The Threads app has grown to 300 million users but there are still many Instagram users holding out on committing to the app.
Social media apps may come and go but Meta’s hold on the market remains unshakeable. With Facebook and Instagram already working overtime to captivate its audiences, what is Instagram’s Threads app and why have people taken to it so willingly? Threads launched over a year ago on July 5, 2023, and while there was an initial hesitation to join the app, users have taken to it quite nicely ever since.
Back in the day, users created Instagram accounts by linking them to their Facebook credentials, and now Threads is an extension of the Instagram app, allowing users to transfer their Instagram data onto a whole new platform. Meta’s Threads app has now grown to 300 million users according to Zuckerberg himself, putting the app on track to becoming the company’s next billion-user service.
Image: Threads app
What is Instagram’s Threads App?
After Musk took over Twitter/X, there was a general sense of dissatisfaction among users who no longer enjoyed the community and the direction the app appeared to be taking. Many began to look for a similar service but found that there wasn’t another text-post-based app available to them.
Suddenly businesses rushed to fill the space and present their own apps as replacements, and Meta was no different. And so, the Threads app was born. Built by the Instagram team, the app allows users to create and share 500-character text potions with the ability to attach photos, links, carousels, and videos that are up to 5 minutes long.
Instagram has become a video-sharing app first and a photo-sharing app second, leaving no room for those who just want to build a community on text posts. Now, the Threads app features a list of tools to simplify this process for them.
We also have Bluesky now, which appears to have put the Threads app versus Twitter/X debate to rest by proving itself to be one step ahead of the rest, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. Let’s look at an overview of the Threads app and understand what it has to offer so you can determine whether you want to join the platform or not.
How Do You Create an Account on Threads?
If you want to boost Threads’ 300 million user count by joining the app, you can log in to your Instagram account to get started. If you don’t have an Instagram account, you’ll have to create one first before accessing the contents of Threads.
Threads are accessible through the website if you prefer, but if you prefer accessing social media on your phone, you can also download the iOS or Android app to your smartphone. If you have multiple Instagram accounts, you can have multiple Threads accounts as well, so pick the account you want to log in with.
Once logged in, you can then set up your account by adding profile pictures and writing a bio. You can also import your bio and links from Instagram if you don’t want to type those in separately. Just like Instagram, you can elect to have a public or private profile so make up your mind and then you’ll be ready to go.
What Can You Do on the Threads App?
While creating threads, you can share a text post if you want to keep things simple, but you can also throw in photos, videos, GIFs, and voice recordings to it. You can add hashtags and locations to make your posts more identifiable or detailed, or also add a poll to gain some feedback from those who see the post.
Just like on Twitter/X, you can like a thread or repost it to share it with your audience. The platform also has a decent system to block users from seeing your activity or ever mentioning you on the platform, even if you change your username. This is a useful feature to have to protect your mental peace online.
If there are posts or specific content that you do not want to see, you can also go to your privacy settings and set hidden words that will be used to filter out posts with the terms you’re trying to avoid.
The Threads app does not have a dedicated DM system, but there’s nothing stopping users from tracking the user back to the parent app Instagram to start a conversation. It also lacks support for longer videos, but that isn’t as big of a concern for most.
The platform allows users the option to limit political posts on their feed and has an overall preference for positivity that we’ve seen flourish similarly on the Bluesky app. It is not suited to everyone but for those who prefer it, it is a well-loved boon.
Threads App Features That May Be of Interest to You
If you’re interested in sharing posts to the fediverse—the global, open network of independent social media servers—to allow your posts to have a greater reach beyond the Threads app alone. By integrating Threads with ActivityPub, Meta has created its first social media network that is compatible with this fediverse, opening its content up to a wider audience.
It’s also interesting to note that Threads is looking into post-scheduling as an upcoming feature. There is no release date for the feature, but users will soon be able to queue up posts from a more timely announcement or release. Replies to posts cannot be scheduled to ensure more “real-time conversations,” but that’s a fair limit to set on the ability to schedule.
When Threads first started out as an app, it was definitely a skeleton of a service that didn’t quite know how to prove itself but it has certainly evolved since its release into a more formidable opponent for Twitter/X. Now that you know what Instagram’s Threads app is and why others have taken a liking to the app, are you finally going to give in and try the app out?
