Threads is a new social media channel created by Meta Platforms (formerly known as Facebook) which was launched in July this year. Threads went live on both the Apple and Android app stores in 100 countries and signed up more than 100 million users in its first week.
Threads is linked with Instagram (which is also owned by Meta Platforms) and was developed by the same team. Threads is generally seen as an alternative to Twitter and has launched at a time when Twitter has been going through a rough patch due to various changes being made since it was taken over by its new owner.
To sign up to Threads, users need to have an Instagram account. Once set up on Instagram, you can log into Threads and begin to make posts of up to 500 characters. The concept of Threads is similar to Twitter, although Twitter only allows users to post up to 240 characters. Both platforms allow users to post videos, website links and images, as well as ‘like’ and follow other users’ pages.
As a new social media platform, Threads presents a potential opportunity for businesses who rely on social media to market their products and services. Thanks to all the hype since Threads launched, businesses can position themselves as forward thinking by having a presence on the latest social media platform.
The integration with Instagram means that businesses who are active on that platform can double up their efforts by using Threads as well, and the Twitter-like concept means brands using X (formerly Twitter) can take a similar approach here. The Threads platform has enjoyed significant success since it launched, however it is still early days and businesses are really only experimenting with it at this stage.
As early adopters of Threads, what we have seen so far is that there is limited content and engagement, so the platform feels quite slow going. However, this could be an advantage for particularly dynamic social media teams, as they could make a significant impact on brand awareness while things are less competitive. One definite plus is that the Meta team seem really engaged with users and are quick to take on board and action suggestions for new features, updates and alterations. Threads also currently has a much happier feel to the community than X, with little or no trolling, so represents an opportunity to do something different. This could be of particular benefit to brands with a particular social justice mission, or who just want to show their human side.
If you’re currently using social media for your business, it would be a good idea to at least register your handles on Threads to stop anyone else taking them while you decide whether to add this platform to your portfolio. If you do decide to take the plunge and post, Threads is much more about starting conversations and engaging with other users, so will require more live input than other platforms, particularly since currently the major social media scheduling tools are unable to integrate with Threads. There is currently no option for paid advertising on Threads, and from what we have seen, brands are embracing that fully by not posting ad content or obvious marketing. It’s much more about showcasing expertise and the humans behind each brand.
