to follow and connect with friends and creators who share similar interests. You can easily follow the users you currently follow on Instagram, as well as build a network beyond that.
Creating a Threads Account
Creating a Threads account is simple. All you have to do is use your Instagram account to log in and both your Instagram username and verification (if you are a verified user) will carry over. You can have either a public or private account (U.S. users under the age of 16 will be defaulted to a private profile) and will also have the option to customize your profile (bio and link).
Meta is currently “working on Threads soon being compatible with the open, interoperable social networks that we believe can shape the future of the internet.”
Like Instagram, Threads features tools that “enable positive conversation,” meaning users have control of specific features such as the ability to add hidden words to filter out replies to your threads. Users can also unfollow, block, restrict and report profiles. For accounts that you have blocked on Instagram, they will automatically be blocked on Threads.
Even though the app is now here for users to enjoy, Threads will continue to make updates over time, including improved in-feed recommendations and a “more robust function that makes it easier to follow topics and trends in real time.”
Blufish Knows Social Media
The Blufish team makes sure we’re ahead of the curve when it comes to new social media platforms and trends. If your business is interested in expanding its social media presence, we can help! Contact us for more information and be sure to follow Blufish on Threads for company updates!
