Why Threads isn’t Twitter…yet.
It’s only Day 2 but the buzz around Threads is at peak level. Already we have ‘Threads experts’ emerging with all the tips and unlike TikTok which started with a slow burn, the Threads app has had over 30 million sign ups in its first 24 hours.
So will it live up to the hype? Time will tell but let’s chat about what Threads has to offer in its newborn state.
It’s very 2023
User feedback is positive and people are responding well to the ease of use and the simplistic user interface. The integration with the Instagram app takes away one of the biggest sticking points of social media - growth. The automatic following means that users are focused on witty commentary and banter. This means it feels authentic with the focus on content taking the forefront. Many are also resisting the urge to post videos which is refreshing and a sign that in 2023 we are ready to get back to basics!
It has a nice vibe
The chatter at the moment is quite euphoric - much like a child with a new shiny toy. It’s fresh, clean and simple and the vibe is very 10-15 years ago. This was reiterated by Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri in a recent post;
“Things have been hectic behind the scenes this week, most of the Threads team is focused on keeping the app up and fixing all the bugs we're finding. It feels a little bit like what working at this company felt like 10 years ago, everyone's rolling up their sleeves, hustling, and trying to help the best they can. We didn't expect 10s of millions of people to sign up in less than a day, but supporting that is the definition of a champagne problem.”
The app has also tapped into the current nostalgia resurgence for the early noughties with those who weren’t around to experience the birth of socials getting the chance to start from the beginning.
It’s not the Twitter crowd
I saw someone post about being confused as to if they should use their Twitter personality or their Instagram personality and at the moment there is a lot of treading water from users who are playing it safe. Everyone is keeping it light and playful for now. There is very little of the condescending, troll like behaviour you see on Twitter probably because the content is far from provocative. At the moment the uptake is from Instagram users and even though that audience often use Twitter too, the core Twitter base are not really fans of Insta. I go to Twitter for breaking news, direct quotes for public figures and to research trends - Threads isn’t offering that at this stage.
So, although it has been flagged at the Twitter replacement, at the moment I’m just not seeing it. Have you jumped on the Threads bandwagon yet?
