Instagram Threads is a fresh platform introduced by Meta on July 5th, 2023. Impressively, within its initial two days, the app has already attracted 70 million registered users, including celebrities, brands, and journalists. Functioning as a „text-based conversation app,“ Threads is positioned as a direct rival to Twitter, aiming to engage users in discussions that matter to the community. In this article, we will delve into the process of joining Threads, explore its potential for brand utilization, and address potential concerns or considerations.

How to Utilize Instagram Threads

One immediate attraction of Threads lies in its seamless integration – a Threads account requires an existing Instagram account. This integration allows users to maintain their usernames and follow the same accounts they engage with on Instagram, also on Threads.

Here is the straightforward process to set up an account:

1. Download the Threads App from either the Apple App Store for iOS or Android.
2. Log in using your current Instagram account credentials.
3. The app will automatically populate your bio and list of followed accounts when prompted.
4. Alternatively, you can choose to craft a new bio and list of followed accounts.
5. With these steps completed, you’re all set to start using Threads.

As an alternative method, you can:

1. Locate the official Threads Instagram account.
2. Click on the link provided in their bio to initiate the app download.

Users have the choice to begin anew by manually crafting a bio and assembling a fresh list of followers. Alternatively, the option to effortlessly import data from Instagram is available through the automated prompts. It’s important to note that altering a Threads handle requires a corresponding change to the Instagram handle, as these two accounts are interconnected.

For those with multiple Instagram accounts, the possibility exists to create numerous interconnected Threads accounts, as exemplified by McDonald’s in the instance below.

Guidance for Brands Embracing Threads

Given that Threads is a novel platform, it presents a novel, stripped-down, and unconstrained ambiance. This tabula rasa provides brands an opportunity to exercise creativity – from crafting a fresh bio to reimagining messaging strategies or unveiling a previously untapped facet of the brand narrative.

Posting Content on Threads

Threads‘ main feed shares resemblances with Twitter. Each post can span up to 500 characters. It’s advisable to develop a fresh content calendar specifically for Threads; duplicating content from platforms like Instagram and Facebook is discouraged. Instead, Threads can serve as a window into the musings of your brand persona, all while upholding a consistent brand identity across various channels.

The anticipated audience is poised to encompass a wide spectrum including the general public, influencers, organizations, and brands. Notably, content visibility could be substantial, particularly for well-established and mature brands.

You have the choice to populate the new account(s) similarly to how other brands have done so (take a look at Calm, Netflix, and NYX Cosmetics) or keep the handle reserved for prospective social listening and content strategizing.

Paid Campaigns on Threads

As of now, Threads has not yet introduced a structured system for paid advertising.

Community Management on Threads

While specific details regarding Threads‘ compatibility with community management and social listening tools like Sprout Social and Sprinklr remain undisclosed, it’s reasonable to assume that the integration will mirror the functionality seen in Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms.

Threads provides brands with additional data sources to assess audience insights, sentiment, and engagement metrics. This presents an opportunity to foster deeper connections with potential and existing customers, stakeholders, employees, and partners.

For organizations that have temporarily suspended content or engagement on Twitter due to factors such as the Elon Musk controversy, audience attrition, or subpar ad and organic performance, Threads presents a worthwhile consideration.

Accessibility on Threads

At present, Threads is available for free use and offers unlimited posting capabilities. As of now, there are no indications of any tiered service options being introduced.

Integration with Mastodon’s ActivityPub

Threads has expressed its intention to integrate with Mastodon’s ActivityPub, as mentioned in a statement by Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram. In a preview, Mosseri mentioned, „We’re dedicated to incorporating support for ActivityPub, the protocol utilized by Mastodon, into this application. Although we couldn’t complete it for the initial launch due to various complexities related to a decentralized network, it’s on its way.“

ActivityPub is an open and decentralized protocol for social networking, facilitating the creation, updating, and removal of APIs and content. In contrast to Bluesky’s exclusive nature, another contender against Twitter, Threads is open for use by anyone.

The release of Meta’s Threads follows closely after Twitter’s recent announcements, including changes such as limitations on the number of tweets that unverified free users can view in a day, as well as a weekend outage that affected platform activity. These developments have contributed to Twitter facing several public relations challenges.

Concerns related to Instagram Threads for Brands

While Threads presents significant engagement opportunities for brands, there are substantial worries surrounding issues like data gathering and the potential fatigue caused by managing multiple social platforms. These concerns could potentially jeopardize its sustained worldwide expansion.

Privacy Issues on Threads

Through obligatory data privacy disclosures mandated on iOS, the application could potentially gather deeply sensitive user information to create profiles of their online actions. This data collection encompasses health and financial data, precise location, browsing history, contacts, search records, and other confidential details.

Collecting data to this extent raises concerns regarding the potential launch of Threads in the European Union due to its stringent privacy regulations concerning the collection of personal information.

Additionally, upcoming regulations in the EU prohibit the utilization of sensitive data for advertising purposes and may necessitate explicit user consent for tech giants to merge data for targeted advertising profiles (Refer to: the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act).

Threads and the Challenge of Social Media Fatigue

Furthermore, Threads faces the challenge of a mounting weariness with social media applications and a history of feature disappointments. Examples of such disappointments include IGTV, IG Shopping, Facebook Live Audio Rooms, and even in-platform podcasting. The Metaverse concept has also encountered difficulties in achieving the expected level of adoption. Threads itself has undergone its own transformation — the platform was initially introduced as a video messaging app in 2019. This concept was eventually abandoned, giving rise to the Threads platform as it exists today.

Public Perception of Threads on Twitter

Opinions among Twitter users about Threads vary, and Adam Mosseri acknowledged that Twitter’s conversational format holds certain advantages for fostering connections. Mosseri noted that while the post-and-comment model has its merits, it doesn’t facilitate public discourse as effectively as the tweet-and-reply model. He emphasized that giving replies equal prominence to the original post can lead to more robust and diverse discussions. This is a primary reason why Threads wasn’t simply integrated into Instagram’s feed or placed in a separate tab.

The announcement of Threads has generated significant interest among Twitter users, particularly in light of recent news about limitations imposed on the number of tweets unverified users can access daily. Threads presents a potential solution to ongoing concerns surrounding moderation and outages that Twitter has grappled with.

Conclusion

Threads presents a largely untapped audience that holds significant potential for brands to captivate and engage. It’s advisable to explore the platform and experiment with various concepts. As pioneers in adopting this new platform, brands have a distinctive opportunity to make a meaningful impact. For those already established on Facebook and/or Instagram, creating an account on Threads involves minimal effort but offers the prospect of substantial rewards.