Instagram’s Threads: ‘Almost every influencer will be hopping on it’
There have been thirty million downloads of Meta’s newly launched Threads app, but what do its users think?
As a “friendly” rival to Twitter, Threads has many similarities.
One of its main features is the ability to create networks with people you follow on Instagram.
According to Steven Bridges, a YouTuber with 448k followers, Threads is a “much-needed competitor” to Twitter.
There are a lot of people unhappy with how Twitter is run right now, he said.
As with Twitter, Threads is a potentially viable place to interact.
“As Meta scales, it gives people some confidence that it will remain well-moderated and stick around.”
Steven predicted that Threads will see an influx of content creators who will create profiles on new social media platforms.
Most influencers, whether they like it or not, and whether they want Threads to succeed or fail, will join Threads just in case it succeeds.
A small advantage or a large advantage to being an early adopter of Threads is that you will have fewer people in the Threads ecosystem, so maybe you can gain more followers sooner.
This is particularly relevant to new influencers that want to gain an audience… because if you post early and regularly, perhaps your audience will grow along with the platform.”
‘Slipping and sliding’
The former BBC journalist and creative lead at consultancy Have You Thought About, Dhruti Shah, called Threads “really exciting” as a new platform, but said it might be hard for users to cut through.
The situation feels like being on an ice rink, where everyone is jumping on and piling in,” she said.
They have a brand, a platform, and a voice everywhere, so some people say they will be super amazing.
Because I am not the best ice skater, I slip and slide and hope not to get my fingers cut by falling over.
When you’re in a fast-paced place, it can be quite overwhelming to figure out what Threads is actually for.
The artist and Edinburgh black cab driver Doug Brown is interested in Threads because it combines elements from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
In creating a social media application, I’d definitely model it after what the top social media applications offer,” he said.
I think Threads by Instagram achieves that, as it looks like Twitter, but it combines a lot of Instagram and Facebook features.
Threads has impressed me so far.”
University of Sheffield professor Ysabel Gerrard wondered if there was an app that could truly replace Twitter.
Twitter was its own thing, so I’m not sure it could happen,” she said.
Since that culture accumulated over years and years, you were never going to be able to recreate it”.
“[Threads] is so connected to Instagram in terms of its functionality, as well as its branding, the associations we’re making when we talk about it. In my mind, it’s almost like a TV show spinoff.”