What communicators need to know about Threads

A month ago a social network Threads, behind which stands the Meta company, was launched, and in only seven hours the app had 10 million registered users. The initial enthusiasm has now died down and users are increasingly ignoring Threads, but this does not mean that it should be written off immediately It didn’t take long for professional communicators to explore its potential, and here we convey PR Daily pieces of advice on what to pay attention to. 

One of the major marks of Threads is that it is already integrated with Instagram. You log in using the same credentials (that means you must have an Instagram account, if you don’t already) and can easily port over your entire profile, including, notably, your verification badge. You can also automatically follow everyone you already tracked on Instagram. 

These benefits make Threads an attractive and low-lift option, since you likely already have everything you need to create a profile. 

What it’s like 

Once you’re logged in, you’ll notice that the app does indeed look like Twitter and Instagram had a baby. The icons have the same Instagram style, but the experience is far more Twitter-esque, with usually text-driven messages (limited to 500 characters versus Twitter’s 280), though you can also add photos, videos, and links. You can create threads by liking, reposting (think retweet), quoting or replying. 

If you use either Twitter or Instagram, you’ll manage it easily. 

Even if you choose to port over your Instagram followers, you’re likely to find that your home feed is populated with accounts you’ve never seen before. Unlike classic Twitter, it isn’t a chronological feed, so you’re not seeing things in order of posting, from the latest, which reduces the tool’s utility as a real-time monitoring tool, especially in a time of crisis. 

At the moment, there is no way to see a feed of only the people you follow, though Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed via Thread that it’s „on the list.” 

In the short term, the use of the algorithm makes Threads feel lively, even if you aren’t following a ton of people yet and gives the vibe of a party already underway, rather than one where you’ve arrived awkwardly early. 

In the long run, this will be frustrating when you’re trying to track competitors but the app wants to show you Taylor Swift threads. It should be a priority for that list. 

Among the items Mosseri indicated are coming soon are: 

• A web interface. Currently, Threads is an app only, and while Mosseri confirmed mobile is the priority for now, a desktop version is coming. 

• Improved overall search, including hashtags. 

• An option so only people you follow can reply to your thread. 

Interestingly, one item that Mosseri says isn’t on the near-term list is advertising. „Honestly, not the priority right now,” he wrote in response to a thread. 

To be clear, there absolutely will be advertising on Threads one day, and probably sooner than Mosseri is indicating. But again, this is a benefit of Meta’s deep pockets. It can be patient in a way smaller competitors can’t be. 

Will this be the app that kills Twitter once and for all? It’s far too early to say. But it appears to have the best chance of any app that’s tried so far, benefiting from Meta’s resources and plug-and-play Instagram integration. 

If you have an Instagram account already, go ahead and set up the Threads account. Take a look around, see what the conversation is like, and if it might be worthwhile to use it regularly. If you already post regularly on Twitter, try using similar content on the new app and see what the response is. 

If you don’t have an Instagram account but think Threads might be a fit for your organization, go ahead and sign up. It’s a good idea to protect your brand’s name, and that will allow you to move into Threads if and when you decide to get started. 

Threads is an intriguing alternative. Explore it, and consider its utility, but remember to never put all your eggs in one basket, as an English proverb says and PR Daily concludes.

Image: Freepik.com