Threads Is the Fastest-Growing Social Media Platform Ever. Should Your Brand Dive In?

Summary insight:

• Early Threads users have a strong preference for engaging with their friends or following celebrities vs. news and current events--including climate/science news.

• With its current limitations on forming topic-based groups, Threads falls short in fostering a strong sense of community compared to other social platforms.

Client recommendations: 

• For lifestyle brands, climate interests, and climate technology brands currently active on Instagram, secure your brand profile on Threads but maintain a low profile. We don't recommend following anyone or developing pre-scheduled posts right now. See how-to below.

• For climate interests and climate technology brands not currently active on Instagram, there is no need to jump on Threads.

• For business leaders and owners who are active on Instagram, secure your Threads account and follow/engage socially with key stakeholders. Stand down on proactive thought leadership, career news, and current events in favor of uplifting and/or humorous content. 

Have we threaded each other yet? 

Threads from Meta (aka Meta's version of Twitter) is the fastest-growing social media platform ever. Does that mean your brand should dive in?  Our verdict: watch and wait.

How Does Threads Work?

Threads burst on the scene in early July 2023, and though not fully formed yet, within five hours, the platform reported 5 million sign-ups and rapidly growing. Current characteristics include:

• You can write posts up to 500 characters and post videos up to 5 minutes.  Photos and GIFs are also featured, though concise text is emphasized. 

• There are no hashtags or trending topics on Threads. Search is limited to user names, not topics.

• There is no desktop version of Threads yet, just a mobile app. Although you can view a few day's worth of posts on a Threads profile on your desktop (Nora’s is here.)

• There is no way to edit posts.

• You can limit who can reply to your posts with an option to show it to anyone, only profiles you follow, or only people tagged in the post.

• There is no direct message function yet.

• You can share Threads posts to Instagram and Instagram Stories, but not easily from Instagram to Threads. Instagram posts shared to Threads does not include the images.

• Threads populates your feed based on what the algorithm anticipates you want to see vs. chronological order. So you won’t always see your friends’ posts unless you engage with them. 

• So far, no analytics on Threads.

• Annnnnd the big "so far:" no ads. They will come. For now and beyond, the expectation is that Meta is using our Threads content to inform the ads we see on Facebook and Instagram. Those privacy concerns mean Threads is not yet available across the European Union.

• You can not delete your Threads account without also deleting your Instagram account. You can, however, deactivate your Threads account so that the content is no longer visible to the public. This is why it makes sense for brands to secure their profiles now, even if you choose not to move forward in the future.

Without a trending indicator or chronological posting, Threads is less likely to overtake Twitter for breaking news. Twitter is also likely to remain the purview of hard news and politics, which Meta has said they will not actively promote on Threads. Climate news may fall into this category.

What is the Biggest Advantage of Threads?

Although some users note their preference for a text-based social app vs. the content lift of beautiful images and Reels on Instagram, the best advantage of Threads right now is that it isn't Twitter:

What Should Brands Do On Threads?

1. If your brand has an Instagram presence, claim your Threads profile by downloading the app and logging in on a mobile device while logged into your brand Instagram account.

2. Import your Instagram bio, profile picture, and link, but do not "follow all" -- or any -- Instagram followers. 

3. Adapt your bio and link to indicate that you are not yet posting, and use the link to send people to your website or other engagement destination. (We used this blog post!)

Dialogue-rs' POV

"Right now, Threads is a fun-to-have. There are still no 'rules' which has established a sort of test-and-learn atmosphere," observed social media and digital brand marketing expert Nicole Andes.  "Because no strategy parameters have been observed, Threads is essentially the wild, wild, west!" 

"What's most refreshing with Threads is the tone of the interactions," said Christine Whittemore of Simple Marketing Now. "All those participating are posting friendly and playful updates. You can sense the delight in a non-politically charged environment and in experimenting with like-minded threaders."

"It was incredibly well-timed by Meta and a great rollout," said Marie Incontrera of Incontrera Consulting. "The app doesn't "feel" new. If you know how to use Instagram, you won’t have a problem with Threads." More on Marie's POV in her Instagram newsletter.

Perri Richman also gives props to Meta on the launch: "Threads is a great publicity tool for Instagram and way to offer its users an added, segmented benefit for their businesses."

She added: "I am a mid-stage adopter of social technology – so my default status is to watch, try, assess and opt in / out."

On Threads and All Organic Social Media

Overall trends in social media lean towards community and interest-based engagement. A continual stream of marketing content on any platform is as welcome as the worst TV ads.

Engagement strategy that focuses on lifting up customers and fostering a sense of community will continue to succeed in organic engagement, regardless of the platform.