With over 30 million sign ups in under 24 hours of release, Threads has broken and set new records, overtaking ChatGPT to take the top spot on the leader board of platforms that have reached 100 million users (5 days for Threads and 2 months for ChatGPT!). This just goes to show how rapidly tech and social media is developing and just how competitive the landscape within which Threads has emerged is.

What is Threads?

Threads is a text-based mobile app, connected to Meta’s Instagram. It was launched on the 5th July 2023 with the goal of enabling ‘positive, productive conversations’ and giving users more control over their audience. Meta have also made clear their intention to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub, an open social network protocol set up by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Essentially, this would mean that Threads could seamlessly integrate with other apps that also support ActivityPub, such as Wordpress or Lemmy.

Threads or Twitter?

You might be wondering, ‘What is the difference between Threads and Twitter’? And it’s a valid question, considering both platforms seem to work in the same way at first glance.

However, there are some differences between the platforms when it comes to things like the word count, video length and advertising capability, for example.

Threads

500-character limit

5-minute videos

No hashtags

No trending stories

Unlimited daily reads

No direct messaging

No ads

No desktop version available

Twitter

280-character limit

2 minute 20 second videos

Hashtags

Does my business need to use Threads?

While it might be tempting to jump onto the Threads bandwagon, or perhaps avoid the hype entirely if you’re not a social media specialist, it’s worth knowing what Threads might be able to offer your business and whether investing time and effort into managing a Threads account is worth it for your wider marketing strategy. Within these first few weeks and months, users will be actively looking to grow their accounts by rapidly following other Threads users – especially interesting ones! If you’re toying with the idea of setting up an account, doing so now will get you in the middle of this mass follower expedition, helping to gather initial followers more quickly than you might in a year or two.

Below are some of the types of posts that Threads works well for:

Company culture

The tone and feel of Threads is a lot like Instagram: creative, fresh and engaging. Spontaneity in the form of GIFs and memes, for example, are great for showcasing the light hearted and witty side of your company and give customers, others within the industry, and new recruits a flavour of your company’s culture.

On-the-go updates

More on spontaneity – Threads is the perfect place for real-time updates. At an industry event or launching a new product? Let your followers on Threads know! Also, while paid advertising is currently not a feature of Threads, why not take advantage of the chronological style feed to notify your followers of flash sales?

Think attention-grabbing, current, and exciting!

Asking your audience questions

Threads can be used to ask your audience questions and can be useful for market research. Much like you would use a poll on an Instagram story, you can then publish your findings in a separate Thread or even discuss further in a live Instagram story, especially since your audience will also have an Instagram account (it’s a prerequisite).

Links to publications and blogs

Threads supports external links, and while you don’t have the space to publish a full review of an industry publication or the entirety of your new blog, you can certainly post a link and a description in a Thread post. From what we know so far, external links are not penalised by Threads, so you don’t need to worry about negatively impacting your visibility on the platform like you might with LinkedIn.

Threads can be a useful platform to take advantage of, whether you’re a small or large company, B2B or B2C, but its value lies in how your use of Threads ties into your wider marketing strategy. Will you replace Twitter or Facebook with Threads, and if not, will your content on Threads be original and creative?

Do you have the time and resources to post insightful and interesting content on Threads, or would you prefer keep your efforts directed at building your presence on LinkedIn, for example?

Ultimately, only you can decide whether Threads is worth giving a go! Of course, Verto is always here to help you manage your social media channels and provide social audits, as well as tailored advice, campaign management and reporting. If you’re interested in boosting your social media presence or just have a question, get in touch today by filling out a contact form or calling the Verto office on 01536 411153.

What is Threads and Should Your Business Sign Up?