What You Need to Know About Threads
By Emily Bent
It’s been a little while since a new social media platform truly shifted the landscape, but a new text-based offering from Meta is looking to tug at the thread of the established fabric and change things forever. Convenient to our analogy, this platform is called Threads, and while it’s not the first platform to attempt replacing Twitter, it’s undoubtedly the one making the biggest splash.
But what is Threads all about? How does it work? Who is it for? Why is it here? We’re here to unspool those questions for you!
What Led to Threads?
It’s safe to assume a tumultuous year at Twitter helped spawn Threads. Once a powerful platform for up-to-the-minute news and interacting with like-minded people from around the world, Twitter has seen a high-profile change in ownership, flipped the way its verification system functions, and went from a purely free service to a pay-to-be-heard platform. As the tension between Twitter’s owner Elon Musk and Meta’s founder Mark Zuckerburg grew, it was only a matter of time before Meta made their move. Enter Threads.
What is Threads, Exactly?
Threads is a text-based app positioned as a direct competitor to Twitter, hoping to build its profile to the point where it stands alone as the central hub for short-form content or “micro-blogging”. Launching to a select group of testers on July 2, 2023, before opening to the public on the evening of July 5, 2023, Threads allows users to develop their profiles, seek out friends and accounts to follow, and send text-based posts that can be up to 500 characters long. Users also have the option to attach photos and videos up to five minutes in length. Given the app’s connectivity with Instagram, users can share their posts to their Instagram story, enticing even more users over to the Twitter alternative.
What is the Mood on Threads?
The best way to describe the current mood on Threads is buoyant but chaotic. The platform is full of early adopters — including many of us here at VERB — the digitally curious, and those thrilled to have a platform similar to Twitter but somehow different. Once all the “Hi, I’m here!” posts slowed down, users leaned heavily into the platform’s namesake, creating threads of cute animals, asking lighthearted questions, and getting the lay of the land. The Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, is very active on the platform and is engaging with users, explaining the system and acknowledging shortcomings. “…There are tons of basics that are missing: search, hashtags, a following feed, graph syncing, federverse (sic) support, messaging maybe…” Mosseri posted on July 6, 2023, with the promise of updates coming soon and often. It’s clear Meta’s goal was to launch a good base product quickly and grow with the users and their needs. Turns out, this wasn’t a bad decision: Threads surpassed a million users in under two hours, soaring by every other major social media platform in history with ease.
Sew, Who’s Threading?
With 55 million users and counting! Celebrities, agencies (guilty as charged) content creators, your neighbour, brother, mother…everyone! Hospitality and tourism groups seem to be slow adopters of the platform, which isn’t a surprise, but businesses in our realm who are on Threads and making the most of it, Visit Orlando and Sea Island have added their cross-stitch to the Threads canvas.
What are the Features and Challenges of Threads?
Here are some key features businesses and general users will like:
- Your Instagram followers and following will import directly to your Threads profile, saving you from starting from scratch.
- You can hide replies that contain offensive words, phrases or emojis with a simple toggle.
- You can create a custom list of words and phrases that will automatically be hidden in replies to your posts.
This is a great start, but there are challenges that come along with joining a new platform in its infancy. Currently, there is no web platform for Threads, an app must be downloaded separately from Instagram to access, and all content must be posted manually. There is no integration with scheduling platforms at the moment, and Twitter’s Elon Musk is currently threatening to sue Meta for “systemic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property.” Do we think Threads is going anywhere? No. Are we sure that once the shine of a new product fades away the platform will still be relevant? Also no. But we are hoping for the best and having fun while we’re here!
Should You be Threading?
As of right now, VERB is recommending most of our partners take a wait-and-see approach to gauge how this platform works and its pros and cons. Threads is directly linked to your Instagram presence, so your handle is very safe.
If your organization is considering joining Threads, keep Mosseri’s words in mind: “For those of you trying to think about what to post… it’s less about text versus photos and video and more about what public conversation you want to have. If you want to engage in a more back-and-forth, Threads makes sense. If not, probably [stick with] Instagram.” This rings true on day two, and we urge new users to remember Threads, like TikTok, is a place to be casual, lighthearted, and conversational. We’re building brand awareness and community here, not directly selling a product.
Thready or not…
With the powers of Meta behind it, Threads made waves in its first few hours, with millions of people flocking to the new service. Showing the power of authentic relationships and the consumer’s desire to see the personality behind a brand, tourism and hospitality businesses will need to take a page out of Gen Z’s book for content inspiration and flexibility in tone and voice.
Remember, a new platform — even if it’s similar to a familiar one — needs a new approach. Keep in touch with VERB on our socials as we watch Threads grow and look for updates on how we recommend moving forward.
Emily Bent is a Social Media and Content Strategist with VERB Interactive — a leader in digital marketing, specializing in solutions for the travel and hospitality industry. Find out more at www.verbinteractive.com.
