Threads is a new social media app launched by Meta. The new Threads app could give businesses the opportunity to build personal and meaningful relationships with their existing customers and potential customers. Threads launched on 5th July 2023 and already have over 100 million accounts.
For businesses to make the most from the new social platform it is important to understand from the early learnings its similarities and differences to existing social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Our blog post will explain more about what Threads is, how it works and the potential benefits for businesses. With the growth already of Threads accounts, it is certainly proving to be a social media platform with the potential to reach a broader audience and to consider as part of your social media strategy.
Gemma Finch
Social Media & Paid Ad Specialist at 1PCS Creative. Love engaging and impactful social content, family time with my little girl and helping companies grow and build their presence online.
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What is Threads?
Threads was created by Meta. Meta already owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The new social networking app Threads launched on 5th July 2023. On the first day alone Threads reached 30 million sign ups, with it currently now having over 100 million accounts.
To give some context to the speed the new social networking app has grown since launch. It reached 100 million accounts in just five days. The closest growth to this for a social media app was TikTok, which took nine months to reach the same milestone.
Part of the reason for such rapid growth is how easy Meta has made it to create an account with it being able to be made in just a few clicks via your Instagram account. Whilst also being able to quickly follow the same accounts as your current Instagram followers. A ‘thread’ on the new app, is the equivalent of a new post.
How does it differ?
Threads is a text focused app which has been compared to Twitter, with some going as far to say Threads is a Twitter killer. This is due to offering similar functionality with it being text based posts, a conversational approach and a similar user experience.
It has been closely linked to Twitter, due to factors such as a character limit with posts needing to be below 500 characters. However currently it has no paid tiers or offering adverts to run which Twitter does. Although Threads have said they will look to monetise once reach a higher level of growth with enough learnings to offer impactful advert targeting for businesses.
Threads goes beyond being a text based app, with Threads also offering the visual aspect users have come to enjoy and engage with on Instagram. Potentially giving an ideal offering of the favourite elements from existing social apps.
Joining Threads App
Some specifics on how a Threads account operates, the impressive growth is said to stem from utilising the existing user base of Instagram. The Meta terms are that you do need to have an Instagram account. However provided you have an Instagram again, you can sign up to Threads using your Instagram credentials with just a few taps.
They have made it incredibly easy with being able to use your Instagram name, Instagram username, bio, profile photo and verification badge making the barrier to join Threads very low. If preferred your Threads profile can all be customised too, however it makes sense to keep the same username etc. as used across existing social media platforms for consistent messaging and branding.
Accounts can also quickly automatically follow the instagram accounts being followed, giving businesses the opportunity to grow rapidly on Threads. Compared to needing to manually start from scratch with social apps without the simple onboarding process Instagram has created for each Threads account.
Why another Social Media Platform?
Over the years there has been attempts of varying success for other social networking platforms to launch, with TikTok being one of the most recent with high success levels. Threads currently is looking like it could become one of the main platforms to consider within your marketing strategy.
Whilst there is a loyal following on the big social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram who have billions of daily active users. Clearly with their being over 100 million Threads accounts in five days, there is still a want for new social networking channels and users are keen to explore new digital platforms.
Threads does have similarities to other apps, however it is not the exact same things and for some people they may end up preferring the new app depending on how they prefer to engage with accounts. Each social app has its pros and cons when businesses are planning their social media strategy.
Below we will look at how Threads could be helpful for businesses to consider and how it can be maximised from the early learnings.
Building A Community
Threads as a text based app naturally is operating as a conversational approach, with real time conversations. Giving businesses the opportunity to build a personal and strong customer base. To build a successful community with your potential and existing customer base, it is important to give a continuous reason to continue interacting with your business.
A new thread should be engaging and provide relevant content to users. To name just a few examples, it could be behind the scenes, tips, a look at latest trends or new product launches. Threads similar to Twitter encourages users to find discussions and engage in.
Therefore users whilst seeing posts from the accounts they choose to follow, which in the beginning will likely be the same accounts as who they follow on the Instagram app. They also will see recommended posts and accounts based on how they interact on the app with their interests and content they spend time engaging with. Giving businesses the ideal chance to build broad reach and a community on Threads, which they may now have achieved with other social apps.
Create Conversations
To have the most impact with Threads for businesses it should be treated as a two way dialogue, not one way. So whilst making an original post, it is worth noting to receive notifications and monitor your Threads account regularly to continue that conversation with your audience.
All comments, enquiries and even issues should be addressed promptly. In doing so, it can build increased trust and a loyal customer base. Customer service on Threads should be in line with how a business would provide if it were on email or the phone for example.
Also look out for discussions your audience is interacting with and commenting on, where relevant join in their conversation to help build a personal relationship. Content created for Threads, can also be shared as an Instagram story and as a link to share on other platforms.
Therefore content created for the new app could be utilised across your social network. It is important to remember that where appropriate, content should be tailored to each platform to suit both the platform and the audience. So is important to have the right knowledge of each social app and their benefits.
Competitive Edge
With Threads being a new app it is the perfect time to create a competitive edge. Whilst it has had impressive growth, it still has a way to go to be a similar size to the leading apps such as Facebook and Instagram. As a result, it is not a crowded space and gives businesses the opportunity to assert themselves as the market leader and industry experts for their sector.
It also can give businesses the chance to build a broader audience to provide their followers with valuable insights and ideas, whether that be with text based posts or visually with including photos and short videos to become thought leaders as noted above.
The app is continuing to adapt, learn and add new features. Currently it doesn’t offer direct messaging or ability to add hashtags. Although don’t connect directly, conversations occur directly in a threads post or through other methods such as your website by following link in your bio. Threads will continue to improve their offering and planning features, such as a more robust search function.
Businesses who join Threads will want to edit posts and look at Threads users and new accounts to see how they engage and interact, to test and take learnings from for future Threads posts and to maximise the potential benefits for businesses on Threads.
We hope our blog post helped to give more detail on what the Threads app is and how it differs to other social apps such as Instagram app. Along with how it could be of benefit to consider in your marketing plans for your business.
At 1PCS Creative we look after social media management across multiple industries and sectors. We have the right knowledge and expertise to create social content and manage social accounts for businesses.
We can happily review your current social media and marketing goals to help identify and recommend if a Threads account would be suited for your business. Please feel free to get in touch to see how we can help.