Meta has introduced a raft of updates for its Twitter clone Threads, together with an possibility so as to add subjects that you simply’re desirous about to your profile, up to date subject tagging for posts, reply controls, a video UI replace, and extra.
First off, after experimenting with the choice over the past month or so, Threads has now formally introduced that customers can add subject of curiosity to their profiles.
As you possibly can see in these instance screens, now, you possibly can spotlight subjects that you simply’re desirous about, and are more likely to be posting about, with customized tags that might be displayed under your bio in your Threads profile.
That might be one other solution to encourage customers to faucet that comply with button on profiles within the app, which has been a key drawback for Threads, and a possible obstacle to its expanded development. As a result of with suggestion algorithms turning into an increasing number of attuned to every particular person’s pursuits, primarily based solely on their in-app exercise, social media customers don’t really want to comply with profiles anymore, as they will simply depend on the algorithm to point out them what they need to see every time they log in.
The issue with that’s that creators really feel much less aligned to the app if they will’t construct an viewers, and see that follower depend go up.
As such, the Threads staff has been working to rectify this, by placing extra emphasis on posts from accounts that you simply comply with, and including extra comply with choices in-stream. And now, you’ll additionally be capable of listing your pursuits, which the Threads staff might be hoping helps to pump up creator follower counts.
And when a profile customer faucets on these subject tags, it would present conversations about that subject (second picture above).
Threads can be seeking to spotlight subjects of curiosity throughout the put up composer, through new prompts so as to add a advised trending subject, or one associated to earlier posts you’ve shared.
The hope is that this can spark extra related conversations, and encourage extra folks so as to add their very own takes on key discussions, sparking extra engagement.
Additionally, Threads says that:
“In line with our inner knowledge, posts with tagged subjects usually obtain extra views than these with out one, making them an efficient manner that will help you attain extra folks.”
Subject tags allow higher sorting, and improved discovery, and as such, Meta’s now making an attempt to construct in additional methods to spark trending, real-time engagement.
Meta’s additionally added some new put up management choices, so you possibly can select who and the way folks can work together along with your updates:
“Beginning in the present day, you possibly can select to permit replies and quote-posts solely out of your followers. This builds on our Quote Controls characteristic, which we launched in November 2024 as a solution to handle who can have interaction with you and your posts.”
So, very like X, now you should have extra management over how folks can have interaction along with your updates, which will be an essential security aspect for a lot of customers.
And with Meta additionally phasing political content material again into Threads, that would develop into much more essential.
“In keeping with our announcement earlier this 12 months, we’ve up to date our method to political posts and have began phasing civic content material again into Threads in a extra customized manner.”
The Threads staff had constructed political content material controls into the unique framework of the app, and it’ll be attention-grabbing to see the way it now seems to reverse course, and convey politics to the fore.
The very best end result right here is that it’ll make Threads really feel extra alive, particularly round trending political information occasion, as a result of Threads has, prior to now, felt prefer it was out of contact when, say, the U.S. election is going on, and the highest story on Threads is a canine on a surfboard.
If Threads actually desires to usurp X, it must facilitate real-time dialogue, and this might be a serious step in direction of doing simply that.
Threads can be offering extra customization in your feed show:
“You can even now personalize the order of your feeds. As an illustration, in the event you’d prefer to see a customized feed you’ve created if you first open the app, you can also make that your default.”
That’s a major addition, because it’ll allow you to revert to a key subject of focus as your major Threads feed. That might assist to imbue a extra community-aligned really feel within the app, which might once more spark extra topical dialog.
Lastly, Threads can be getting an up to date video participant, with new pause, play and skip buttons that make movies simpler to observe.
As you possibly can see on this instance, Threads has additionally added a pinned progress bar to the participant, which can make it simpler to skim again and ahead inside clips.
These are some good updates, which ought to assist to facilitate extra real-time, topical engagement within the app, and ideally make Threads really feel alive, and a extra real-time feed of the newest updates.
Which has lengthy been the most important knock on the app, that it’s like X, however it’s nowhere close to pretty much as good for maintaining with real-time information. That might be what’s stored many established communities from making the swap, particularly sports-aligned teams, who’re the most important holdout on X.
Possibly, with enhanced capability for topical engagement, these teams will now see extra potential in Meta’s challenger app, which might assist it preserve its regular development momentum.
