Are you missing big opportunities if you haven’t already joined Threads?

What is Threads?

Threads was launched by Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) in July 2023. Some key things to know about Threads: it's positioned as an alternative to Twitter, focusing on short-form, microblogging-style content.

• One of the main differences from Twitter is that Threads privacy settings- users have more control over what content shows up in their feeds, etc.
• Threads links with/leverages a user's Instagram presence. To sign up for Threads, you connect your Instagram account.
• So far it seems to be gaining the most traction with younger, Gen Z demographics - especially those already active on Instagram.
• Threads is growing rapidly in terms of new users and downloads. Some forecasts predict it continuing to gain steam and reaching over a billion users.

Pro’s

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Threads Shows Promise for Businesses

Threads has quickly shown it has strong potential. Analysts point out its connection to Instagram could help Threads attract users and advertising money away from Twitter.

Threads managed to gain 30 million sign-ups on its very first day and this has growth to 160 million. This pales in comparison to the 528 million people using twitter but the gap is narrowing rapidly.

Get in Early on Threads for Algorithm Benefits

Users who join new social platforms like Threads early on often get significant advantages. This has been seen before with influential people on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube who signed up when those sites first launched.

Access to younger audience groups

So far it seems to be gaining the most traction with younger, Gen Z demographics - especially those already active on Instagram. So, if this is your target audience, it may provide a great opportunity.

Con’s

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Be Aware - Deleting Threads Means Deleting Instagram

An important detail to understand about Threads is that once you download the app, there is no way to delete your Threads account separately. Your only option for removing your Threads presence is to delete your connected Instagram account.

Threads is a New Platform Still in Development

Threads is still a brand new platform in early stages of development. Like any new social network, there may be some limitations in place and features that are not yet fully built out or working smoothly.

We still have a lot to learn about elements like privacy practices and advertising as Threads continues evolving. The specifics of how the platform will operate regarding things like ads and data are still being optimized in these initial phases.

It is yet another social platform to worry about

In last week’s newsletter, I talked about being selective with which social platforms you work with in 2024. We can often risk being a ‘Jack of all trades and master of none’ when it comes to social media. Threads provides yet another platform to consider adding to the mix.

My thoughts

At this stage, whether you join or not really is dependent on your target audience. If you are targeting a Gen-Z focussed audience, with much less traffic seen on threads over twitter, jumping onto Threads maybe a great way to gain traction.

Overall I will be aiming to keep up-to-date with threads, but will not yet be posting from a business perspective. However, will be ready for any big changes that maybe coming in 2024.