Every Social App Feels the Same Now And I Have No Idea Why
Instagram, Threads, and Twitter are all building the same features. Are they following users... or each other? Let’s break it down.
Hey hey,
It’s time for another round of product decision deep-diving.
Last time, we dove into Substack, aiming to become a content powerhouse, and you all had a lot to say about that. The comment section was full of great insights.
This week, we’re diving into a strange game of social media déjà vu — where every platform is slowly turning into the same thing.
Why? Well, let’s find out.
Social Media Apps Are All Copy Cats
Instagram, Threads, and Twitter (now X) are all making moves to keep users engaged, but seem to be borrowing (read: stealing) ideas from each other.
Here’s What We Know
Instagram added Notes — short, 24-hour text blurbs tucked inside DMs. Think of it as a text version of Stories. It flopped.
Threads launched Markup — a tool to annotate posts with arrows and highlights. Basically, it borrowed Instagram’s Story editing UI and applied it to text.
X (formerly Twitter) now allows Audio Tweets — a clear nod to TikTok’s audio-first culture.
Across all three apps, we can see text, sound, and edits blending. Instagram tried adding more text, Threads is making posts editable like Stories, and Twitter is bringing in sound like TikTok.
Think Like a PM
Why do you think all these platforms are copying each other so blatantly?
Are these copy-paste features about real user needs, or just about FOMO and competition?
If you were the PM at Instagram, would you keep pushing Notes… or shut it down?
If you were leading Threads, how would you make Markup a must-use feature, not just a gimmick?
Drop your thoughts in the comments… How would you act if you were the PM?
Thoughts From The JAPM Team
Last week, we talked about Substack’s new features. And these are our thoughts:
Substack’s new features aren’t just shiny add-ons. They are a signal. A signal that it wants to be more than just an inbox drop.
But changing perception is tough. Right now, users open Substack to read, not to chat or scroll, and definitely not to watch videos.
So, these new features don’t stick because they don’t fit the mental model. To change that, Substack needs to make new behavior feel natural. That might mean:
Highlighting Notes at the top of the feed
Using email to drive people into Chat or Video
Nudging creators to use multiple formats in one post
As for when to reshape your product’s identity, it’s not about feature count but behavior change. If users act in new ways (e.g., commenting more, staying longer, creating short posts), the identity shift might already be happening.
And should Substack focus or expand? That’s the million-dollar PM question. Expansion works if each new feature deepens the core experience, not distracts from it.
Let’s see how this one plays out.
Until next time,
—Sid
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