So, how did they do it? As a sister app to Instagram, it allowed users to quickly set up a profile using their Instagram login credentials and automatically follow the same people they were already following on the popular photo-sharing platform. The app is compatible with both iOS and Android and is available in over 100 countries.
Dubbed the ‘Twitter Killer’, Meta’s Threads has a striking resemblance to Twitter’s platform.
A coincidence, perhaps? Not at all. In fact, Meta launched Threads as a direct response to the ever-growing issues that have arisen with Twitter since Elon Musk took over. As you can imagine, the Musk vs. Zuckerberg memes that have been shared on Threads since the launch have been comedy gold.
While we’re still in the early days of Threads, brands are trying to figure out how and where they fit into this new social media platform. There’s a huge opportunity for brands of all sizes to connect with their audiences and build unique bonds that go deeper than what you can achieve through Instagram alone.
We’re here to help you figure it out. Let’s unravel the mystery of Threads and see how you can successfully integrate the new platform into your marketing strategy.
Thread-y to dive in? Let’s do it.
What is Threads and how does it work?
Threads is a new social media app that’s focused on sharing text-based updates and joining in on wider conversations.
On Threads, users can:
- Share posts up to 500 characters long
- Share links
- Share photos
- Share videos up to five minutes long
The vision behind Threads is to create a ‘positive and creative space to express your ideas’ — a far cry from the reputation of toxicity and trolling that Twitter has gained over the last few months.
As with any social media platform, it will be difficult to enforce a culture of positivity, but Instagram’s team put the following protocols in place to help guide it in the right direction:
- You can control who can mention you
- You can control who can reply to your thread
- You can add hidden words to filter out replies that contain specific words
- You can unfollow, block, restrict, or report profiles
Is Threads a good marketing tool?
The short answer is yes, absolutely. Any social media platform that allows customers to get to know brands on a deeper level is an excellent digital marketing opportunity.
The key to Threads will be authenticity. Users all over social media are tiring of obvious, traditional advertising methods. Long gone are the days where you could simply share a picture of a product and expect the sales to roll in.
As a text-based app, Threads gives brands the opportunity to let their brand personality shine. Brands and publishers that tend to outperform on social media time and time again, including Gymshark, Rare Beauty, PrettyLittleThing, LadBible, American and British Vogue, and the Economist are all already active on the app.
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to any form of social media marketing. The key to nailing your Threads marketing strategy is to plan, test, listen, and react.
Threads and content marketing
When it comes to what kind of content to share on Threads, brands can look to Twitter for inspiration. One of the first Threads shared by Instagram and Threads’ CEO Adam Mosseri had some golden content advice for brands and creators:
As @mosseri advises, Threads is a good opportunity to open up conversations with your audience around your brand’s niche. Think about what questions you can ask your customers and followers that relate to your brand.
For example, celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo’s first thread was “Who’s Hungry?!” followed by “If threads is all about discussion, let’s jump right in… Pizza Vs Pasta? 😎” and then the classic, “I’m scared to ask but… Pineapple on Pizza? 🍕”
Threads and SEO
SEO — also known as search engine optimization — is one of the key ways that users can find your brand or website. As a text-based app, Threads will enable brands to hit those target keywords that their customers will be searching for, helping to make them more discoverable.
If your brand can create Threads content that answers customers’ questions as and when they have them, you’ll build up a loyal following and customer base in no time.
Threads and paid social
As it’s still quite early, paid social hasn’t appeared on Threads — yet.
In a reply to a Thread about monetizing the app, Mark Zuckerberg wrote “Our approach will be the same as all our other products: make the product work well first, then see if we can get it on a clear path to 1 billion people, and only then think about monetization at that point.”
So while we may be a way off of paid social on Threads, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead. As the ‘new Twitter’ we can assume that ads will eventually work in a similar way, which isn’t far off how Instagram and Meta’s paid ads work.
How to use threads in marketing
We’re still very much in the honeymoon phase with Threads. Everything’s new and exciting and no one’s settled down into a routine yet.
There are still so many changes yet to come, including:
- A search feature
- A following feed
- Private messaging
- Hashtags
- And more
So while things are still fresh and new, this is your time to experiment and play around with it. Below, we’ve shared some tips to help you get started.
Build and connect with your audience
If you’re already active on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc. then you may already have an idea of what sort of content works with your audience.
That gives you a leg up, as you’ll be able to take those ideas and translate them into text-focused content.
Don’t be afraid to experiment
The best advice you’ll ever hear for any social media platform is to just get on there and use it.
Follow accounts that you admire and pay attention to what they’re posting. Look at what kinds of content are doing well and what’s not doing so well. After you’ve done some listening and observing, then it’s time to take action!
Don’t be afraid to post. Even if it doesn’t do so well, who cares? Trial and error is the best way to learn.
We know it can be time-consuming, especially while you’re running a company, which is why lots of businesses opt to hire expert social media managers instead.
Don’t rush into things
You don’t need to have Threads worked out by the end of this article, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
Simply get to know the platform and observe the culture that’s being built around it before you go full steam ahead with planning an entire strategy.
As with most new social media platforms, the earlier you are, the more likely you are to reach a bigger audience. So just get out there, post, and see what happens! Don’t overthink it.
Twitter vs Threads: Should you make the switch?
Unfortunately, no one can predict the future. So it’s difficult to tell whether Threads will triumph over Twitter, or whether Twitter will make a comeback.
The likelihood is that both Twitter and Threads can and will exist side by side. While the app features will be similar, the main difference will be in the culture of each platform.
For instance, Twitter is often used by consumers to communicate directly with brands and their customer service teams, to voice complaints for a quick redressal. On the other hand, it looks like Threads is fast becoming a place for brands to share bigger campaigns and pitches.
Either way, brands need to prepare to be active on both platforms. While some of their customers may choose team Threads, and others choose team Twitter, brands need to be on both sides to not miss out on an opportunity to connect with a customer.
Tying up the loose Threads
Despite being a brand new app on the scene, Threads should by no means be ignored by marketers. As the fastest-growing app of all time, we can at least assume that it will prevail long after the initial hype dies down.
Threads’ launch presents a rare opportunity for brands of all sizes to get on board at the ground floor, experiment with new types of content, and find fresh ways to engage their audience. If you’d like some help in managing all of your social media platforms, or you’d like some expert social media content writing services, Scribly is here to help.
Scribly will transform your content marketing strategy, working side by side with you to grow your business. Book a free content strategy call with a friendly member of our team today!
