Threads

Threads, the new conversation-based app from Meta, has taken the internet by storm. In the space of four days the app reached its 100,000,000^th user (Nielsen McAllister was user #16,742,946 if you were wondering); breaking records for the fastest growing platform – followed by ChatGPT, which reached that number in two months.

While the success of this new app cannot be understated, it has raised a lot of questions. What’s the difference between Threads and Twitter? How does it work for businesses? Will the hype last?

Let me (try to) put your mind at ease with some answers.

What’s the difference between Threads and Twitter?

Threads is basically what would happen if you put Twitter and Instagram in a candlelit room. It got Twitter’s personality and Instagram’s looks (thank God).

Here are some of the key differences that set the platforms apart:

• Twitter has a 280-character limit, Threads has a 500-character limit.
• Twitter only allows up to four images, Threads allows up to 10 (to match its Instagram counterpart)
• Twitter only allows videos of up to two minutes and 20 seconds, Threads allows up to five minutes.
• Threads has NO paid ads.
• Threads has NO subscriptions for additional features.
• Threads has NO private messaging.

As this app continues to evolve, these differences will change and grow too.

How does it work for businesses?

Honestly, it doesn’t (yet).

The new app has no analytics, no scheduling, no ads, and no desktop version. It also does not have a ‘business profile’ option, only personal. Basically, it has absolutely nothing that we need to run an official business account.

However, that’s not to say it can’t be used at all. If you have a dedicated social media manager (as Nielsen McAllister does 😉) then posting on Threads isn’t impossible. Although it’s not particularly ideal, at the moment we can log on to the account on our phones and post content that way. Annoying, but not the end of the world.

If marketers can get past that inconvenience, then Threads could be a good idea. It’s new and fresh, and offers the chance to build a new audience whilst the app is still evolving. It’s the perfect place to market without a strict strategy, where you can experiment with new kinds of content and test new ideas. By the time professional features are added, your business Thread could be thriving.

Of course, for B2B businesses, it’s a little more complicated. Threads is made up mostly of consumers and businesses trying to reach those consumers. Our clients for example – who work in industries such as packaging, print and machinery – most likely won’t have their target demographics on Threads. And isn’t it better to be where your audience is?

Will the hype last?

We have absolutely no idea.

This is not something we can predict; it is completely unprecedented. No social media platform has managed to grow so quickly. It could be a quick fading trend, or it could be the app that kicks Twitter into the afterlife with Vine and Myspace.

Only time will tell!

My advice to any B2B business considering jumping ship to Threads, is that that joining doesn’t do any harm. It can be an opportunity to be part of an up-and-coming platform and potentially grow a following with potential customers signing up every day. As the app expands its capabilities, we can work with you to make the most out of it.

If it ends up dying out, it’s not a disaster. We can simply review its success further down the line and determine whether we continue. (However – it’s important to note that you need patience. A month will not be long enough to decide it’s not working. This is a long experiment!)

For an in-depth chat with me and the rest of our team about how we can help you understand Threads, contact us.