In just 24 hours, Threads (the latest Twitter competition from Meta) hit 30 million users.
And then 70 million in 48 hours...
And then 100 million in just five days...
Exverus has been on Threads since Day 1 (@exverus), and we've stitched together a few Threads tips for brands and marketers. 🧵
How Does Threads Work?
The record-smashing growth (OpenAI's ChatGPT took two months to reach the same mark) positions Threads as an immediate viable platform for brands to tap into. It's an exciting time for users and brands starved for a safe space for quick interactions and engagement with content.
But while everyone is busy putting together their "Threads 101 Guides," we wanted to take a moment to look at how we got here. It's surprising to be excited (or perhaps cautiously optimistic) about a new Meta product in 2023, but here we are.
The concept of the platform is simple and familiar: users post text-based "threads" of up to 500 characters. Threads can also include images, GIFs, and links, and other users (and brands) can comment on, repost, or like these threads if they resonate (stop us if you've heard this one before).
So on the surface, Threads isn't new or groundbreaking. In fact, it feels kind of old school...and that's a good thing!
Why Your Brand Should Be on Threads
One of the reasons Threads seems to be taking off is brand safety. Since Musk took over Twitter, there has been an intense spike in hate speech, ridicule, and trolling that's caused brands to move away from the platform. The volatile atmosphere has been compounded by security breaches, technical missteps, and outages... all of which have inevitably negatively affected user engagement and retention.
Threads isn't quite Twitter in 2011, but it has potential. The new social channel offers a welcome alternative for brands that want to continue engaging with their customers without worrying about these issues. Its clean design, low maintenance demands, and focus on content creation makes it a great home for any brand looking for a fresh start with an engaged audience. Meta's decision to link Threads to Instagram accounts (with just a few clicks, anyone with an IG handle can sign up for the new platform), has facilitated an active and robust community...and we're not even a week in.
Threads Tips & Limitations for Marketers
At this time, there are no ads or monetization features on Threads. According to our sources at Meta, "Our priority is to build consumer value first and foremost, which will allow us to explore how to build business value...we encourage businesses to experiment with Threads as part of their organic social strategy where it makes sense."
But -- Instagram is reportedly working to integrate its branded content tools with Threads, "which would give marketers an opportunity to begin experimenting with paid promotion, while advertising is still unavailable", according to Axios.
Will users stick around? Will brands find success in the long term? That remains to be seen, but for now, it's clear that a certain type of user has found a new home in Threads, and brands would be wise to follow.
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