Threads is experimenting with a new way to encourage in-stream engagement, which would enable users to attach emoji responses to specific words and terms included in a post.
As per this explainer screen example from app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, which is not currently active in the app: “Long press the words you want to highlight, then pick your reaction. Highlights are public. Others can see them and react, even if you have a private profile.”
Users will be able to select from emoji responses via a pop-up picker, and posts will then be displayed with words highlighted. Users will be able to see which other users have responded to each term by hovering over it.
The update could add another element to short-form content engagement, expanding on the use case that Twitter solidified into a key way to share information.
Though how beneficial it would be is difficult to say, beyond the existing Like button.
Given the brevity of Threads posts, do users really need an in-stream indicator to showcase another form of response?
Maybe, if they can select any emoji, that could also act as a disincentive in some ways, by enabling people to show their dislike, or even disgust, at what others share. That could see some users posting even less.
Presumably Threads will have some level of restriction over which specific emojis could be used for response.
But it could also be another means to drive reactions to posts in-stream, which might add to broader engagement behaviors and interest.
It also might not. Maybe this is what the Threads team is now weighing as it considers the option, before moving to public testing.
Threads now has over 400 million monthly actives, and has become a key home for many evolving conversations, rivalling X as a central focus for topical discussions. But in order to get to the next level, and differentiate itself, Threads needs more options. That’s why it’s also testing live chats for more focused discussion. These emoji indicators would be another means to experiment with expanded engagement, beyond what X provides.
So while it might not have the answer as yet, it is interesting to see Threads trying new things out, as it looks to build to the next stage.
