Instagram Threads Surpasses 50 Million Users in Record Time, Making Waves in the Twitter Competition
Ever since Elon Musk took over Twitter, the landscape of the platform has undergone significant changes, with several new competitors emerging to challenge its dominance. While Bluesky and others have struggled to gain traction, Instagram Threads has quickly surpassed 50 million users, outperforming ChatGPT’s growth rate. What sets Threads apart? Let’s delve into its unique features.
Threads, a spin-off app from Instagram, prioritizes conversations over visual content. By logging in with your Instagram account, you can share text updates, participate in public discussions, and engage with posts through replies and re-shares, similar to Twitter. With a character limit of 500 (surpassing Twitter’s 280), support for links, up to 10 photos, and 5-minute videos, Threads offers a versatile platform. Notably, unlike Twitter, it does not utilize hashtags or include a trending section.
The registration process has been a key factor in Threads’ initial success. Leveraging Instagram’s massive user base of 2.35 billion, Threads allows easy sign-up through your existing Instagram account, eliminating the need for additional personal details. Even your bio can be automatically transferred.
Source:Meta
To join Threads, simply download the app from Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store, log in with your Instagram account, and import your details. Upon joining, you’ll receive a unique ID based on your registration rank, displayed as a badge under your name on your Instagram profile, indicating your use of Threads. With Instagram’s extensive user base backing it, Threads enjoys a significant advantage over Twitter, especially amidst growing dissatisfaction with Elon Musk’s leadership.
Source:Meta
While Threads is not the first Twitter alternative to emerge since Musk’s acquisition, it distinguishes itself from competitors like Bluesky, Mastodon, and Substack Notes. Unlike these platforms that had to build their user bases from scratch, Threads benefits from Instagram’s established and vibrant community. Furthermore, Threads focuses on user-friendliness, addressing concerns that Mastodon can be too technical for average users.
It’s worth noting that Threads had a previous incarnation as an app launched in 2019 as a companion to Instagram, enabling users to share status updates and chat with their “Close friends.” However, it was discontinued in December 2021. Now, Threads has been reintroduced as a new app aiming to rival Twitter, leveraging the reputation and infrastructure of Instagram’s parent company, Meta.
