PostEaseThe short answer
Threads’ main feed gathers every post from the accounts a person follows plus a share of public posts from accounts they do not, predicts what they are likely to do with each, and shows the best-predicted posts first. Meta describes the system in its Transparency Center. The predictions centre on conversation: will the person like the post, reply to it, open it, visit the author’s profile, or scroll past.
For anyone posting, two things follow. Replies are a ranking event in themselves, so a post that starts a conversation is shown more; and because the feed draws on public posts from accounts people do not follow, a good post can reach strangers from day one, without a large following.
What Threads predicts
Meta lists ten predictions for the Threads feed. Grouped, they describe a person deciding whether a post is worth their attention.
| What it predicts | In Meta’s words |
|---|---|
| Stopping or passing | How likely you are to scroll past a post rather than engage with it |
| Reacting | How likely you are to like a post; to click on a post and then like it |
| Joining the conversation | How likely you are to create a reply to a post |
| Opening and reading | How likely you are to click on a post; how much time you spend viewing a post and its permalink page |
| Following the thread further | How likely you are to click on a post, or its author’s profile, and then click on another post |
| Visiting the author | How likely you are to click on a post’s author’s profile |
What that means for a post
Read the predictions as what a post has to earn:
- A first line that stops the scroll. The first prediction is whether someone passes the post without engaging.
- Something to reply to. Threads predicts replies directly, and counts replies and likes on posts within a thread. A question, a clear opinion or an unfinished thought invites them.
- A reason to open it. Time on a post and on its own page are both predicted, so a post worth opening for the replies does better than one read in passing.
- A profile that leads somewhere. Threads predicts profile visits followed by another click, so a profile with more good posts to read turns one visit into several.
Replies are the engine
Among the signals Meta lists are the replies and likes on posts within a thread, replies to replies included. A conversation under a post is therefore part of how that post is ranked, not a side effect of it.
Buffer’s study of more than 128,000 Threads posts points the same way from the other side: accounts got about 42% more engagement on posts where they replied to comments than on posts where they did not, comparing each account with itself. Answering the first replies keeps the conversation going, and the conversation keeps the post in front of people. Reply with something that invites another answer, a question back or a detail, rather than only a thank-you.
What to post, given how it ranks
A feed that predicts replies and profile visits rewards posts that start something. Three kinds tend to:
- A question you want answered, about a decision you are making or something in your field.
- A clear view people can agree or disagree with, with your reasoning in a sentence.
- A short thread that tells one thing in parts, which gives a reader a reason to open it and keep clicking.
The Following feed skips the ranking
Threads also offers a Following feed, which shows only the accounts a person follows, newest first, with no recommended posts. Followers who read that feed see your posts in time order, so for them timing matters more than prediction: post when they are reading, which Buffer’s data puts on weekday mornings.
What costs a post reach
On Threads, the costly habits are the ones that make people scroll past or leave nothing to reply to. Meta’s system card predicts scrolling past rather than engaging, so broadcast-style posts with no view, question or story sit low. Posting and leaving also costs: Buffer found posts where accounts replied to comments earned about 42% more engagement than posts where they did not.
Questions
Does Threads show posts from people I do not follow?
Yes. Meta says the feed draws on all posts from accounts you follow and a portion of public Threads content from accounts you do not, subject to quality and integrity rules.
Do I need followers to be seen on Threads?
Less than on most platforms. Because the feed includes public posts from accounts people do not follow, a post that people stop for and reply to can reach strangers before you have many followers.
Do replies matter on Threads?
They are one of the predictions the feed makes, and replies within a thread are among its listed signals. Buffer also found about 42% more engagement on posts where the account replied to comments.
Is the Threads algorithm the same as Instagram’s?
No. Meta describes them as separate systems. The Threads feed predicts replies, opening a post and visiting the author’s profile; Instagram’s Feed and Reels lean more on watching, swiping and sharing.
Can people see Threads in time order?
Yes. The Following feed shows only accounts a person follows, in reverse chronological order, with no recommendations.
Sources
- Meta, Threads Feed AI system, March 2025.
- Buffer, Replying to your Threads comments can boost engagement by 42%, February 2026.
- Buffer, The best time to post on Threads in 2026, February 2026.