Threads is the new social media platform launched on 5th July 2023 by Meta, the parent company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. In this article, we will unravel the hype surrounding Threads and take an early look at whether the platform is a worthwhile resource investment for business owners.
What Is Threads?
In mainstream and social media, Threads has been touted as a direct rival to Twitter, and this certainly seems to be how Twitter owner Elon Musk views it, according to an ongoing series of bad-tempered remarks aimed at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
In truth, there are similarities to Twitter in the way the platform works, and Threads does seem to have been launched to offer an alternative platform for people disenchanted with the changes made to Twitter by Musk’s administration over the past year.
Threads is like Twitter in the way that the platform allows users to share text updates and participate in public conversations, with the ability to post and share text, images, and videos, as well as interact with other users’ posts through replies, reposts, and likes. The platform is geared towards users who prefer short-form, short-shelf-life content, also similar to Twitter.
Like Twitter or Instagram?
However, while Threads shares many crossovers with Twitter, it is a distinct platform with its own unique features and user experience, and in many ways is more like a text-based version of Instagram.
This shouldn’t be surprising, as the platform was built by the Instagram team and has so far been marketed primarily to current Instagram users. Although Threads is in principle a stand-alone app, Instagram users can access the platform through their Instagram account, logging in using their current Instagram credentials, without having to sign up for Threads independently. And at the time of writing (17th July 2023), only Instagram users can create Threads accounts, although this is likely to change in the near future as the platform becomes more established.
In this sense, Threads is less of a new social network, as it is an extension of Instagram, allowing a wider range of text-based conversations between Instagram users. Users that manage more than one Instagram account can also switch between multiple profiles in the Threads app, making it easier to manage different conversations across different accounts.
Should I Sign Up For Threads?
If you are already an Instagram user, there is certainly no harm in playing around with Threads and seeing if the platform works for you, but it’s worth noting that as of current rules, the only way to remove your Threads profile is by deleting your Instagram account. Threads has the potential to make it easier for Instagram users to communicate with their customers and followers, which may increase the value of Instagram as a business social network.
However, we don’t recommend investing too heavily into Threads just yet, and there is certainly no reason to migrate over from Twitter if you already have an established network on that platform.
The launch of a new social application is always an exciting time, and we look forward to seeing how Threads develops over the coming months.
Find Out More
If you’re curious to find out more about Threads or any other social media platform, then don’t hesitate to get in touch to talk to one of our social media team today, or enquire about our social media marketing services at JDR Group.
Image Source: Canva
