What is ‘Threads’?
Meta launched Threads early on July 5, 7pm (Eastern time) and the social media community has gone wild! Cited as Twitter’s rival, the app is off to a running start.
⏰ 2 million users in 2 hours
⏰ 10 million users in 7 hours
⏰ 44 million users in 24 hours
Meta promotes this new platform as a place where you can “follow and connect directly with your favourite creators and others who love the same things.”
Limited to iOS and Android, with no web-accessible version yet, the platform has experienced unprecedented popularity.
Here’s everything you need to know:
- Users who log with their Instagram handle are assigned a badge number, denoting your user number. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg holds the coveted “1” badge.
- Instagram seems to be coveting a “low” badge number on the platform in order to entice users to sign up to Threads early.
- Upon signing up via Instagram, a user’s data is automatically imported (Instagram bio and photo). You can also opt to follow everyone that you already follow on Instagram, speeding up the individual platform “growth” process.
- Meta says it has no plans to monetise Threads this year, that means no paid opportunities for brands to advertise. A well planned organic content strategy will be KING on Threads.
- Threads can be cross posted on Instagram as a Story.
- Verification for accounts on Instagram will be rolled over to those accounts on Threads.
Threads: a new Twitter?
- The timeline feels like Twitter and Tumblr had a child! The engagement heavy interface currently skews toward new audiences in a user’s “feed”. There’s currently no option to view only users you follow.
- Breaking news or instant updates? Unlike Twitter, Threads currently has no chronological timeline.
- Creatives are “excited” by the platform and the potential for new exposure.
- Posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.
- The functionality is currently in infancy: no hashtags, no edit buttons, no direct messaging option, and the search function is limited to user handles.
Threads Privacy
- Content is moderated by Instagram’s existing privacy standards. There are public or private profile options, and private is selected by default for under 18s (though this can be changed).
- Threads has been launched in 100 countries but none of those are part of the EU, due to regulatory uncertainty.
Think your business is ready to launch into the new world of Threads? Contact us today for complimentary consultation.
