Mark Zuckerberg’s answer to Twitter (now known as “X”) has been revealed, and it’s shaking up the social media landscape. As a marketer, it’s time to brush up on the ins and outs of Threads. Here’s everything you need to know.

What is Threads?

Similar to Twitter, Threads is a social platform that’s built around what Zuckerburg calls “community conversation.” Users can share real-time thoughts in a stream-of-consciousness style, made up of short text-based messages.

How does it work?

Threads was built by the team behind Instagram, so it has much of the same framework. Users join Threads via their Instagram accounts. Here’s how to get started:

• You must have an Instagram account to sign up.
• Your Instagram username carries over to your Threads account, as well as your safety settings and followed accounts (if you choose).
• From there, you can customize their Threads preferences.

Meta has set up these limitations per post:

• Up to 500 characters, but can include links, photos, and videos.
• Maximum video length is five minutes.

Although Threads doesn’t have a Twitter-like clickable hashtag feature yet, it’s set to add one in the near future along with an edit button and a trending page, which should make posts more discoverable and drive greater engagement.

Is it Catching On?

So far, Threads seems to be capturing user interest. In the first day it was available, Zuckerberg announced the app had been downloaded 70 million times, and data collected since then seems to be consistent with those claims.

According to the web analytics experts at Similarweb, the day Threads was introduced, Twitter also saw a 5 percent drop in traffic and has since seen a decrease in user retention. These initial numbers indicate a serious problem for Twitter and staying power for Threads.

Will it have ads?

Currently, there’s no option to buy advertising space on Threads, but, where a platform begins, advertising will soon follow. As a Meta product, it is likely there is an advertising plan already in place, with targeting data collected from all other Meta products.

How Does the Launch of Threads Benefit Marketers?

As with any social platform, Threads offers marketers the opportunity to tell their stories differently. Since Threads hasn’t reached critical mass just yet, it’s easier to stand out from the crowd, so now is the time to grow organic traffic before advertising becomes available.

Another platform indeed means increase bandwidth from your social or content marketing teams, but the fact that Threads is a Meta product linked to Instagram makes it easier to share content across all platforms.

The bottom line is if your marketing team is weighing the pros and cons of diving into Threads, it’s okay to take your time. You don’t need to have it all figured out just yet. When it comes to social media marketing, engagement is key. Dip your brand toe in the Threads waters and engage first. See who’s on the platform and feel out the content that’s being shared there first. This approach will help you grow traffic organically before you go too hard pushing your brand message.

We love talking about social media strategies here at Ohlmann Group. If you want to talk about your Threads approach, reach out to our team, and let’s work through your approach.

And by the way, we’re on Threads, so maybe we’ll see you there? Be sure to follow us and subscribe to our newsletter for more marketing tips!