Meta's text-based social media platform, Threads, is testing a new feature that could significantly enhance the user experience, particularly for power users and content creators. This feature, inspired by the popular social media dashboard TweetDeck (now X Pro), introduces pinned columns on the web version of Threads.
The move comes amidst Meta's ongoing efforts to compete with Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter). The announcement, made by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself on May 16, 2024, highlights a strategic shift towards offering greater user control over content consumption.
According to a post by Instagram head Adam Mosseri on Threads, pinned columns allow users to personalize their experience. Users can create and pin specific columns for various elements, including:
Searches: Stay up-to-date on trending topics and hashtags.
Tags: Follow specific communities and conversations.
Accounts: Keep a close eye on your favorite profiles and influencers.
Saved Posts: Organize and revisit important content for future reference.
Notifications: Never miss a beat with instant alerts.
The pinned columns functionality extends beyond static content organization. Users can also pin the chronological "Following" feed, ensuring they see the latest updates from their network in real-time. This addresses a longstanding user complaint regarding Threads prioritizing the algorithmic "For You" feed, which often displays older content.
Reports further suggest the ability to pin other elements like likes, profiles, and various user activities such as replies, follows, mentions, quotes, reposts, and updates from verified accounts. Additionally, users can enable auto-refresh for all pinned columns, except the "For You" feed, for a truly dynamic experience.
It's important to note that Threads introduced a real-time "Following" feed in July 2023. However, users were unable to set it as the default view. This frustration is likely what spurred the development of pinned columns, allowing users to customize their preferred view.
This development coincides with another recent update on Threads. As announced by Adam Mosseri, a new "Recent" tab is being rolled out within user searches. This feature aims to address another user pain point – difficulty in finding the most recent content. Search results will continue to be quality-assessed, but users can now view them chronologically for a more timely and relevant experience.
The pinned columns experiment on Threads arrives roughly nine months after Elon Musk's controversial decision to rebrand TweetDeck as X Pro and introduce a paywall. X Pro is now exclusive to X Premium subscribers, potentially alienating users who previously relied on the free, customizable social media dashboard.
Meta's approach with pinned columns on Threads seems to cater directly to these disgruntled users, offering a similar level of customization without a subscription fee. This strategic move could position Threads as a more attractive option for power users and content creators seeking a dynamic and personalized social media experience.
Adam Mosseri recently announced the rollout of a new "Recent" tab within user searches on Threads. This feature aims to streamline the process of finding timely and pertinent content on Instagram. While search results continue to undergo quality assessments, users can now view them in chronological order, enhancing the relevance and timeliness of the content they see.
The introduction of pinned columns on Threads comes approximately nine months after Elon Musk rebranded TweetDeck as X Pro. The revamped social media dashboard is now behind a paywall, accessible exclusively to subscribers of X Premium, the platform's premium subscription service. This move by Meta aims to provide similar functionalities for free, potentially drawing users away from X Pro.