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You've landed on the right spot if you're puzzled by the Threads.com vs Threads.net conundrum. It's easy to get mixed up between the two, but don't worry, we've got you covered. We're about to unravel this mystery, giving you a clear-cut understanding of these two distinct platforms. So, buckle up and let's dive in. Threads.com is a communication platform, launched in 2019, serving as an alternative to Slack, fostering work collaboration and discussions. On the other hand, Threads.net is Instagram's Twitter clone, launched in 2023, allowing Instagram users to share status updates, pictures, and messages with their close friends list. Despite the similarity in names, they serve different purposes and target different user bases. Threads.com: A Deep Dive into the Slack Alternative Threads.com is a communication platform designed as a Slack alternative primarily for makers. It provides a more streamlined and focused platform for teams to share work, receive rich feedback, have quick chat-based conversations, and organize discussions. Key features of Threads.com include: Sharing Your Work: Threads offers a clean, simple canvas to share work and gain valuable feedback. Users can create discussions around specific topics, and teammates can provide feedback in the form of comments, reactions, and individual threads for detailed input. Chat Function: The chat function allows quick conversations with your team. It is designed for more casual, immediate communications or for addressing urgent matters. Thread-Based Discussions: Each discussion in Threads can be turned into a big-screen presentation. This is helpful for providing a detailed context or sharing updates in a more formal setting. Inbox: Threads comes with an inbox designed to reduce clutter and help you stay on top of relevant discussions. The inbox helps users manage and keep track of the threads they are part of, offering an efficient way to catch up on missed conversations. AI Integration: Threads features a customizable AI tool named "Tailor" that can create near-instant documentation from chat messages. It also provides proactive summaries and allows users to create customized writing prompts. Platform Accessibility: Threads is accessible across various platforms, including browsers, desktops (Mac and Windows), and mobiles (iOS and Android). Powerful Search: Threads offer a robust search feature, ensuring information is easily found and not lost in endless chat streams. Customizable Themes: Threads provides multiple themes including a light and a dark mode. Integrations: Threads supports integrations with various popular platforms such as Github, Figma, Sentry, Linear, Jira, Intercom, and others. Threads also have features like single sign-on, SOC2, GDPR, CCPA for enhanced security and compliance. Developer API: Developers can create custom integrations using Threads' API. There are also ready-made integrations available with platforms like Zapier and Pipedream. Calendar and Meet: Threads integrates with your calendar and allows starting video calls from a chat using the /meet keyboard shortcut. Zoom calls can also be initiated from any chat message. Specific Platform Integrations: Threads also offers specific integrations with platforms such as Linear (for creating issues and posting updates), Github (for posting PRs), Figma (for importing frames), and Intercom (for posting conversations). Threads.net: Exploring Instagram's Twitter Clone Threads.net, a Twitter clone launched by Meta (formerly Facebook), has attracted 100 million sign-ups in its first five days, indicating potential to become a major hub for online text-based conversations. Built on Instagram's user base, Threads has many parallels to Twitter but lacks certain features like a separate direct messaging function, hashtag or trending-topics function, and post-editing options. Despite these features, Threads shares Meta's ongoing privacy concerns and monopoly power. Notably, it utilizes an algorithm-driven content feed, suggesting posts from accounts and brands that users might not follow or care to see. To sign up, users must have an Instagram account, and their Instagram friends do not automatically follow them on Threads. The app is not available in Europe due to privacy concerns. As for content, Threads accommodates 500-character posts (referred to as "threads") and enables @ mentions, replies, and reposts (similar to Twitter's retweet function). Regarding privacy, the Threads app continues Meta's invasive privacy policies, collecting personal data similar to Facebook and Instagram. Despite this, Threads launched without ads, although Meta plans to include them in the future. Addressing safety, Meta claims that Threads applies the same content rules as Instagram, aiming to prevent praise of terrorist or hate groups, firearms trading, and threats against people or groups. Despite this, some anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric was reported in the app's early hours. Users under 16 have their accounts automatically set to private. For content creators, Threads presents an opportunity to build a text-based social media presence without starting from scratch. Lastly, Meta has plans to make Threads compatible with decentralized social networks like Mastodon, which is part of the broader "fediverse" of interoperable social networks. Users should be cautious when deleting Threads, as it can only be deactivated by deleting the associated Instagram account. The Founding Teams: Facebook Connection and Diverse Backgrounds When discussing Threads.com and Threads.net, it's interesting to see how their origins interconnect, particularly with Facebook, now known as Meta. Starting with Threads.com, its co-founder and CEO, Rousseau Kazi, has a robust history with Facebook. Before venturing out to start Threads, Kazi worked at Facebook in a product management capacity for six years. He lauds his experience with Facebook, citing Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri, Instagram's CEO, among his mentors during his tenure there. This hands-on experience in the technology and social media world was instrumental in shaping Threads, the Slack alternative. Switching gears to Threads.net, Instagram, the parent platform for this app, is a part of Meta's family of apps. Instagram itself has seen different leaders over the years. However, Adam Mosseri, an executive who's been with Facebook (now Meta) since 2008, has been leading Instagram as its CEO since 2018. It was under his leadership that Instagram launched Threads.net, designed to build a closer community among Instagram users. Despite the overlapping Facebook connection, the teams have embarked on diverse paths. Kazi, leveraging his experience, built Threads.com to enhance work communications, while Mosseri's team developed Threads.net, aiming to change how friends connect on Instagram. These distinct paths highlight the diverse backgrounds and visions behind the two platforms, shaping them into unique entities despite the similar nomenclature. A Surprising Surge: The Impact of Naming Confusion on Threads.com App Downloads The arrival of Instagram's Threads (Threads.net) on July 5, 2023 didn't just create buzz around its own launch, it unexpectedly brought its namesake, Threads (Threads.com), into the limelight as well. A curious consequence of sharing the same name was the unexpected surge in downloads for Threads.com. This surge was primarily due to Threads.com owning the domain name, which might have led people searching for Instagram's Threads to land on their page instead. Before the launch of Threads.net, Threads.com had relatively few downloads, catering mainly to a specific audience that preferred it as a Slack alternative. However, the week immediately after Instagram launched its Threads saw a major spike in downloads for Threads.com. In the span of a week from July 6 to July 12, Threads.com reported over 880,000 downloads globally on iOS alone. This unexpected attention catapulted Threads.com into the 52nd most downloaded app globally overall and third in the "business" category. Interestingly, it found high traction in Germany, Spain, and Italy, where it ranked as the 10th most downloaded app for that week among the three countries. This likely occurred because Instagram's Threads isn't yet available in the European Union, further fueling the confusion and drawing more attention to Threads.com. The surge in downloads extended to Android as well, with Threads.com reporting more than 1 million downloads on the Google Play store. Before that, the launch of Threads.net, the app was only getting about 2500-3000 downloads per month. Despite the unintentional boost in downloads, it's worth noting that this didn't necessarily translate into sustained users or business for Threads.com, as many downloaders likely realized quickly that this wasn't the platform they were looking for. Yet, this unexpected surge offered Threads.com an unforeseen boost, highlighting the sometimes chaotic, sometimes serendipitous world of tech startups. How the Confusion Boosted Threads.com's Web Traffic: A Case of Free Publicity? The naming confusion between Threads(.com), a Slack alternative, and Threads(.net), Instagram's Twitter-like social platform, brought a surprising twist. It led to a massive spike in website traffic and downloads for Threads(.com), the workplace communication tool. As users sought the new social networking platform, they often landed on the Threads(.com) website, due to the platform's ownership of the more attractive Threads.com domain name. Instagram's new platform, on the other hand, found its home on Threads.net. This inadvertent mix-up led to a colossal increase in Threads.com's website traffic. Our analysis revealed a staggering surge by 14,364% from 88,011 visits in June 2023 to 12.73 million visits in July 2023. Even though the confusion has necessitated clarifications from Threads.com, stating its non-association with Instagram, the situation could be viewed as a silver lining. This is a testament to how unforeseen circumstances can bring about opportunities and act as catalysts for growth. As the old saying goes, "There's no such thing as bad publicity." How Threads.com and Threads.net are Managing the Naming Confusion In the wake of the naming confusion between Threads.com and Threads.net, both entities have been employing different strategies to manage the situation. These strategies have been primarily designed to mitigate user confusion and ensure that each platform's user base is directed to the correct location. For Threads.com, the Slack alternative, the response was twofold. First, the company experienced a massive influx of traffic to its website after Instagram's launch of its new service, Threads.net. To deal with this, Threads.com swiftly took measures to clearly distinguish itself from Instagram's service. The company added disclaimers on its website and App Store listing, declaring, "We are not associated with Instagram". This move aimed to quickly communicate the lack of affiliation between the two platforms and reduce the risk of continued confusion. Interestingly, Threads.com also chose to approach the situation with a bit of humor. The company found an opportunity to leverage the confusion as a form of free publicity and engage with its user base in a light-hearted manner. pic.twitter.com/r6DpBbRWh8 — threads (@Threads) July 7, 2023 On the other hand, Instagram's Threads.net, given its newness and lack of a web interface as of yet, hasn't publicly addressed the naming confusion. However, considering the significant confusion that has arisen, it's possible they may have to engage in some form of clarification or user redirection in the future. This might become especially necessary if the app becomes available in the European Union, where Threads.com saw a significant surge in downloads due to the confusion. While these strategies have likely minimized some of the confusion, the similar names of the platforms continue to cause a mix-up. The question that remains is how this will impact the future operations and brand identities of both Threads.com and Threads.net. The Role of Domain Names in the Threads.com and Threads.net Mix-Up Domain names play a significant role in the digital presence of any brand or business, and the story of Threads.com and Threads.net is no different. It's a classic case of how a domain name can inadvertently propel an app into the spotlight, and create a considerable amount of confusion along the way. The Slack alternative, Threads.com, had been operating steadily since its launch in 2019, serving its user base and carving out a niche for itself in the world of business communication. On the other hand, Instagram's Twitter clone, Threads.net, burst onto the scene in 2023 and quickly amassed millions of downloads. The two platforms, despite their shared name and completely distinct offerings, found themselves entwined due to their close proximity in the domain name world. The confusion started when users searching for Instagram's new social network inadvertently ended up on Threads.com, which owns the coveted .com domain. Instagram's choice of the less popular .net domain for its Threads platform may have been an oversight, or perhaps a necessity due to the unavailability of Threads.com. However, this decision led to a significant spike in traffic for Threads.com, as users who were looking for Instagram's Threads landed on the business communication platform instead. This highlights the importance of choosing a unique, memorable, and clear domain name for digital platforms. The mix-up between Threads.com and Threads.net has not only resulted in confusion for the users but has also led to an unexpected surge in downloads for Threads.com. This situation further underlines the role domain names play in directing internet traffic and influencing user behavior in the digital landscape. Geographical Reach: Availability of Threads.com and Threads.net in the European Union Geographical availability plays a critical role in the adoption and success of any digital platform. Interestingly, the naming confusion between Threads.com and Threads.net was further amplified due to geographical constraints related to the launch of Threads.net. As of the time when Instagram's Twitter clone Threads.net launched, the platform was not yet available in the European Union (EU). This fact significantly contributed to the heightened confusion and subsequent inadvertent traffic to Threads.com in Europe. During the week immediately following Instagram's Threads launch, Threads.com saw its highest App Store rankings in Germany, Spain, and Italy. In these countries, Threads.com averaged as the 10th most downloaded app that week, indicating a considerable surge in interest and downloads. The non-availability of Instagram's Threads in the European Union likely led EU-based users to download Threads.com, under the assumption that they were accessing the new social media app from Instagram. This resulted in a beneficial side effect for Threads.com in terms of exposure and new user downloads within the EU region. However, as Instagram's Threads.net expands its reach and becomes available in more regions, including the European Union, it will be interesting to see how the dynamics shift and what implications this might have for both platforms. Trademark Matters: Threads.com's Ownership and Legal Aspects The arena of trademarking and intellectual property can often be quite contentious, especially in the world of startups. In the case of Threads.com, the Slack alternative, the situation is no different. The company has confirmed that it owns the trademark for its name, signaling a clear distinction between its brand and any other entity sharing the same name. This trademark ownership grants Threads.com certain rights and protections. It helps to ensure that the company's brand identity is maintained and prevents others from causing confusion or attempting to capitalize on their established reputation. However, the implications of the naming confusion with Instagram's Threads.net remain uncertain. Even though Threads.com owns the trademark for its name, it has yet to comment on whether it plans to take any legal action against Instagram or its parent company, Meta, over the use of the name Threads. It's worth noting that such a move could be seen as controversial. From one perspective, Instagram's use of the Threads name for its new product might be seen as infringing on Threads.com's trademark, given the potential for confusion between the two. On the other hand, as the name is somewhat generic, it could be argued that Instagram has as much right to use it as anyone else. Whatever the outcome, one thing is clear: the issue of trademarks and naming rights is a complex and challenging one. It will be fascinating to see how this situation plays out and what precedents it might set for similar naming conflicts in the future. Lessons Learned from the Threads.com and Threads.net Naming Confusion. In the world of digital technology, where brand names can reach audiences at lightning speed, the tale of Threads.com and Threads.net offers some significant lessons. As an entrepreneur or digital professional, you can take several insights from this event: Choose your name wisely: Although the choice of the name 'Threads' by two unrelated digital platforms seems coincidental, it led to a flurry of confusion and unprecedented website traffic. It highlights the importance of selecting a unique and distinctive brand name for your product or service, one that differentiates you from the crowd. Embrace unexpected opportunities: Threads.com took this unexpected situation and turned it into an opportunity. Even though the sudden influx of visitors and downloads might not have translated into new business immediately, it served as free publicity. As an entrepreneur, always be ready to seize such unforeseen opportunities. Maintain a sense of humor: In response to the mix-up, Threads.com sported a light-hearted approach by adding “We are not associated with Instagram” messages on its website and App Store listing. Humor, used judiciously, can humanize your brand and deepen your connection with your audience. Secure your trademarks: Threads.com owns the trademark for its name, highlighting the importance of securing legal rights to your business's name and logo. This can provide you with legal protections and can help to avoid potential brand confusion. Be proactive about clarifying confusion: Both Threads.com and Threads.net took steps to clarify the confusion to their audience. As a brand, it's essential to proactively address any misconceptions and to communicate clearly with your customers. Consider the importance of domain names: This scenario underscores the importance of owning a .com domain. The more common and globally recognized .com domain for Threads.com inadvertently attracted a significant amount of traffic intended for Threads.net. Remember, while these lessons have been drawn from the unique situation of Threads.com and Threads.net, they carry broader implications. As you build or manage your digital platform, be mindful of your brand name, secure your legal rights, and always be ready to adapt to unexpected situations. Sources Data.ai Sensor Tower Similarweb USPTO