What is Threads?

Threads, created by Meta - the tech industry giant responsible for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, was born as a reaction to the rapidly changing social media landscape, especially after the acquisition of Twitter (now X) by Elon Musk, who has made many changes to the well-known social media platform since then, causing quite a stir (and even outrage) among many users.

The platform, described by some as a "minimalist Twitter," allows users to share public messages, photos, videos and actively participate in discussions. It quickly gained impressive popularity in the United States, attracting more than 100 million users within just five days of its debut in July. Nevertheless, shortly after this success, the service experienced a significant drop in their numbers.

In Poland, Threads appeared a little later (in December 2023), due to the need to bring the app in line with EU regulations on user data privacy.

The app, although not making revolutionary changes in the world of social media platforms, gained attention upon its release mainly due to the fact that it was released by the creators of Facebook. Naturally, this aroused the curiosity of many people, which explains the rapid increase in the number of users right after the release. For those looking for an alternative reminiscent of the old Twitter Threads became an interesting option.

X versus Threads - similarities and differences

Since Threads has become a direct competitor to X, we decided to compare the two apps and take a look at their key similarities and differences.

Registration and availability

Threads:

• Registration only through an Instagram account.
• Available for Android and iPhone

X:

• Registration via email, phone number, Google or Apple accounts.
• Application for Android, iPhone

Publishing Content

Threads:

• Limit of 500 characters per text post, video up to 5 minutes.
• Ability to add images, GIFs and links.
• A maximum of 10 elements per thread.
• Ability to create surveys and record voice messages that are automatically converted to text by AI.

X:

• Base limit of 280 characters, extended to 25k for a fee.
• Video up to 140 seconds, expandable to 2 hours for a fee.
• Ability to create surveys.

A simple feed on the browser version of Threads

Interactions and content discovery

Threads:

• A basic algorithm that presents threads.
• Search limited to user names.

X:

• Advanced content discovery tools, browsing by hashtags, for example.
• Channel filtering capability.

Features and additional services

Threads:

• Automatic synchronization with Instagram.
• Privacy and personalization options, such as hiding the number of likes.

X:

• Direct messaging, private groups.
• The ability to create live chat spaces.
• Paid subscriptions and additional options, such as a blue badge.

Costs and advertising

Threads:

• Completely free, still without ads.

X:

• Free with optional paid features.
• Includes ads, possibility of reduction by subscription.

Threads is, at this point, an ad-free application that is simple to set up and use. You can quickly set it up and start using it by connecting with your existing friends on Instagram, which only takes a few minutes. Although you can expect more extensive features in the future, Threads is already a pretty good tool for tracking content shared primarily by friends.

When it comes to discovering new content and engaging users, X is leading the way. This app has been on the market long enough to introduce a number of useful features, especially those that make it easier to find interesting topics and current news. X stands out for its ability to present current events from around the world, something Threads does not currently offer.

Marketing and networking opportunities of Threads

New social media platform = new marketing opportunities.

Although the number of active users is up and down, it can be assumed that Meta will continue to develop the new platform, so marketing activities on it will enter the offerings of many social media agencies. In addition, Threads has quickly become popular with influencers and well-known brands. 

The lack of an advertising system and the closed nature of the platform pose a considerable challenge, but at the same time provide an opportunity for an innovative approach to promotion. It is important to focus on the specifics of the platform, which focuses on text messages and communication.

Threads also offers excellent networking opportunities. Thanks to its structure and the way it operates, it is an ideal place to connect with people with similar interests. Users can engage in substantive, public discussions, which facilitates the exchange of ideas and experiences, as well as the building of valuable professional and personal relationships.

Challenges and potential of Threads: a long-term perspective

Threads, despite being a relatively new platform, has great potential. Access to a growing user base, especially in the U.S. market, opens up new opportunities for companies. 

For individual users, Threads can become a tool for staying up-to-date on events, science, culture, as well as for networking. However, the lack of a built-in advertising system and the closed nature of the platform require users to be creative and individual in their communications.

It is therefore worth noting that Threads has the potential to become an important element in the social media landscape, both for companies and individual users.