New feature on Instagram Threads allows to search for keywords, topics

In the latest attempt to gain back some of its initial glory, Instagram Threads is introducing its keyword and topic search feature to several countries, including India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Argentina, and Mexico.

Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has announced the rollout of this feature and said that it will be available in “most English and Spanish-speaking countries.”

The feature will work similarly to how it works in X, formerly Twitter. Users in these regions will now be able to search for specific keywords or phrases within the app.

For example, you could search for all posts related to Nihari Kulcha by simply typing this term in the search bar.

Earlier, Threads only allowed users to search for other user accounts but with this update, users can look for relevant threads by simply putting that keywords in the search bar.

Launched in July, Threads started out as a tough competition to platforms like X by registering 100 million new users within only five days of launch. It created a record for any app or platform.

Threads, according to Meta, is built to share text updates and join public conversations. The service doesn’t require one to make a new account, Instagram users can directly log in through their accounts

As a one-up against X, Threads allowed posts up to 500 characters long that can include links, photos, and videos up to five minutes in length.

The evident popularity of the app even pissed X boss Elon Musk off, who sent out a legal notice to Meta for alleged copyright infringement. We don’t know what really came out of it.

But, within days its popularity started dwindling due to limited functionality.

According to a report by Gizmodo, Threads‘ daily active users fell to 49 million just two days after launch. By August 1, the number went down to just over 9.6 million.

However, Meta has been working hard to revive Threads by adding some very basic features such as launching in a fully functional web version, showing the feed of posts in chronological order, and adding tabs for following and reposts.

Over the subsequent updates, Threads added a feature that allows users to see their own liked posts, just like in X.

Even though there have been improvements across the board, the platform still falls short on features like multi-account support, an edit button, and direct messaging.

Despite everything, Zuckerberg has remained “optimistic” about the platform’s future.