Mark Zuckerberg, the head of the parent company Meta, has launched a new app, Threads. After successfully expanding the outreach of Facebook and Instagram to billions of users, he is now heading towards making Meta Threads a game changer in the world of online social interaction.
What is Meta Threads?
Meta Threads is a new app introduced by Instagram that allows people to converse and share their ideas through text, pictures, and videos. Threads app was released on June 5, 2023, and over 70 million users, including bloggers, actors, entrepreneurs, and netizens, downloaded the application within 2 days and became part of its network. If you are passionate about creating content or a user who posts randomly, it offers you an easy and user-friendly space for engagement among the public. With Meta Threads, Netizens have an opportunity to express themselves freely and creatively and make online connections with people they admire, like celebrities or influencers, and those with similar likes, interests, and passions.
Meta Threads have been launched in 100+ countries to be installed and used by both Android and iPhone users. Mark Zuckerberg expressed his optimistic views, and he believes that Meta Threads can roll out as the next online social platform with 1 billion users in the long run.
How to Use Threads
Join Meta Threads by downloading the application. iPhone users can get it from App Store, and Android users can get it from Google Play Store. Click on log with Instagram to continue.
Features
Write up to 500 characters of content, a 5-minute long video, and images. Manage your privacy settings. Create your avatar and enjoy posts/stories in your feeds.
Latest Updates
Threads have brought new updates of the mention button, customized ALT Text, and post sharing via Instagram DM.
Rivalry with Twitter
A 70% decline in the usage of Twitter was observed, with more and more users shifting to Threads.
How to Use Meta Threads
- You can join the Meta Threads network quite simply by downloading the application. iPhone users can get it from App Store, and Android users can get it from Google Play Store. Once installed, tap on “Log in with Instagram”.
- While it will provide you with the choice to personalize your other information, particularly for Threads.
- It also gives users the option to either follow the same individuals they were following on Instagram or selectively follow the accounts.
- Users wh By doing so, your username will remain the same as the one on Instagram. o fall under the age group of 16 or 18 in some states will default to a profile that is private.
Features of Threads by Instagram
Meta Threads is a text-based app of Instagram. It has the following fundamental features:
- Socialization
Thread app users can engage with each other by chatting with each other by mentioning or replying. They can also participate in virtual events or join groups.
- Content Type
You can share the text of almost 500 characters. Post links, images, and videos that are 5 or less than 5 minutes long.
- Privacy
Users can control their privacy by managing who can see, like, comment, share, or repost a post from another account based on their privacy settings. Users have access to mute, unfollow, block, or report an account.
- Feed
Users’ feeds include posts and stories from accounts they have followed and recommendations of new content that they might like.
- Avatars
Avatars in Meta Threads can be customized by changing eyes, hair, the shape of the body, and clothes to represent the persona and style of the user more accurately.
- Text-to-Speech
Threads considers the app’s usage by people with disabilities and incorporates features of a voice assistant for text-to-speech and screen reader support.
Latest Updates in Meta Threads
Some essential new features have been added to Threads to enhance the user experience:
- Sharing Post to Instagram DM: The latest update witnessed in the first week of August includes the feature of sending a post on Threads to the DM of Instagram.
- Customized Alt Text: Now users can add personalized Alt Text to images and videos that they share on Threads.
- Mention Button: With the feature of “Mention Button”, now users can mention another account while publishing their Threads.
Twitter VS Threads
With the launch of Threads, we witnessed a lot of comparisons taking place between Threads and Twitter. A 70% decline in the usage of Twitter was observed, with more and more users shifting to Threads. A lot of views are coming in that are misinterpreting Thread as a replica of Twitter. Though there are some features that show a clear distinction between the two of them:
- No Direct Messaging: Users on Threads cannot directly message each other but can mention or reply to posts. This limitation can become a hindrance to communication between brands and buyers.
- One-time Publishing: Users cannot edit or make changes to the published thread once it has been posted.
- No Trends Section: Unlike Twitter, Threads doesn’t have a trends section.
- No Paid Ads: On Twitter, we see different sorts of promotional ads, but on Threads, users will not see ads.
- No Desktop App: For now, there is only an app download version available for phones, but the desktop app version is not unavailable. But it is hoped for in the immediate future.
- Hashtags and Topic Search Missing: Threads don’t have a hashtag option, and users only write text without hashtags. Also, they can search for other users but cannot look for a particular topic.
Will Threads Replace Twitter?
Threads cannot replace Twitter completely, but they can affect its place in the social arena as people are showing a preference for Threads over Twitter. This can be sustained only if Threads keep on updating, considering the users’ interest and keeping them continuously hooked, which seems to be a challenging task at hand.
How can Brands Benefit from Threads?
As of now, one cannot run ads on Threads, but it offers other opportunities that can be availed of and benefited from. Brands can make an account on Threads, understand its algorithm, and analyze the platform. Initially, they can create awareness around their business, build a brand image, and gain recognition among their audience. As Threads is in boom mode, your brand’s online presence can help you get access to the right customers. Threads show recommended posts from various accounts, so take the chance and grab the attention of new customers.
New Features of Meta Threads Coming Soon
The Wall Street Journal has stated that Meta Directors understand the limitations of Threads and are expecting a decline in their usage. Therefore, they are working to bring on new features to maintain and upscale the user base on Threads.
Conclusion
Meta Threads by Instagram is all set to change the dynamics of social networking. It has shown a positive response from the users, with massive traffic showing interest in the app and signing up for it, yet Threads has a long way to go. To make this app stand out from the rest of the competition, its features have to be upgraded in such a way that they align with users’ activities and keep them captivated and engaged.
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