Let's dive into the latest on the Threads app and its uptake among social media influencers. Threads, Meta's response to platforms like Twitter and X, recently hit a milestone of 100 million users. Analysts are predicting this number will likely double with the latest earnings report—pretty impressive, right?
However, it's not all smooth sailing. There's a bit of back and forth happening with users, especially those with large followings on platform X, who dipped their toes into Threads but are now returning to their original social media home. It seems the comfort of an established audience and better interaction rates are tugging at their loyalties.
So, what's going on with the top 50 most-followed profiles on X? Are they embracing Threads with the same enthusiasm? Well, the survey says... not exactly. About half of these major influencers don't even have a presence on Threads yet. High-profile figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump, alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and key Indian celebrities, are sticking with X for now.
What's particularly interesting is the hold that X has over sports-related content. Despite Threads sponsoring events like the NBA's In-Season Tournament, sports leagues, including the NBA and ESPN, are still posting significantly more content on X. Even with a focused effort to tap into the sports audience, the traction on Threads just isn't matching up to X.
Taking a closer look at specific accounts like the Champions League and the NBA, we see the NBA had a burst of activity on Threads during the In-Season Tournament but didn't maintain that level of posting. The content drop-off suggests the increased effort in December didn't translate into greater audience engagement.
And, in a twist, ESPN is keeping up its posts on X despite some public disputes with Elon Musk, who has criticized Disney, ESPN's owner. It seems that the business value of X's vast outreach overshadows any personal contention.
While these observations offer a glimpse into user behavior, they're far from conclusive. When it comes to social media, it's often a small subset of highly active users who drive most of the engagement. That said, the fact that many top profiles on X haven't branched out to Threads is certainly telling. The platform seems to be carving its own space, but there's still a lot to unravel in terms of user dynamics and content trends.
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In the world of social media, trolls have taken to X with a new controversy involving Taylor Swift. A flood of graphic, sexually explicit images generated by artificial intelligence, claiming to depict the popular singer, went viral. One of these posts on X saw massive traffic, attracting over 45 million views and tens of thousands of reposts, before the account responsible was shut down for violating platform policy.
Despite the original post being removed after roughly 17 hours, the damage was done. The term 'Taylor Swift AI' hit the trending charts in some areas, gaining even more visibility. Discussions and reposts have dispersed the fake content even further, and, alarmingly, many of these posts are still up. Reports suggest that these images may have originated from a Telegram group known for sharing AI-generated explicit content.
X's policies are very clear on synthetic media and non-consensual nudity, outright banning such content. But enforcing these rules is proving to be a serious challenge, especially after large scale layoffs have affected X's moderation capabilities. Although public statements have been made regarding the platform's stance on non-consensual nudity, they haven't directly addressed the Taylor Swift situation.
Fans of Swift have taken matters into their own hands, trying to suppress the spread of these images by promoting legitimate content of the singer. As for the broader picture, this incident highlights the struggles social media platforms face in policing deepfake porn and AI-generated content, and sparks further debate about the responsibility platforms should bear in moderating such content.
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Instagram is shaking things up with a new feature called "Flipside" which is currently being tested among a select group of users. It's an alternative profile space where users can share posts exclusively with a circle of chosen connections. This move aligns with a growing trend towards more private sharing on social platforms, with users shifting away from public feeds to more intimate, close-knit communities.
The concept is simple: create a Flipside, post to that space, and it becomes a private gallery where you can even customize your profile name and picture. This builds on the observation by Instagram's chief Adam Mosseri that users are engaging more through stories and direct messages than through their main feed. Instagram has responded by introducing features like inbox notes, collaborative collections, and DM channels for more private interactions.
Flipside is the latest in these efforts, and it's particularly aimed at younger users who have been gravitating towards TikTok and Snapchat. With features like Notes gaining popularity among teens, Instagram is hoping Flipside will also resonate well with the demographic keen on more private spaces. As the testing continues, we'll keep our eyes peeled for updates on whether Flipside becomes widely available.
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X is rolling out a new feature in an attempt to push its "video-first platform" strategy by introducing a dedicated video tab on its app. This new tab aims to make it simpler for users to find and watch the latest video content. Interestingly, this tab will replace the spot currently occupied by Grok, X's AI chatbot, which hints that maybe Grok isn't resonating as expected with the audience.
Videos are becoming a big deal for X, with evidence like tweets that include video receiving significantly more engagement. The app reports that a majority of user sessions now involve video, showcasing an overwhelming user preference for this type of content.
Predictions are that X will likely use the new video tab to feature its original content to increase viewership and hint to video creators about effective ways to reach audiences. Despite some failures in the past with specific tabs for other features like Spaces and Moments, it's thought that a video tab might be more successful, especially considering how much content is consumed in the format.
This move is seen as a strategy to boost user engagement and improve content discovery on X. While full details are still under wraps, the initiative could not only enhance user interaction within the app but also open new doors for the sale of video ads.
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In the latest installment of Streamers on the Rise, we're looking at ChocoTaco, a former competitive gamer and trumpet performance graduate who found his niche in streaming almost by accident, thanks to the surging popularity of PUBG, or PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. His strategic move to use his number one rank as a promotional tool for his streams on Twitch started as a one-month trial but grew into an explosive career, allowing him to leave his educational job at a company that teaches engineering with Lego.
The long hours he initially put into streaming — 16-hour days split into two separate sessions — were grueling but effective for audience growth. He had initially quit his job to stream twice a day, seven days a week, to capture different audience time zones. His consistent efforts led to a following of 1.3 million on Twitch and 1.6 million on YouTube. Over time, he adjusted his schedule for better health and work-life balance, cutting down to one stream per day and taking a day off each week.
ChocoTaco has recently been facing the challenge of reaching broad audiences with games other than PUBG, like DayZ. He's considering a shift into game development down the line but remains heavily committed to streaming full-time for the foreseeable future. His strategy includes multistreaming with Twitch and YouTube, which he sees as a significant opportunity due to his substantial YouTube following.
He candidly discussed the intense pressure streamers feel to avoid taking time off, fearing audience loss to competitors. ChocoTaco stresses the importance of diversifying content to prepare for the eventual need to transition from one game to another — a challenge for many in the industry.
As for advice to new streamers, ChocoTaco suggests treating streaming as a fun endeavor with no immediate expectations, a route that serendipitously worked for him despite the competitive landscape. His experience advocates for passion and enjoyment of streaming as a foundation, seeing where the journey takes you rather than forcing a full-time career at the outset.