As Bluesky’s user base explodes, Threads fights back with customizable feeds to keep users engaged.
At a Glance
- Threads introduces customizable default feed options: “For You,” “Following,” and personalized feeds
- Bluesky sees nearly 1 million new users daily, reaching over 20.7 million users
- Threads still leads with 275 million monthly active users
- Bluesky faces challenges with harmful content and system capacity
- Threads enhances platform with new search capabilities and AI-generated content summaries
Threads Rolls Out Custom Feeds Amid Fierce Competition
In a strategic move to maintain its competitive edge, Meta’s Instagram Threads has introduced a new custom feed feature globally. This development comes as rival platform Bluesky experiences a surge in user growth, presenting a mounting challenge to Threads’ dominance in microblogging.
The new feature allows users to build feeds around preferred people and topics. Users can now switch between “For You,” “Following,” and custom feeds on their home screen, mirroring the flexibility that has made Bluesky attractive to many users.
Meta’s Threads app launches custom feeds amid Bluesky surge https://t.co/qiuH3kDt2r
— The Hill (@thehill) November 20, 2024
Bluesky’s Rapid Growth and Challenges
Bluesky has seen remarkable growth, with its user base expanding to over 22.6 million, up from 13 million in October. This surge is largely attributed to user dissatisfaction with what they perceive as X’s (formerly Twitter) right-leaning stance and policy changes. However, this rapid expansion has not come without challenges.
Bluesky is reportedly in “firefighting mode,” grappling with server capacity issues and an increase in obscene and illegal content. The platform has had to make short-term decisions to manage these problems, leading to over-enforcement and temporary suspensions. In response to eight recent cases of child sexual abuse material, Bluesky has increased its content moderation team from 25 to 100 members.
Threads’ Strategy to Retain Users
Despite Bluesky’s growth, Threads maintains a significant lead with over 275 million monthly active users. However, the platform is not resting on its laurels. In addition to the new custom feed feature, Threads has introduced several updates to enhance user engagement and compete more effectively with Bluesky.
These updates include prioritizing content from followed users, reducing recommended content, and introducing new search capabilities. Users can now search posts by date or account, and the platform is testing AI-generated summaries of trending topics to enrich user interaction.
The Future of Social Media Competition
As the battle for user attention intensifies, both Threads and Bluesky are pushing the boundaries of user engagement and personalization. Threads’ introduction of custom feeds and its focus on enhancing search and content discovery demonstrate its commitment to providing a more tailored user experience.
