There has been no shortage of Twitter rivals in recent years, with the likes of Parler, BlueSky, Spill, Mastodon and Truth Social among others that have been proclaimed the next big thing in concise social messaging to the masses. Yet, the truth remains that even with the backing of former President Donald Trump in the case of Truth Social, it has been near impossible for any platform to reach the popularity of Twitter.

That could change this week as Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced it would create a new “conversation” app dubbed Threads. The question asked this week is whether it could be an actual Twitter killer or will become just another social app?

Meta’s Brand New Threads

Meta isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it did essentially reinvent social media with Facebook and redefined it again when it acquired Instagram. Now it could leverage its large user base by offering a platform like Twitter but still offering a bit more.

“Based on the mock designs that have been released, Threads’ interface is almost a direct replica of Twitter,” said Luke Lintz, CEO of Highkey Enterprises, a digital marketing and social media firm.

“The major difference between the two platforms will be Threads components, which will likely be more enticing to current and potential Twitter users interested in using a short-form blogging network,” said Lintz. “Threads is also backed by Meta and will be directly connected to people’s Instagram usernames and followers, which will allow the new platform to tap into Instagram’s massive user base from day one, creating a critical mass of users that will drive conversation and engagement on the new platform.”

Enemy With Deep Pockets

Another notable difference this time around is that Twitter is facing a challenge not from a rival most users never heard of, and more importantly Threads could be well-funded in a way even Truth Social wasn’t.

“Twitter is currently strapped for cash and looking for as many ways as possible to extract revenue from users and lower costs, while Meta will spare no expense to take over the market share of short-form blogging with Threads,” added Lintz.

In addition, Threads won’t try to court a particular user base. Whereas Truth Social and Parler were two social media platforms that sought to appeal to a conservative demographic, and Mastodon was all about courting more liberally-minded Twitter users, Threads won’t be so partisan—at least in theory.

“When a social media platform only appeals to one side of the political spectrum, the viewpoints …read more

Source:: Social Media Explorer

Author: Aaron