Instagram introduced the new Threads app on July 5, 2023. Very quickly the number of users climbed to 100 million users. It took less than a week for individuals and brands to embrace the new app. We’re taking a closer look and sharing essential insights on Threads, the new microblogging app by Instagram.
The Purpose Behind Threads
Threads is a text-based app that provides a space for users to create and join public conversations.
You log into the app through your Instagram account. Posts can be up to 500 characters long and can include photos and videos. Videos can be up to 5 minutes in length.
New users quickly adopted a relaxed and friendly atmosphere within the app, and pointed out similarities and differences to its potential rival Twitter.
Is this Meta’s rival for Twitter?
It’s an easy leap to compare the new conversational app Threads with the pioneer of public conversations, Twitter. However, even Instagram Head, Adam Mosseri is quick to comment that hard news and politics will not be a focus on the new platform. He’s not seeing Threads as a competitor to Twitter in that sense.
Mosseri recognizes that Twitter pioneered the space for public conversation online. When it comes to digital marketing there are a lot of great offerings out there for people to engage in conversations with each other.
Instagram is entering the space with Threads because the team wanted to create something that was open and something for Instagram users.
The team has been working on the new platform for some time, but the recent volatility of Elon Musk’s leadership at Twitter instigated getting the app to the public now. Users want a platform they can trust and rely on.
Key Features
Threads is a new space for real-time updates and conversations. As users welcome this platform with open arms, the app provides a sense of fresh air in the digital space. On it, people can post, reply to others and follow profiles they’re interested in.
Threads (posts) and replies can be text-based or include any combination of text and links, photos, or video.
People follow you to see your threads and replies in their feeds. You can manage who sees your posts in the app’s profile privacy setting.
There are a lot of ways to initiate audience engagement in the app. People reply to your post to add to the conversation or they can like, share, quote, or repost your content.
What we want to show you is how it actually works inside of Threads, and how it can be used in regards to social media management and brand strategies. There are some key features that will help you unlock the potential of Threads, they are:
Join Threads from Instagram
The only way to create a profile on Threads is through your Instagram account. If you manage multiple accounts, you create one profile on Threads for each account.
You need to download the Threads app from the APP store or Google Play Store to get started. The app will prompt you to sign in with Instagram. You will sign in with the Instagram account you’re currently logged into. If it’s not the right one, you can switch accounts.
A thread is a post that you create. It appears on your profile and in the feed. It can be short pieces of text and also include links, photos, and videos. Threads can be up to 500 characters long.
Tip: Threads make it easy to use in parallel with your favorite Instagram features. Ask your followers to turn on notifications for your Threads posts. You can continue the conversation on threads when you Push from Broadcast Channels. And, you can even share your Threads posts to your Instagram Stories to engage users there!
Important: Social Media Managers, unlike Instagram, Threads does not offer a branded content tool. If you’re posting branded content on Threads, it’s key to make sure you indicate that the post is a paid promotion by adding text that specifies it’s in paid partnership. Continue to follow Meta’s branded content policy.
How To Engage
Threads app is all about conversation and engagement. You can add to a discussion by replying to a thread. Yes, it’s that easy. When you reply to a thread, your reply will appear as its own thread in the replies tab on your profile. People can reply to your reply.
You can also repost, quote, like, and share threads.
Turn Off The Noise (control who can mention or reply)
You get to choose who can reply to your thread. Sometimes you want to keep the conversation focused within a small number of people or you want it open to everyone. You’re in control. You can limit who can reply to profiles you follow or that you have mentioned only.
Manage Your Threads and Profile
Early users who are fast with their fingers and quick to notice their own typos after posting are calling (maybe crying) for an edit feature. Once you post the text cannot be edited. There are a few other things you should know, like:
- You can delete a thread. However, people’s replies to your thread will not be deleted.
- You can edit your profile information including bio, links, and photos.
- Social Media Managers rejoice! You can switch between multiple thread accounts, but it’s not as seamless as a toggle button. For each Instagram account you manage you can create one profile on Threads. When you are working with multiple Thread profiles, you need to log out to switch between them.
- Another management feature is that you can temporarily deactivate your Threads account. Not that anyone wants to right now, but the love of the app continues to be strong. As with most social media apps and platforms, Threads provides robust privacy, visibility, and account management settings. Choose to have a public or private account, you can manage who mentions you, mute and unmute other users, restrict or unrestrict, hide replies, and even hide the like count for a post on Threads.
Notification Settings and Time on Threads
When you click on the heart icon at the bottom of your Threads profile you see the activity and notifications for your Threads account.
Other Notification features mean you can turn on and off notifications for people you follow, set push notifications, and even create important reminders to take a break from the app.
Safety and Reporting
The beloved ability to remove a follower, block, or unblock followers is all there in the Threads app. As well as the additional ability to add supervision to an account and report content.
Unlocking the Potential
As a Social Media Manager, you’re likely thinking about how to use Threads in your business. It’s an app with great potential, despite its simplicity.
It’s a new space where users are eager to deepen connections. Brands are encouraged to share an authentic relatable voice. Although there are no rules about what you post, the collective user base leans towards behind-the-scenes, promotion/ad-free engaging discussions.
Brands can use it for targeted brand storytelling through short bites of discussion starters. In this way, you build up the brand on Threads through community engagement.
Empowering Social Media Managers
The creators of Threads will be the first to tell you that they’re working on improvements and new features for the app. In the meantime, there are a number of creative ways that Brands are using Threads.
It’s about the conversation.
This is a communication-first app, brands are starting discussions and joining in user-based content to be part of the real-time conversations.
An example of many brands being playful on Threads is when Starbucks posted a simple phrase “I am coffee.” Everyone jumped in to play. A user posted “I am customer,” while other brands took the challenge and like DoorDash posted “I am a delivery app,” along with thousands of others jumping in with their version of “I am”.
Data-Driven Decision Making.
What about the analytics of using Threads? The app does not offer a lot when it comes to measuring the results of your account.
Although there’s no way to see how many people viewed your post, there are manual ways to see the engagement on a post and the number of followers your brand has.
Engagement metrics are key to Social Media Agency best practices for helping brands build an authentic relationship with a targeted audience.
Partner with Socialistics and Tap Into Your True Potential
This new app may be coming in differently than what we’re all used to, but there are creative ways to embrace the new Threads app and maximize the time spent in it. We’re here to help you navigate Threads and align it with your business needs including your comprehensive social media strategy.
Here at Socialistics, we know how complex social media can feel, especially when new apps like Threads come into play. We can help. Our goal is to deliver tangible, measurable results, contact our team today!
