Threads, the social media platform from Meta designed to compete with X, is now focusing on a specific type of creator: podcasters. The company announced that it will begin bringing more discussions about podcasts to its app and help creators promote their shows.
To start, Threads is rolling out a couple of new features. First, podcast links within the feed will have a unique and more pronounced appearance. These links will feature colorful backgrounds and image thumbnails, making them easier for users to notice.
Creators will also receive a dedicated space in their user profile to add a link to their podcast. These specially designed links are intended to stand out and help podcasters promote their shows and grow their listener base. A Meta spokesperson stated that in the coming year, these initial features will be followed by others that also focus on serving podcasters and their audiences.
Meta explained its interest in the podcast community by noting the potential for Threads to become the primary place where people talk about shows and engage with creators. Currently, these discussions happen across many platforms, including Reddit, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify. The company is also trying to leverage the deep cultural ties of podcasts, which can drive discussions and encourage user interactions.
Threads currently has more than 400 million monthly active users and 150 million daily active users. This is less than its rival X, which claims as many as 600 million monthly active users. Capturing the podcast community, or even a part of it, could help Threads narrow that gap significantly.
However, while Threads will target the discussions that come from podcasts, the company clarified that it does not intend to become a podcast distribution platform. Instead, it will focus on giving podcast hosts more insight and analytics on how conversations about their shows are resonating with fans. It also plans to develop more features to help people discover new podcasts and to connect podcasters and listeners through conversations.
This is not the first time Threads has targeted creators to differentiate itself from competitors like X and Bluesky. In May, the platform gave creators the ability to add up to five links in their profile to promote their presence elsewhere on the web. More recently, it began allowing creators to share longer thoughts through a text attachment feature. Meta says users can expect Threads to continue exploring more features focused on podcast discussions in the months ahead.