You might have heard about a new game-changing social media app on the scene: Threads. The social media industry is buzzing with interest in the highly-anticipated Twitter competitor from Meta (formerly Facebook), so we thought we’d share a conversation about Threads between two social media pros here at the Sells Agency.
Our Social Media Director, Christa Lavender, and Associate Account Executive, Caity Hatchett, each bring their insights to the table as we explore the newest social media platform and answer some questions you might have. Let’s unravel the potential this new platform holds.
What makes Threads by Meta stand out as a compelling Twitter competitor for marketers?
Christa: In terms of capabilities and uses for Threads, we haven’t seen much yet that’s different from Twitter. Threads as it exists right now is a stripped down version of Twitter. It seems like the Meta team recognizes this and is asking for patience while they work on adding new features and figuring out what users want. What’s most compelling, in my opinion, is the existing user base that Meta has been able to leverage to gain a significant amount of signups in a short period of time.
Caity: Recently, we’ve seen Twitter become more complicated and difficult to sort through. While Threads is new to the scene, it doesn’t appear to have those issues right now, and I’ve seen plenty of news outlets, brands, and sports teams share timely news and updates on their Threads platform – much like they do on Twitter, but with seemingly less confusion. Meta appears to have distilled the best parts of Twitter and given them to us through Threads.
What’s one way Threads is different from Twitter?
Christa: For one, users can share longer content on Threads. The character limit on Threads is 500 characters for every user. On Twitter, free accounts are limited to 280 characters.
Caity: Setting up your profile looks a little different, too. There’s no space for a cover photo, and it’s formatted similarly to the way your Instagram bio would look.
What advice would you give to brands wanting to jump on Threads and come up with a strategy?
Christa: My advice is to go ahead and create an account so you can have your brand’s username of choice, but don’t spend too much time coming up with a strategy just yet. The platform is still very new, so it’s best to be on there, pay attention, maybe try posting some content here and there, but mostly wait and see. I saw someone say that we still have to wait and see how Gen Z is going to decide to use the app. As marketers, we take our cue from the users and how they use the channel. That hasn’t exactly been determined yet.
Caity: I definitely agree with signing up to reserve your brand’s username, so to speak. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve seen many brands using Threads similarly to how they use Twitter, but I think it’s going to end up being used as a combination of Twitter and Instagram. I’ve seen a lot more photos in my Threads feed than on my Twitter feed, and I don’t mind that at all. As a member of Gen Z, I really appreciate visual storytelling in marketing and my generation as a whole is more concerned with aesthetics, so I think brands being able to showcase their products through photos on a platform besides Instagram should work in their favor.
Do you think Threads will be a long-term competitor to Twitter?
Christa: It seems like things have cooled off a bit since the launch, but I do still see potential for this to become a new staple in our social media diet. It’s too soon to know. Suffice it to say there has been no shortage of controversies under Twitter’s current ownership. Some users may embrace the tension, but the reality is that many users, brands, and advertisers have been hesitant to continue using the platform or feel alienated. These are the perfect conditions for a new player on the scene.
Caity: I think if Threads can remain consistent once it irons out any initial issues, it could definitely be around for a while.
How do you personally feel about Threads so far?
Christa: Just from a user standpoint, Twitter was my favorite channel. The chaos of the last year at Twitter has left me wanting an alternative. So I hopped on Threads as fast as I could! From a client/brand standpoint, I’m not anywhere close yet to recommending clients make any big adjustments to their strategy for Threads just yet. Speaking of chaos, it’s worth noting that since we started this conversation about Threads, Elon Musk announced that Twitter is being rebranded and will now be called X. You can expect more updates from us as this saga unfolds.
Caity: I’m a big fan of Threads because it’s less overwhelming than Twitter to me. Between a split feed, Spaces, and the other features Twitter has rolled out recently, I found myself barely opening the app. Instagram is also my favorite social media platform, and being able to import my Instagram bio and the accounts I follow in Threads was a big selling point for me. I’m really interested to see where Threads goes because I feel like it has a lot of potential.
While some of the newness has worn off, there’s still a lot of buzz around Threads– and a lot of questions. We’re waiting along with everyone else to see how Threads settles into the social media scene. Whether you’ve been on Threads since day one or you’re just now signing up, we recommend getting familiar with the platform and testing it out with a few posts in the meantime.