In the ever-evolving landscape of social media platforms, Meta continues to enhance its Twitter alternative, Threads, with new features aimed at improving user engagement and content discovery. The latest development shows Meta's strategic approach to feature implementation, often drawing inspiration from competing platforms while maintaining its significant market presence.
New Curated Collections Feature
Meta has begun testing a new feature on Threads that allows users to discover and follow groups of curated accounts centered around specific topics. Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced this development, revealing that these collections will be visible during the signup process and within the For You feed. The initial curation is being handled by selected Threads community leaders who are creating collections across various interests.
Topic Coverage and Implementation
The new collections feature spans a wide range of interests, including basketball, style and fashion, food, books, and pop culture. This implementation mirrors Bluesky's starter packs functionality, which has proven successful in helping users build their following lists around specific interests. Meta's spokesperson Alec Booker indicates that the company plans to expand the functionality based on test results.
Platform Competition and Growth
The timing of this feature release is particularly noteworthy as it comes amid increasing competition between social media platforms. Threads has maintained a strong growth trajectory, recording 35 million new signups in November. In comparison, Bluesky's growth has been more modest, reaching approximately 25 million total users, with a five million user increase over the past month.
Platform User Statistics:
- Threads: 35 million new signups (November 2023)
- Bluesky: 25 million total users (Current)
- Bluesky Growth: +5 million users in past month
Meta's Rapid Feature Development
Meta has demonstrated an aggressive approach to feature development on Threads, rapidly implementing and rolling out new capabilities. Recent additions include post metrics, custom feeds, advanced search capabilities, default feed options, and AI-powered trending topic summaries. This rapid development cycle suggests Meta's commitment to establishing Threads as a leading social media platform.
Recent Threads Feature Updates:
- Curated collections
- Post metrics
- Custom feeds
- Advanced search
- Default feed options
- AI-powered trending topic summaries
Strategic Platform Evolution
The introduction of curated collections represents another strategic move in Meta's platform development playbook. By incorporating successful features from competitors while leveraging its massive user base, Meta continues to strengthen Threads' position in the social media landscape. This approach of feature adaptation and rapid implementation has become a characteristic strategy in Meta's platform development.