Today, Meta launched Threads, its text-based conversation app (or what most people call “Meta’s Twitter alternative”).
Threads is very similar to Twitter, so much so that even Mark Zuckerberg alluded to the app’s similarities by posting a meme (his first tweet since 2012).
The launch of Threads comes just five days after Elon Musk announced Twitter The launch of Threads comes just five days after Elon Musk announced Twitter would impose a limit on how many tweets people can read in a day. Yikes! And get this: we still do not know whether the limits will actually be enforced.
But what we do know is Elon’s drive to monetise Twitter in new ways is pushing away users and advertisers – and Meta’s Threads couldn’t have come at a better time.
We are seeing many Twitter challengers gaining traction.
As a tech brand, you want to connect with your audiences wherever they are. You need to follow them if they are moving to a Twitter alternative. Especially as 65% of tech buyers now use social media or community channels to understand products and services better.
Here are the top Twitter challengers to keep your eyes on 👀
Image: https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/threads-instagram-text-feature
Threads – Threads passed 30M signups in less than 24 hours! This platform is a viable alternative to Twitter because the obstacles to getting started on a new platform, such as customising your feed or getting used to a new user interface, are limited. Users can choose to follow the same accounts from Instagram and have access to the app’s familiar functionalities and settings. Instagram also noted that Threads will incorporate ActivityPub which will make the app compatible with an open social networking protocol.
Mastodon – Mastodon emerged as a possible Twitter alternative, gaining around 1.5M users since Elon Musk announced his Twitter takeover in November of 2022. Users can join smaller servers based on interests due to the channel being decentralised. This has made Mastodon more popular among the tech community.
BlueSky – Bluesky offers the closest experience to Twitter, but each community has a moderation team that controls how data is used. BlueSky is still in beta and invite-only, meaning user numbers are limited. With Twitter’s founder Jack Dorsey at the helm, this platform carries legitimacy, which could boost its popularity once it formally launches.
Is it time to jump ship from Twitter?
A better question to ask is: is my audience leaving Twitter, and where are they going?
Tech brands must understand audiences’ behaviours and preferences and change their social media strategies accordingly.
For example, Mastodon appeals to the software development crowd as this is a very tight-knit community that values decentralisation. However, with user numbers dropping, brands need to think if building a smaller, but more engaged community, will serve them best.
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