If you’ve been on social media at all lately, you’ve seen the platforms all a-twitter (pun intended) about Meta’s new segment, Threads. Ever since Elon Musk took over the micro-content platform, there has been a rollercoaster of feedback, lawsuits, and what Meta saw as an opportunity. 

Zuckerberg’s team put together a whole new platform that’s easily integrated into existing Meta accounts. It launched in a way that felt pretty fast and furious, and it picked up over 100 million registrations, surpassing Musk’s other pet project, ChatGPT.

The Download On Threads

Threads is a text-based app designed to mimic the real-time sharing and open-forum-style discussion that takes place on Twitter. Posts have a character max of 500 but can include links, images, and even videos up to 5 minutes in length. 

Meta has high hopes for Threads, saying they believe this avenue can reshape the future of the internet. Similar to Instagram, you can engage with accounts you already follow or start from scratch and spark fresh conversations in public or within a curated community. 

For all you techies out there, Threads is also making interconnectivity between apps more accessible, like ActivityPub, Mastodon, and WordPress. This could allow for following and interacting with Threads accounts without having one yourself, unlike Twitter.

They say their vision is to provide deep interconnectivity, regardless of the social platform you use. And you will still have access to Meta’s safety features, blocking abilities, and privacy settings. You can even filter who can reply to your Thread. 

What Threads Means For Content Creators, Business Owners, and Brands

Threads are still a little too new to really know how it will impact the world of marketing and content creation at large. That said, I think this new text-based platform is an opportunity for content creators, influencers, and brands to thrive in a fresh, unclogged space that isn’t bogged down by the unhinged reputation of Twitter. 

Of course, we know too well how Meta rolls in terms of algorithms and advertising. It’s always been complex and tricky to consistently navigate successfully, and I don’t see Threads as being any different. There are no ads running on Threads (as of now), but that’s likely to change as the platform grows – or doesn’t. It’s rumored that we could potentially see ads at the end of this year or early 2024.

If adding “create content for Threads” isn’t something you have room for, then don’t rush into it. Dip your toes in and stick to content you’re already making elsewhere but adapt it for this new micro-content platform. Repurposing is especially helpful if you’re already on Twitter. 

Here’s What I Would Do On Threads

We all know the last thing we need as busy business owners is to dive into a new platform, devise a strategy, and start “showing up online” in yet another space. The good news is that you don’t need a full-blown strategy just yet but don’t go in, keyboard blazing, with nothing relevant to say. 

Threads has a goal to promote a space that fosters authentic conversation. That’s what you should do. Find your community, either from your existing network or building a new one, and just start talking about the topics you know will resonate with that audience. 

Create both rapid-fire conversation starters and also test longer, multi-segment topics and see what performs better. Engage with any interaction you get for the first few weeks to inspire loyalty and trust. 

Don’t go into this new platform with complicated plans but with a desire to make real connections and start or participate in organic conversations. Take the time to explore the millions of posts already there and learn all you can about how your particular community is using it. 

As content creators, business owners, and marketers, it’s important to stay informed about what’s happening and only lean into the platforms and features that make sense for your brand. No one knows yet what the “right” content is on Threads or posting schedules or anything highly technical. We know they want genuine, connection-driven conversations. Start there.

Here’s What I Think

I’m no stranger to jumping into the deep end on new social media channels. As a marketer, I need to know where the people are hanging out and how best to connect with them in a way that feels organic to the platform. 

It FEELS like Instagram, sleek, modern, and easy to use, but operates like Twitter with short bursts of thread-based conversations. I will say I’m intrigued by the possibility of multi-app interconnectivity and how streamlined it is within Meta’s technology universe. 

I don’t feel particularly drawn to Threads over Instagram. High user-count debut aside, I’m not sure it out-Twitters Twitter, and more recent numbers (daily active users down 20%) indicate it may not be the competition killer Meta was hoping for. The first week on Threads was amazing but the energy just feels off going into the third week of Threads. I like that it had a no-pressure vibe to post content and I enjoyed not seeing business or motivational type posts for the first week. Now it is just similar content to what I see on Instagram.

What about you? Have you snagged your Threads account yet? What do you think? Let me know in the comments!