As July kicked off, Meta launched their Threads social media platform. For some, it’s been a long-awaited addition to Meta’s plethora of social media offerings.
For others, it is simply another in Mark Zuckerburg’s copy-and-paste playbook in an attempt to expand Meta’s social media empire.
Regardless of where you stand—we need to dive in and see what Threads has to offer and whether or not the platform will be here to stay.
Being dubbed as Meta’s “Twitter killer,” this is likely a vast over-exaggeration of what is to come.
Realistically, this was a necessary move—Facebook’s dominance has been slipping for years, while Twitter has been steadily growing, both in users and in being part of the overall conversation across all major media platforms.
Meta needed to make a move, and with the Metaverse launch fizzling out, Threads could be the shot of adrenaline needed to put Meta back in the social media spotlight.
At the time of writing, Threads has amassed over 50 million downloads on Android and we assume just as many in Apple’s App Store—so the word is spreading fast.
Threads – An Instagram App
First off, just know that when you go to download the app, you need to search for “Threads, an Instagram app.” Might seem silly, but there is already an app called Threads, which caused us (and we assume others) a bit of confusion when we first tried to dive in.
Another note is that the app’s “launch point” is from Instagram, so you have to sign up using your Instagram profile. From there, you can import the accounts you are following—which is a nice touch.
You can also toggle between Threads and Instagram using the IG profile icon at the top of your profile.
What is strange is that although Threads is tied to Instagram, upon testing, there is no proactive sharing from your Instagram account to your Threads account.
We have two theories about this:
- Instagram already lets you share to Facebook stories and posts when you are posting, so why add another option?
- Meta wants to keep Threads as a new experience and not muddy the waters with direct posting, which actually makes sense.
Overall, we think that the Instagram spinoff format was for ease of access and rapid profile and follower building more than anything else. If Meta is smart, it will work to keep the experiences separate and let users leverage Threads as its “own thing.”
That is always the case with social media—the community is going to do what it does, and Meta will need to wait and see where the market goes.
The Threads Interface
Right now, Threads has a clean and simple look, feel, and overall UX. A black background and white text is a clear flip of the Twitter color scheme. A simple but smart direction to make sure users know that they are in Threads—not Twitter.
*Quick update here – since Musk’s rebranding of Twitter to “X” Twitter color scheme now seems to have mirrored that of Threads. This could be a direct dig at Threads – but we will need to wait and see!
There are also not as many options, which is 100% a good thing.
Comparing the Threads and Twitter search functions, upon a search click on Threads you can search users, while on Twitter you are taken to various cards of trending topics.
This simplified, toning down of options may be short-lived, but it is actually refreshing. We believe this is both a functional and conscious decision. Functional because, well, Threads is new and they need to build in pieces. Conscious because as the years have gone by Facebook’s overwhelming number of user options may have turned off many users.
With Threads, simplicity seems to be the name of the game.
The Threads Experience
One thing that stands out right off the bat is that Threads has not carried over the standard character limits that come with Twitter.
On Twitter, these character limits are relaxed by paying for Twitter Blue’s checkmark verification. Our testing on Threads did not even indicate any character limits (but there surely are limits), allowing for longer posts from new users.
Image and video uploads also look to be of excellent quality on Threads. For images specifically, rather than posting multiple images in a grid view, Threads defaults to a carousel view, which again is a small but nice (clean) touch.
Sharing Across Platforms
Threads are not confined to the Threads feed, and this just makes good sense. To grab mass adoption, Meta has armed Threads with the ability to share your Threads to your Instagram stories, IG feed, and, to twist the knife a little, directly to Twitter.
You can share on other platforms or channels using the “Share via” option, but it’s interesting that as a default sharing option, Twitter is among the top three. It can only be assumed that the friction between Zuckerberg and Musk added some weight to this decision.
We have heard that there is an option to share from Instagram to Threads (the inverse of the preceding example), but we are still searching for this option at the time of writing.
Settings and Quirks
One odd thing we found was that in entering your privacy settings on the top left of your Threads bio, you can access your privacy settings—so far so good.
However, once you dive into your “Other privacy settings,” you find yourself back in Instagram.
So unless you are paying attention, you may assume that you are editing your Threads privacy settings (which you are), but these settings are accessed and tied directly to your Instagram privacy settings. It sounds a bit confusing—because it is.
The first few times we exited privacy settings and found ourselves back in Instagram, we thought we tapped the wrong app icon by mistake—but nope, this is by design.
Why did they do this? We think it was simply a question of time.
Why reinvent the wheel for a new platform when you can piggyback off another?
This may be another reason for Threads being “an Instagram app” because settings such as these are built upon the foundation already established. No judgment, just an observation.
Something New or Padding a User Base?
This is going to be a subject more on the “why” surrounding Threads and its relationship to connecting to Instagram. From what we can see, you need Instagram to access Threads.
Number time: Instagram went from 1.04 billion users in 2020 to 1.21 billion in 2021—that’s nearly 200 million users in a single year. From 2021 to 2023, however, that number only grew to about 1.35 billion. This is 140 million over a two-year period—in other words, growth is slowing.
So from a business perspective, tying Threads to the gateway of creating an Instagram account not only fuels a fire under Instagram’s account growth but also Threads accounts.
There is also the added benefit (to Meta) of bringing on more users to Instagram, where you can add your Facebook friends with Instagram accounts, which carries over to your Threads account, where you can add your connections from Instagram—it’s all kind of genius.
What Will Threads Be? We Hope Meta Listens…
So the big question is how will Threads be different from what has come before? We hope that Meta will take their time and see what the early adopters make of the new social platform.
There is a high likelihood that there will be a flood of new interest from users trying to use it like Twitter before they burned out, which is the way it should be.
Different platforms have different audiences and use cases, so will Meta have the guts to listen to their new audience and adapt to what they want?
We hope so.
For over a decade, Meta has had a bad rap for either buying out their competition or straight-up copying and pasting what others have done.
While on the surface Threads looks to be a Twitter clone, we are going to hold out hope that they will take their time and attempt to create an experience that is its own—none of us need another Twitter.
A Message From National Positions
To get ahead of questions, check out this special message from our director of social media and read her thoughts about Threads!
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Good Morning from National Positions!
Instagram launched a new social media app—Threads! Because if Mark Zuckerberg can’t buy it, he’ll make it himself!
Another social platform?! Yes.
Another platform that your customers are on. In fact, 10 million users downloaded Threads in the first 7 hours the app was available—that is a major wow.
So what is the hype about Threads?
Threads is a standalone app that has many similar features and functionalities like Twitter—however, Threads is powered by Zuckerberg.
Threads allows users to share text, videos, and photos, and engage in conversations with other users. The app is directly linked to your Instagram account, allowing you to keep your username, followers, and verification status.
Now, you may be wondering, “how does Threads fit into your social media strategy?”
With Threads, businesses are discovering an entirely new way to engage with their target audience on a more personal level.
- Exclusivity Amplified: Threads allows you to create a more intimate space for your brand loyalists, building stronger connections and fostering a sense of exclusivity by engaging with this audience.
- Behind-the-Scenes Magic: Provide an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse into your brand’s world. Share sneak peaks of upcoming launches, give a tour of your office space, or even involve them in the creative conversation for your next campaign. Threads offer an opportunity to humanize your brand and make genuine connections.
- Real-Time Engagement: Threads encourages immediate and authentic interactions. You can prompt your audience to share their thoughts, ask questions, or even conduct polls to gather insights. These real-time engagements not only help you understand your audience better but also provide opportunities for swift customer support and instant feedback.
- Storytelling Reinvented: Craft engaging narratives by utilizing a combination of photos, videos, and text. Create compelling visual stories that resonate with your audience.
All that sounds great—so you ditch Twitter? NO!
As new platforms emerge, we must think of them as an “and” not an “or”. Twitter AND Threads are part of your social media strategy.
Finally, you may be wondering what your expected ad spend and return should be on the platform. As of right now, the app does not have any ads. (Crazy, right?!)
However, we know that won’t last for long.
The paid social media team here at National Positions is keeping a close eye on when paid media will be available on Threads and we will be sure to update you when available.
Now, we can see the wheels turning, the excitement rushing, the overwhelming stress peering in—what does this mean for your brand and for the future of social media?
We embrace it. We shift to more personal experiences and connections.
As your trusted agency, we are committed to staying at the forefront of the ever-evolving social media landscape. We’re here to help you navigate these exciting new waters and harness the full potential of Threads.
If you have any additional questions about the platform, please reach out and let’s talk! In the words of Threads, “Stay connected, stay close.” Let’s embrace this new area of social media together!
Regards,
The National Positions Team
P.S. Want to read up on Threads? Here are some of our favorite articles so far:
Are You Thready for This?
We are keeping a close eye on what opportunities Threads may have in store. Will Threads pull market share from Twitter or other platforms? Will there be advertising opportunities on Threads? Will Threads simply fizzle out the way the Metaverse has?
There are a lot of questions—and soon we will have more answers. In the meantime, you can always contact National Positions to see where your greatest opportunities are right now! We can (and will) provide you with a complete profit analysis of your brand’s social media accounts to help you get ready for the holiday buying season which will be here before you know it.