Threads by Instagram: Did It Live Up to the Hype?

The social media boom in the last few years has resulted in the rise of numerous platforms, each serving its own audience. Motivated by hype and the desire to showcase their work in fresh spaces, creators often jump on board to see if these platforms are worth their content.

Threads by Instagram, released mid-2023, has created quite the buzz among creators. Millions of users have joined the platform just hours after launch - but the excitement faded just as quickly. 

What Went Wrong?

In this article, we will explore what users' opinions are, how Threads compares to Twitter (X), and whether Threads by Instagram has truly lived up to the initial hype.

The Initial Excitement and Quick Growth of Threads

Threads really couldn’t have come at a better time. Twitter (now X) was undergoing major updates and branding changes under Elon Musk, leaving millions of users unsure about its future.

Everything around the Threads platform was made very convenient, and everyone knew it was coming - Threads pop-ups, ads, media coverage, social media chatter - the potential “Twitter killer” was hard to miss.

The platform was designed as a complement to Instagram. Its structure allowed users to share text-based content and engage in conversations while easily bringing over their Instagram follower base with a single click, which was pretty exciting. 

It seemed like an ideal solution for creators and brands wanting to build their presence on the next big thing, avoiding the need to start from scratch as with, for example, TikTok.

Because of that, the “let’s dive in immediately” mentality was very much in play.

Threads’ First Setbacks and a Strategic Comeback

Generally speaking, with new apps, it’s often easier to attract new users - which Threads managed to do so magnificently - but keeping them onboard and engaged is a different story.

Despite initial success, with 50 million daily active users on the first day since the launch, there were key features missing and bugs present. This caused users to jump ship, leading to a steep decline in daily active users, which dropped to 10.3 million by August 2023, one month after the launch.

To avoid the platform being a flop, Meta started addressing the issues. Because of the arrival of new features, Threads bounced back on its feet with around 175 million active monthly users in July 2024, one year after the launch.

However, even with this progress, certain things are still not in place. This brings us to the question…

What Key Features Are Missing from Threads Compared to Twitter (X)?

Twitter (X)?

Twitter (X) is a text-based platform that has evolved over time and developed its own culture. Threads aimed to offer similar characteristics but fell short in certain aspects:

• Monetisation Options: No ad revenue sharing or subscription models.
• Advanced Community-Building Tools: Lacks features like communities and polls available on Twitter (X).
• Search Capabilities: Focuses only on account searches without hashtags or trending news.
• A Robust Explore Page
• Direct Messaging Functionality
• Feed Customisation Options: Limited feed customisation compared to Twitter (X), which offers a more tailored approach.

Given Meta’s history of adopting popular elements from other platforms, Threads will likely add these missing features soon. Here is a list of improvements already made:

• Introduction of a Desktop Version
• Better Engagement Features: E.g., Live Debate.
• More Content Flexibility: Longer videos and more multimedia items per post.

All these advancements have made users rethink leaving the platform. Some even find Threads a better solution compared to X because X is missing the capabilities that Threads offers.

• Character Limit in Posts: Twitter (X) has a limit of 280 characters, whereas Threads allows up to 500 characters.
• Instagram Integration: Threads benefits from Instagram's extensive user base and follower base, which helps mitigate certain challenges.
• Content Flexibility: Threads supports videos up to five minutes, while Twitter (X) allows videos up to two minutes and 20 seconds. Threads also permits up to 10 multimedia items per post, compared to Twitter’s limit of four photos, a GIF, or a video per tweet.

Both platforms are evolving rapidly. However, the question is, is that enough for people to completely disregard X and only use Threads?

How Do Users Feel About Threads in August 2024?

By August 2024, Threads had gathered hundreds of millions of active users, but opinions about the platform are mixed. Some praise the features, but others find it boring and underwhelming compared to X.

After launching and the first reviews came in, many users felt like joining Threads was similar to joining an “empty party”. Imagine being invited to a highly anticipated party that everyone was talking about. You arrived, excited and ready to mingle, curious to see who walked in and what was happening - but very soon, you realised that the vibe was off, people were not enjoying themselves, and the dance floor was empty.

Users feel that the engaging spirit hasn't fully transferred. There is also the fact that Threads doesn’t really have an identity - it’s somewhere between Instagram and X, yet it’s neither - which is not welcome in the social media realm, especially for creators who are often targeting specific audiences. 

So, Has Threads Really Lived Up to the Hype?

The sharp drop in user activity right after launch clearly shows that the hype didn’t fully match up with reality.

Simply said, the core elements: virality, community, and engagement - all the elements that make the platform desirable for creators and brands - are missing. 

We are thinking of Threads as a backup plan for social media - it’s not quite the main event, but it has its own strengths. Many are actually enjoying it, but it has yet to prove itself as the transformative social media platform it was promised to be.

Is Threads THE Platform for Your Content?

In many ways, choosing the right platform for your hard work is like finding the perfect soundtrack - just as the right music can make or break the emotions in your video, the right social media platform can enhance or drown your content.

Threads is perfect for:

• creators who focus on text-based posts and want to create a community in a more conversation-based environment, 
• emerging creators who want to wait out the initial flop and be part of the growing platform, 
• brands and creators who enjoy Meta’s ecosystem and its consistency.

In the same way that ProTunes One offers the ability to find the perfect track for your project within seconds, Threads offers seamless Instagram integration and new features coming as time passes. 

However, if you are looking for the buzz of the full dance floor, Threads might not be the right platform for you - or not just yet.