Threads - an opportunity for brands?

This month we’ve seen the emergence of a new social media platform, Threads. This catchy name and minimalistic social site might remind you of a bird themed app we’ve all known and loved… or hated… or avoided completely!

Threads is harnessing a whole new audience by linking to user’s Instagram accounts and utilising their current audience to grow a community.

Threads is focused on short-form content that is text, image or video based. At the moment it’s very early days, so a lot is still likely to change, but this platform already feels more relaxed. It really does feel like there’s a community vibe here, the content feels wholesome and genuine and all users, including brands, are keeping this tone going.

The Threads algorithm is quite allusive. We don’t yet know what makes something trend or people talk, which makes this quite a unique space. It’s refreshing to not be playing the game of the algorithm and to just be creating content because you want to, because it’s fun and you have a passion about it rather than trying to hit invisible algorithm set goals. 

How should you be using Threads?

There’s no denying this is a creator’s world rather than a brands, but that doesn’t mean brands shouldn’t be on this platform, they just need to change their approach.

Threads is not a platform to sell yourself on, it’s a platform to make friends, connect with likeminded individuals and to have a bit of fun. NowTV, Sky, ITV and Channel 4 recently had a fun exchange on the app, demonstrating how silly you can be on Threads. Users are looking for human connections here, even from big brand names.

Brands don’t need to be coming to Threads with call to actions and links, this isn’t what users want. They want brands to be organic and creative and fun if they’re going to be there at all. The beauty of Threads in its early stages is there are no rules and no expectations, so play into this. Whilst this app is certainly similar to Twitter, it is not the same, so shouldn’t be treated as the same when it comes to content.

But is it worth investing in Threads? Is there a future here?

Whilst there are certainly restrictions on Threads, such as no access yet in the EU, no desktop version and the lack of tools to create, it looks like this platform is here to stay. Our reasons for thinking so? Well, this has come about at an optimal time with the future of Twitter unknown and the whole platform feeling like a bit of a mess really.

Being owned by Meta and linked to Instagram, Threads already has an established base. It’s a clever perk to invite you to share your Instagram audience to Threads and link the two, it means content creators don’t have to start fresh on another new platform. The growth part of Threads has become a lot easier for users for this reason, so it’s instantly more appealing.

By its second week Threads had already surpassed 150 million downloads, it is already massively popular. And yes, users have dropped off, but this is to be expect with any new platform launch. There’s a nostalgia to how people post on Threads, it’s feels like the original social media days, another reason we think people will keep using this platform and cement its place amongst the biggies.

Our advice? If you have a personable brand and you think you have something fun or silly to say, sign up to Threads, have a play about and see what you think. Let yourself make mistakes and have fun with this app. This isn’t a space for social strategies and technical thinking, just enjoy it and see what comes of it. This is still a very new platform, we’re learning more about it every day, so there is no right and wrong yet, and it looks like it’s being very audience led at the moment.

We’re excited to see where Threads goes and how this expands the social media platform’s offerings. Watch this space, we think interesting things are coming!

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