Threads, the latest and fastest-growing social media app from Meta (formerly known as Facebook Inc.) with over 100 million sign-ups, is causing quite a stir in the digital realm. As a part of Meta’s impressive collection of platforms, including popular ones like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Threads brings something we’re all familiar with – a Twitter-like format.
So what does Threads have to offer?
Threads allows users to post updates, known as threads, share content, and engage with others through comments, likes, and reposts. With its concise and focused format, it encourages users to share quick thoughts, links, images, and videos within a limited 500-character count. Allowing users to create only short posts with images and videos makes it different from other Meta social media apps – namely, Facebook and Instagram, both of which allow users to post more varied and longer content, such as reels and carousel posts. Threads also, as of now, does not support hashtags, post-editing, private messages, alt texts, ads, trending topics and following feed. It does, however, allow you to put links in your posts. Knowing Threads’ functions and limitations enables you to evaluate whether using it will be right for your marketing strategy – for example, lack of hashtags and ads may mean you will not reach as many new people from your target audience as you would like.
Threads vs. Twitter - what's the difference?
Unlike its counterpart, Threads aims to foster a more corporate and business-oriented atmosphere, while also creating a friendlier environment. It wants to steer away from the often heated exchanges of opinions that Twitter is known for. By encouraging positive engagement and discouraging personal attacks by moving away from actively promoting politics and news, Threads wants to create a space where users can express their opinions comfortably, without fear of backlash or online harassment. Nevertheless due to its freshness, it is yet to be seen if Threads do end up fostering a more inclusive and accepting atmosphere than Twitter.
Should your business join the Threads bandwagon?
As with any social media platform, the answer to that question depends on your goals, target audience, and overall marketing strategy. If Threads’ intended atmosphere aligns with your target audience, you think your audience will be using it and you’re already familiar with Twitter or Twitter-like content, establishing a presence on Threads could be beneficial. Especially if you hop on board early, securing your company’s username and showcasing your willingness to embrace new platforms.
However, there are a few things to consider.
Firstly, integrating a new channel into your marketing strategy requires time and energy, which may distract you from your overall goals. Secondly, deleting your Threads account is not possible without also deleting your Instagram account, as the two are connected, so if you have a developed Instagram presence, it could cost you all of your followers. Thirdly, Threads is not yet available in the EU due to conflicts with GDPR, and there’s the looming threat of a lawsuit from Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, which could impact the platform’s future stability.
Lastly, it’s important to note that new social media apps often face uncertain futures. We’ve seen platforms like BeReal and Lemon8 get popular overnight and then go quieter, leaving us uncertain about their long-term prospects. The same could happen with Threads. For now, it’s still too early to determine whether Threads will become the next big thing, replacing Twitter, or if it’s just another passing trend.
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