As social media professionals, we have accepted the fact that the landscape of social media is always changing. The idea that we could wake up one day and suddenly have a new platform to master is anxiety-inducing and exciting at the same time.
Over the years, new apps have boomed in popularity, like BeReal and TikTok, and other apps have fallen from the top, such as Twitter. The future is looking grim for Twitter with the rise of the newest social media app – Threads.
What is Threads?
No, you don’t need to break out your grandma’s sewing kit for this one; we’re talking about a different type of thread. In conjunction with Meta (Facebook and Instagram), this is a text-based conversation app that obtained over 10 million users within seven hours, and according to owner Mark Zuckerberg, there are now over 30 million users. There is one thing in particular that has people buzzing about Threads – it looks almost exactly like Twitter.
Getting Started on Threads
Now, the thought of having to grow a following for yet another social platform may be daunting, but signing up for Threads is actually super easy. Users can register directly through their Instagram app or the App Store and will be prompted to either manually enter their name, bio and bio links or upload the information directly from Instagram. And here’s the kicker – users can follow their entire following list from Instagram with the click of a button. No more starting from scratch! Yes, social media managers, now is the time to breathe that sigh of relief.
Threads Features
Threads, otherwise known as the “Twitter Killer” has many features that users are loving. For example, users can post messages up to 500 characters long, upload videos up to five minutes long, publish links and upload photos. Users also have the ability to hide the like count on their posts, similar to its predecessor Instagram. Also, there’s no need to make custom “Twitter-sized” graphics anymore; the size in which users upload a photo is exactly how it’s shown on the screen.
Users can follow and unfollow different accounts on Threads without it affecting who they’re following on Instagram. However, when users block someone, that account will stay blocked on both platforms.
It’s easy to interact and build communities through Threads via likes, replies and reposts – all of which can easily be shared to other platforms, even Twitter. With many successful brands being rooted in the online communities that they have built, this could shape up to be a platform with a long shelf life.
What Now?
It’s best to keep an open mind when a new, exciting platform emerges. For now, everyone seems to be having fun tweeting, or should we say “Threading” their thoughts. We never know what’s next when it comes to social media, but as communications professionals – we’ll just keep rolling with the punches!