Exploring Threads: Can Meta’s New App Really Build Genuine Connections?

Sometimes it’s good to be late to the party. Over the past few years, I've been a big fan of Twitter. It’s been a fun place to vent and have some weird and interesting conversations with random people. But what I was missing were genuine connections. So, I thought I’d give Meta’s Threads a go over the last few weeks.

I don’t know why I decided to pick it up now. Interestingly enough, the Threads app is now just about one year old, and those who got on board early are celebrating their first anniversary on the platform—with the party hats to match! 🥳

The Unfinished Feel

To sum it all up, the app feels unfinished. It isn’t as feature-rich as Instagram or TikTok by any means, and while a lot can be said about X (formerly Twitter), it is a lot more versatile than Threads at this point in time.

The Missing DM Functionality

Probably the biggest difference between Threads and any other social media platform right now is the lack of direct messaging (DM) functionality. You can have open conversations with someone in the comments section, but it’s impossible to follow through or follow up within the app itself. If you want to continue the conversation, you need to follow them on Instagram or another platform and hit them up there.

The Algorithm and Content Quality

Being new to the platform, the algorithm doesn’t really know my interests yet. It’s trying to get me hooked by suggesting that Threads is a great place for creators to hang out. The only problem is that a lot of the content feels mediocre, filled with bots and people trying to become famous overnight.

That said, about 70 to 80% of the content on the platform is purely text-based. This can be quite refreshing, considering that most other social media platforms have become meme wars.

High Engagement and Authenticity

I’ve noticed that engagement rates on certain posts are very high, and the way people comment and interact feels halfway authentic and sometimes outright nice. It might be harder for those without coding skills to set up bots on this platform, which leads to more genuine, human-written content.

Sure, there are those who simply ask short questions to gain traction without adding value to the conversation. But this is a common issue across social media, not just on Threads.

Hope for the Future

I hope that Mark Zuckerberg and the team continue to develop the product. It has caught some attention in up-and-coming markets, but in mainland Europe and Switzerland, where I live, it hasn’t really taken off yet.

The big question remains: can Meta’s Threads really build genuine connections? The jury is still out on that one.

The Journey Ahead

I think I will continue to explore Threads in the coming weeks and months to see if it develops and if it’s possible to gain genuine connections through the app. If you’d like to follow along on my journey, please do so and follow me on Threads or Instagram.

As I dive deeper into Threads, I'd love to hear about your experiences too. Let's share insights and grow together on this new platform. Follow my journey on Threads or Instagram, and let's make some genuine connections.