Instagram Threads are taking up Twitter. Find out how

Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter last year, the social media platform has undergone significant transformations. Several new contenders have emerged, aiming to overthrow the giant and claim its throne. However, despite the hype surrounding some competitors such as Bluesky, they have yet to make a substantial impact. On the other hand, the Instagram threads app stands out as a notable exception.

In a remarkably short period, the Instagram threads app has surpassed the milestone of 5 million users, surpassing even the rapid success of ChatGPT, which achieved 1 million users in just 5 days. This begs the question: what sets Instagram Threads app apart and fuels its rapid growth? Let's delve into the factors that contribute to its success.

What is Thread App?

Threads, developed by Meta, the parent company of Instagram, is a social media platform exclusively available to iPhone and Android users. It enables Instagram users to share and engage with each other's text posts.

Since its global expansion to over 100 countries, Threads have reportedly attracted a staggering 30 million new users, demonstrating its widespread adoption and popularity.

Twitter Threads, Meta's platform, resembles Twitter with its text-based feed and real-time conversations. It incorporates Instagram's aesthetics and navigation, allowing seamless sharing of Instagram Stories. Within a short time, the Instagram Threads app has gained 10 million users, offering public or private accounts and catering to friendly conversations. 

Messages shared on Threads are limited to 500 characters, reminiscent of Twitter's character limit. Users can engage by replying to, reposting, and quoting other posts on Threads, alike to Twitter's features. Threads set itself apart from Twitter by not utilizing hashtags and lacking a trending section.

How do I sign up for Thread?

The process of signing up for Threads is streamlined, as users can create an account using their existing Instagram credentials, maintaining the same username, password, and account name. While users can personalize their bio specifically for Instagram Threads app, they can effortlessly import their list of followed accounts directly from Instagram.

However, parting ways with Threads is not as straightforward. Although temporary deactivation is possible through the app's settings, the privacy policy states that deleting the Threads app profile requires deleting the entire Instagram account. Concerns have also been raised regarding the extensive data collection capabilities of the Threads app, including user information such as location, contacts, search, and browsing history, as highlighted on the Apple App Store.

Familiarity and interactivity await in Threads

If you're familiar with Twitter, using the Instagram threads app will come naturally. When you import your Instagram followers, you'll spot familiar faces on your feed. Engage with their posts or create your own by tapping the pencil icon in the bottom navigation bar. Additionally, you'll find many beloved Instagram accounts, including Cloodot, already active on the platform. Simply search for them and hit that follow button if you haven't done so already.

Instagram vs Twitter how do they stack up against each other?

1. Content Focus: While both platforms facilitate text-based posts, the Instagram threads app also allows users to share photos and videos, enhancing visual storytelling. Twitter, on the other hand, focuses primarily on concise text-based updates.

2. User Base: Instagram, with its massive user base, provides Threads with a built-in community of Instagram users. Twitter, known for its real-time news updates and discussions, has a separate and dedicated user base.

3. Conversational Style: Threads emphasize real-time conversations, similar to Twitter, where users can reply to, repost, and quote others' posts. However, Twitter's tweet structure and retweet functionality create a more public and open conversational environment.

4. Hashtags and Trending Topics: Unlike Twitter, Threads does not utilize hashtags or provide a trending section. Twitter's extensive use of hashtags allows users to discover and participate in trending discussions on various topics.

5. Instagram Integration: Threads seamlessly integrates with the Instagram ecosystem, leveraging existing Instagram accounts, usernames, and followers. Twitter, on the other hand, operates as a standalone platform.

How to meld in with thread users on Instagram 

• Visit the user's profile and open one of their threads.

• Look for the icons beneath the text in the thread.

• The heart icon allows you to "like" the thread.

• The dialog box icon enables you to reply to the thread.

• The reverse symbol icon lets you repost the thread to your feed, with an option to add a quote.

• The paper plane icon allows you to add the thread to your Instagram story or post it to your feed. You can also copy the link and share it via text, email, AirDrop (for iPhone users), or other social media platforms on your phone.

• Similarly, you can like, repost, and respond to individual responses within the thread using the same icons.

Current features and limitations of Threads

Features:

• Home feed displaying posts from followed users and recommended content from verified accounts.

• Ad-free experience.

• Clean and user-friendly interface.

• No viewing limit for posts.

• Reduced presence of bots.

Limitations:

• Absence of an option to switch to a feed exclusively showing posts from followed users.

• Inability to view the feed in chronological order.

• Lack of a dedicated section to view liked posts or bookmark threads.

• No support for hashtags, resulting in the absence of a trending hashtag feature.

• Limited account switching functionality.

What is the future of this platform?

Meta envisions the Threads app as a secure and user-friendly platform that provides a stable home for creators to build and grow their audiences. To achieve this, Meta plans to make the Threads app compatible with activity, a universal protocol for social networking developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This compatibility would enable the Instagram Threads app to connect with other apps supporting the protocol, such as Mastodon and WordPress, fostering new types of connections not commonly available on existing social media platforms.

Threads, the social media platform built by Instagram's parent company Meta, is rapidly gaining traction with millions of users and offers a unique blend of real-time conversations, visual storytelling, and Instagram Integration with the Instagram ecosystem, positioning it as a promising contender in the social media landscape