Finally ! Twitter rival Threads now lets you search for posts by keyword

Users of Meta’s Threads app finally have the ability to search for posts based on a keyword or term. In a message published last Friday, Al Mosseri, head of Instagram, confirmed that the new keyword search is rolling out in English and Spanish in some countries. The new option will be available in the mobile version of Threads as well as on the website, which officially launched on August 24.

Previously, the search tool in Threads was limited because it only allowed searching for other accounts. The ability to search for messages has been one of the most requested features among Threads users and is now a similar feature on competing social networks such as X (formerly known as Twitter) and Bluesky.

For my part, the new keyword search is accessible on the Threads website but not on the mobile application, a sign that the option is still being deployed.

Designed to attract X users tired of its owner’s escapades

To try the new search on the website or in the app, select the Search icon. By typing your keyword or term, you will automatically get the corresponding accounts. If you press the Search button in the application or the Return key on your computer keyboard on the website, a list of matching messages is displayed.

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Designed in part to attract X users tired of the escapades of its owner Elon Musk, Threads attracted more than 100 million new users in less than a week after its launch in early July. But these numbers quickly began to decline.

After a volume peak on July 7, the number of daily active users had dropped by 70% as of July 26, according to Sensor Tower. And from July 7 to August 7, the number of users fell by 79%, according to web analytics company Similarweb.

To appeal to new and returning users, Threads has worked to add new features and improve existing ones. The launch of the website in August was a major development, because the platform was previously only accessible in the form of a mobile application. With keyword searching now complete, other items on the most pressing wish list include an edit button, a direct messaging feature, and a hashtag system.

Source : “ZDNet.com”