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Twitter: The Established Microblogging Platform

Twitter has been a mainstay in the social media world for over a decade, providing a platform for real-time updates and public conversations. Its user interface is straightforward and user-friendly, with a focus on simplicity and speed. The 280-character limit for tweets encourages brevity, and features like hashtags and trending topics facilitate content discovery. As a user, the immediacy of Twitter seems to be its selling point. It’s a platform where news breaks, conversations happen in real-time, and trends emerge. The design of Twitter is such that it promotes quick, bite-sized interactions that can range from casual conversations to global discussions.

Threads: The New Entrant

On the other hand, Threads, a new entrant from Meta, offers a fresh perspective on social media design. Developed by the Instagram team, Threads is a text-based sharing platform that aims to extend Instagram’s photo and video sharing capabilities to text. The app allows posts of up to 500 characters, providing more room for expression compared to Twitter. The first thing that strikes me about Threads is its focus on text-based sharing, a departure from Instagram’s image-centric approach. This shift in focus suggests a recognition of the value of text-based communication in fostering deeper and more meaningful interactions.

Integration with Instagram

One of the first things I noticed about Threads is its heavy integration with Instagram. Users must create a Threads account with their Instagram credentials. This integration provides a seamless transition for Instagram users to start using Threads. It’s a smart design choice, leveraging the existing user base of Instagram for quick adoption. This approach could be a valuable takeaway for startups – leveraging existing platforms can provide a ready-made user base and facilitate quick adoption.

User Control and Safety Measures

Threads also offers a range of user controls for managing interactions. Users can control who can mention them or reply to their threads. They can also add hidden words to filter out replies containing specific words. This level of user control is a significant step forward in social media design, providing users with more power over their online interactions. For app designers, this highlights the importance of user control and customization in enhancing user experience. It also underscores the need for safety measures that protect users from unwanted interactions, a feature that is increasingly important in today’s digital landscape.

Content Discovery

The absence of hashtags and text search in Threads is a notable departure from Twitter. Hashtags have been a key part of content discovery and categorization on Twitter. The lack of this feature in Threads could make the content discovery process different, potentially encouraging more organic discovery based on user interactions rather than trending topics. This could be a lesson for startups to consider alternative ways of content discovery that go beyond traditional methods like hashtags.

Decentralization and Interoperability

Threads also plans to integrate with ActivityPub, a decentralized social networking protocol, in future versions. This is a significant departure from Twitter’s centralized platform and could open up new possibilities for interoperability with other social media platforms. This points to a trend towards decentralization in social media, a factor that startups could consider when designing their apps. Interoperability, or the ability of different systems to work together, is another key takeaway. As the digital landscape becomes increasingly interconnected, the ability of an app to interact with other apps could be a significant advantage.

User Experience

From a design perspective, Threads offers a smooth and intuitive user experience. The feed is slick and easy to read, which could make it more appealing to users who find Twitter’s interface clunky or difficult to navigate. This underscores the importance of a clean and intuitive design in enhancing user experience and engagement. The user interface, the point of human-computer interaction and communication in a device, is crucial in determining the usability and efficiency of the app.

Web3 Integration

Lastly, the potential for Web3 integration in Threads is a fascinating prospect. Web3 promotes using blockchain technology to reward customers for participating in an exchange with an online vendor. This could be a game-changer in the social media landscape, providing users with tangible rewards for their online interactions. For startups, this points to the potential of integrating emerging technologies like blockchain to create more engaging and rewarding user experiences.

Summary

Here are 10 key actionable takeaways for app designers based on the comparison between Twitter and Threads:

  1. Leverage Existing Platforms: Threads’ integration with Instagram shows the value of leveraging existing platforms for user adoption. Consider how your app can integrate with or build upon existing platforms to gain a ready-made user base.
  2. Prioritize User Control: Threads offers a range of user controls for managing interactions. Prioritize features that give users control over their interactions and content, enhancing their sense of safety and personalization.
  3. Rethink Content Discovery: The absence of hashtags and text search in Threads suggests alternative ways of content discovery. Consider how your app can facilitate organic content discovery based on user interactions.
  4. Embrace Decentralization: Threads’ plans to integrate with a decentralized social networking protocol point to a trend towards decentralization. Consider how your app can embrace decentralization for greater interoperability and user control.
  5. Focus on User Experience: Threads’ smooth and intuitive user interface underscores the importance of a clean and intuitive design. Prioritize user experience in your design process to enhance user engagement.
  6. Consider Emerging Technologies: The potential for Web3 integration in Threads highlights the potential of emerging technologies. Consider how your app can integrate technologies like blockchain for more engaging and rewarding user experiences.
  7. Expand Expression Limits: Threads’ 500-character limit for posts, compared to Twitter’s 280, shows that users appreciate more room for expression. Consider how your app can provide users with ample space to express themselves.
  8. Ensure Safety Measures: Threads’ safety measures, like hidden words to filter out replies, highlight the importance of user safety. Incorporate robust safety measures to protect users from unwanted interactions.
  9. Promote Meaningful Interactions: Threads’ focus on text-based sharing suggests a shift towards more meaningful interactions. Consider how your app can foster deeper and more meaningful interactions among users.
  10. Stay Adaptable: The differences between Twitter and Threads underscore the evolving needs and expectations of social media users. Stay adaptable and be ready to innovate to meet the changing needs of your users.

In conclusion, the differences between Twitter and Threads offer valuable insights into the current state of app design. Threads’ focus on user control, integration with other platforms, and potential for Web3 integration reflect the evolving needs and expectations of social media users. As we move forward, these trends are likely to shape the future of app design, with a greater emphasis on user control, interoperability, and tangible rewards for user engagement. For startups and app designers, these insights could be invaluable in designing apps that meet the needs of today’s social media users. The key is to observe, adapt, and innovate, keeping the user at the center of all design decisions.

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About the Author

Joseph Russell is an award-winning app designer, app strategist and founder of DreamWalk. Over his 11 year career, Joseph has helped hundreds of businesses and startup founders plan, design, develop and launch successful apps.

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