Threads Adds Custom Feed Sharing
Here’s an update that will appeal to hardcore former Twitter users.
Today, Threads has officially launched its new function that will enable users to re-share custom feeds within their posts.
As you can see in this sequence, now, when you’re looking at a custom feed, which is a user-generated timeline populated by profiles that primarily post about a specific topic, you’ll be able to tap on the quote icon at the top of the feed in order to re-share that in a new Thread. You’ll also be able to tap the “Share Feed” option direct.
Threads is also adding a new feeds tab on user profiles, so you can find lists created by any user.
The option will enable easier feed promotion, via a custom quote post that enables users to tap through to any custom feed, either one you’ve created, or one that you’ve found.
Which will help connect more people to more relevant, topical content, though I’m not convinced that feeds are actually as useful as some users seem to think.
For the most part, regular users want to be able to log on and see a feed of posts relevant to their interests, and over time, they’ve been attuned to get such by following the profiles of people and brands that they like. Though in the TikTok-era, where you can simply rely on the algorithm to show you the same, without even needing to follow anyone, it seems that more and more users are now relying on each platform’s systems to detect and cater to their interests, as opposed to manually guiding it for themselves.
As such, while feeds do provide another option, and were once popular on Twitter (called lists) as a means to recognize and coordinate feeds based on different topics, I’m not sure that modern social media users, in the majority at least, really care about them that much.
I mean, sure, they’ve been somewhat popular on Bluesky, where its “Starter Packs” have become a guiding feature to help users populate their streams. But Bluesky’s more popular with tech-savvy folk than your regular audience, which again underlines the idea that these aren’t so much for the average Threads or X user as they are the “power” users of each app.
But at the same time, “power” users are key to keeping the content flowing through these platforms, as only a fifth of users ever post or engage with anything at all on X. I suspect that engagement rate is similar on Threads and Bluesky, given their similarities, and as such, ensuring that this top tier of active users is happy, and posting positive things about the app, is important. Even if, functionally, I doubt they add a lot.
But it’s another option, which will appeal to some users.
Threads has been testing this out over the last few weeks, with some users noting custom feed sharing in testing. But now, it’s coming to all users.
Originally published at Social Media Today