After testing it out with selected users over the past few weeks, Threads is now rolling out its new “Save” post option to all users, which will enable you to tag posts in the app that you want to revisit at a later stage.
As you can see from these example screens Threads’ new “Save” option is now available via the three dots menu on any post in the latest version of the app. After you’ve saved a post, it will then be available in your profile menu options, which is pretty much the same as how you access your saved posts on Instagram.
It’s another element in Threads expanding feature set, which Instagram chief Adam Mosseri remains convinced won’t have a big impact on usage, but will make some Threads users happy.
Last month, Mosseri noted that while the Threads team is developing a range of highly requested features, including bookmarks, lists, trending topics, etc., he actually doesn’t think that they’ll impact broader usage as many expect.
As per Mosseri:
“My honest take is that requested features like lists, an edit button, a following feed, trending, and hashtags are all good to build, but none noticeably grow Threads or Threads usage. We’ll continue to build them because it’s good to build features that your most engaged users are excited about, but it’s hard to prioritize them when the measurable impact is negligible.”
So what does Mosseri think will impact Threads usage?
Well, adding more users, and increasing people’s reach and engagement.
Which seems like a bit of a chicken-and-egg argument. You want to add more users, but adding new features for those people that are already in the app won’t help on that front, yet keeping those users that are active happy will keep them around, and increase their engagement.
Yeah, I’m not sure I see the logic, but regardless, the Threads team is still adding in new features, while also seemingly developing additional pushes to get a broader range of communities into the app.
The Threads team is most actively pushing to get more sports communities into the app, a key holdout on X, while it’s also working to get more celebrities to share updates in-stream. Eventually, these pushes should bring more audience into the app, and with many people actively seeking an alternative, as Elon Musk continues to amplify divisive political content on his platform, the opportunity remains ripe for Threads to disrupt X’s hold on real-time engagement.
But it also still has a way to go. The app formerly known as Twitter is a habitual, established home for many, and they’re not going to be shifted easily.
Maybe, as Threads reaches feature parity, and Meta continues to amplify its efforts, that will result in Threads winning out. But it remains difficult to forecast at this stage.
Prediction: The upcoming U.S. election will likely make or break Elon’s X experiment, and likely decide the true fate of Threads as a result.