You may have heard about Threads, the new social media app created by Meta (the Mark Zuckerberg company that also operates Instagram and Facebook). Threads is already huge. 30 million people downloaded it within 24 hours. Many companies are experimenting with the social media app already, and you probably should too. Here’s why you should learn more about business Threads.
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What Is Threads?
Threads is a bit like Twitter. It’s mainly a way to share text-based messages. It’s been called a “Twitter killer.” The platform is called Threads with a capital T. A post is called a “thread.” Meta also released this dictionary of terms related to Threads.
“Our vision with Threads is to take what Instagram does best and expand that to text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas,” Meta said in a blog post.
Why create an app so similar to Twitter? Some experts believe it’s because Twitter has had too much bad PR, much of which started when Tesla owner Elon Musk took over the company. Musk made many controversial policy changes, including limits on the number of tweets users could read per day, moderating content in ways the company hadn’t before, and forcing some users to pay $8 per month for official “badges.”
Threads doesn’t have those policies. Meta said content posted to Threads will have a 500-character limit, more than Twitter’s current 280 character limit (although those Twitter users with badges can post up to 4000 characters). Other Threads users can reply to, repost, and quote others’ threads. One can also add photos and videos to threads – which is a huge bonus for companies who want to showcase products or services.
Threads can instantly appear in your Instagram stories since Instagram is also owned by Meta.
“The vision for Threads is to create an option and friendly public space for conversation,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a Threads post following the launch. “We hope to take what Instagram does best and create a new experience around text, ideas, and discussing what’s on your mind.”
One reason Threads is getting so much attention is the size of its potential user base. There are already 2 billion global active Instagram users. Twitter only has around 250 million users.
How Can a Company Sign Up for an Account?
We know…we know….you’re probably thinking, “Won’t it be a pain to set up my account and get new followers?” That’s the beauty of Threads being owned by the same parent company as Instagram. Users sign up through their Instagram accounts. You can use the same username, password, and account name. But you can edit your bio to be unique to Threads. The best part is that you can import all of the people you follow. So your account is somewhat pre-populated.
If a customer who follows you on Instagram joins Threads, they’ll see your content right away.
Threads also suggests content for people, so you have a good chance of getting new eyes on your company.
All you need to do is download Threads from an app store or search for the word “Threads” on Instagram.
You can’t access Threads on a desktop through the internet. It is an app meant for mobile devices. But as we’ve written before, mobile devices are how people interact with content. Mobile e-commerce is the future of online retail.
What if My Company Doesn’t Like Threads?
If you sign up for Threads and decide you don’t like it, you have a few options. One is to let a third party vendor, like us at SEO Design Chicago, handle content creation for you. The other is to just leave your account on Threads, even if you don’t have any posts.
Whatever you do, don’t delete Threads once you’ve downloaded it. The company says in its privacy policy that “your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account.” So if you want to get rid of Threads, you’ll have to get rid of Instagram too.
Threads will have some of the same drawbacks that other social media apps do. People may use it to spread misinformation. Some users may not like their privacy policies. But for now, there’s almost no reason NOT to download Threads.
Can Companies Run Ads on Threads?
Not yet. But Meta will likely introduce ads soon. That’s why your company should get Threads now. You can be first on the scene when ads are allowed.
You can always include links to your website, so users can purchase products. And being on Threads will build brand awareness. Download Threads before your competitors do.
What Are Critics Saying About Threads?
Most reviews are positive, especially because the space is new and the sign up process is so easy. The Guardian has said, “Using Threads felt like a fever dream in which Twitter and Instagram had a more usable brainchild. The feed was slick and easy to read, though for now it was populated largely with accounts I did not yet follow or care about – perhaps an issue that will resolve itself as more people sign up.”
The Washington Post says, “Threads has a decent chance of becoming a — maybe even the — major new hub for text-based online conversations. Unlike other would-be Twitter rivals Bluesky and Mastodon, Threads arrives with a potential audience of billions who already use Meta’s photo and video-oriented Instagram, which Threads is built on top of.”
In the same review, however, the Washington Post notes some drawbacks. “Threads also comes with a whole host of Meta baggage, including questionable privacy practices, opaque algorithms and Big Tech monopoly power. Many of those issues have turned people off Zuckerberg’s other social networks such as Facebook. And those issues are all still present in Threads. For example, from the moment you first log in to Threads, it starts showing you recommended posts from accounts and brands you don’t necessarily follow — or necessarily even care to see.”
Some don’t like that Threads doesn’t have a desktop version (although you can see Threads from a desktop.” Variety wrote, “You can read Threads on the service’s website (threads.net), but right now you can’t post, repost, like or comment on the web. Mosseri, in response to a user asking about this, said “the priority is the mobile apps, but we are working on” the web version.”
Social Media Today says, “Of all of the Twitter alternatives thus far, Threads is clearly the best, in terms of functionality, infrastructure, audience, etc. And that’s after just a day – and while there are still a lot of elements that need to be developed (which Meta will be working overtime to fix), it does feel like a real shift, more so than Mastodon, or any other app.”
Overall, we suggest you try it.
What Companies Are Using Threads?
Threads was just launched recently. But many companies, celebrities, and journalists (many of whom may write about how companies like yours are using Threads) have already joined.
Here are some big names that are already experimenting with Threads:
- Wendy’s
- Pima County in Arizona
- Gordon Ramsey
- Netflix
- MKBHD
- Lauren Godwin
- Alan Chikin Chow
- Michael Le
- Warner Bros.
- Animal Planet
- HGTV
Let’s add your company’s name to this list too. If you don’t have the time or energy to dedicate to social media, remember that we can create content for you. With over ten years in the business and 30 professional content creators, we know how to build brand awareness and drive sales online.
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