Can Meta’s new Threads app live among the well-established social media giants? Let’s talk about it.
Most of us in the marketing and communications world are having a hard time not talking about Threads, the newest app by Meta, the umbrella company of the longtime social media giant Facebook. What is it? What do you do? Should we be on it? Should our clients be on it? We’ve been asking ourselves these questions in the past couple of weeks. Some of our questions will be answered with time, but it seems the Threads app is off to a competitive start. The launch of the new social media platform is officially the most successful in history, with 100 million people joining in the first 6 days.
Threads closely rivals that of Twitter, which only further exacerbates the rumblings of a feud between Elon Musk, Twitter’s new(ish) owner and Mark Zuckerberg, the king of the Metaverse. The two bosses are toying with users online by alluding to a possible fist-to-fist match-up, which you have to admit would be totally awesome. Whether or not these two decide to fight it out in the ring remains to be seen, but the launch of Threads certainly makes the feud all the more interesting. Any thoughts on who would win? Comment below!
Back on topic…So what exactly is Threads? The app is a companion app for Instagram focused on facilitating more private and intimate communication between close friends and family.
The idea behind Threads was to provide a more direct and personalized way to share photos, videos, messages, and status updates with a user’s pre-selected “close friends” list on Instagram. By prioritizing a user’s inner circle, the Threads approach aims to foster deeper connections and meaningful interactions.
Threads is off to a strong start, but breaking into the incredibly saturated social media market comes with its challenges. Established platforms boast massive user bases and incredible resources that allow them to continuously adapt. Twitter, for example, takes in user feedback and makes updates accordingly on the daily. Threads must focus on consistent updates, address user feedback, and avoid stagnation to stay competitive.
Yet, breaking into a saturated market comes with its challenges. Established platforms boast massive user bases and significant resources, allowing them to continuously innovate and adapt. In contrast, Threads must focus on consistent updates, addressing user feedback, and avoiding stagnation to stay competitive.
In addition, user adoption remains critical. It can be very challenging to convince users to switch from familiar platforms with their established social circles and familiar usability. Threads needs to ensure an engaging onboarding experience and entice users with its exclusive features to incentivize users to spend their time on Threads over another platform.
To give credit where credit may be due, the things that distinguish threads from the rest may also be its secret weapon. As social media giants face increased scrutiny for privacy and security concerns, Threads’ clear dedication to user privacy and authenticity could attract an audience seeking a solution to these issues.
Threads’ chances of survival among the existing social media giants depends on its ability to maintain a unique identity while adapting to evolving demands. If the new platform stays true to its core values and offers a compelling alternative, Threads could just carve out its own space in the continuously evolving social media landscape.
-Allison Housley