Instagram, under the umbrella of Meta Platforms, is set to introduce its branded content capabilities to Threads, according to a report from Axios on Tuesday that cites a knowledgeable source.
These tools will enable marketers to forge partnerships with influencers for paid collaborations on the platform, where traditional advertising options are currently nonexistent.
A request for comment from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, went unanswered by Reuters.
This development follows Threads’ rapid ascent, as it reached 100 million users within just five days, positioning itself as a competitor to Elon Musk’s Twitter.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously stated that monetization efforts for Threads would only commence once the platform identifies a viable route to achieving a billion users.
With the ability to transfer accounts, credentials, and followers from Instagram, Threads taps into a vast user base of over 2 billion from the photo-sharing platform.
Despite the absence of advertising, several companies have initiated accounts on Threads to share content organically.
Nevertheless, the platform’s limitations, including the lack of hashtags and keyword search features, may hinder its attractiveness to advertisers.
In a separate issue, Twitter has accused Meta Platforms of misappropriating trade secrets for the development of Threads, potentially signaling the beginning of a legal confrontation between these social media competitors. Experts suggest that Twitter would face significant challenges should it pursue legal action.
This claim was articulated in a letter sent by Twitter, which alleged that Meta used proprietary information to create Threads and called for an end to such practices. Twitter also asserted that Meta’s recruitment of numerous former Twitter employees included individuals who improperly retained devices and documents, suggesting that Meta intentionally assigned them to work on Threads.
Whether any legal proceedings will transpire remains uncertain.
A request for comment from Twitter was met with no immediate response. However, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone addressed the issue on Threads, asserting that no members of the engineering team for Threads were former Twitter employees.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
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