With so much negativity surrounding the rebranding of Twitter to ‘X,’ many people have turned their attention to Threads as an alternative. But what is Threads, and should your business be a part of it?
What is Threads all about?
Put simply, Threads is an app that allows you to share text updates and join public conversations. It’s actually very similar to Twitter/X, but Threads is aiming to give its users a slightly better experience with its own features and functionality.
What are the advantages of Threads?
Set up couldn’t be easier
If you’re already on Instagram, you’ll find getting onto Threads a piece of cake. That’s because Threads was created by Meta – the same people who brought you Instagram. When you’re getting started on Threads, it’ll ask you if you want to import your Insta contact list, which is a great way of kick-starting your following.
It has a great design
Instagram has attracted a strong following because of how easy it is to use. Thankfully, the same can be said for Threads. All of the thought and effort that went into Insta’s design has also gone into making Threads. This makes it easy to get to grips with straightaway.
Threads means greater readability
On Twitter/X, you can connect messages together, but they’re displayed in reverse order, which can be confusing. Threads messages are shown in chronological order with the original appearing first. That means your readers are less likely to lose track of the discussion because the context is easy to pick up – even if they join the conversation late.
There’s more to say
Whereas Twitter/X only allows messages of 280 characters maximum, Threads gives you 500 to play with. At nearly double the length, you can delve a little deeper into discussions and develop your online persona without holding back.
More is more when it comes to multimedia
In addition to longer posts, Threads also allows you to attach more GIFs, images and videos to each thread. On Twitter/X, you’re limited to just four. However, with Threads you can add up to 10. This makes it even easier to develop your brand’s personality and tell customers and clients all they need to know about you and what you do best.
Is it time to ditch Twitter/X?
It’s a little too early to abandon ship right now.
Twitter/X has had years of success and has built up a huge following, even if some people have now fled the platform. It’ll take time for Threads to eat away at Twitter/X’s slice of the pie – and its role as a successor is already in doubt.
Indeed, after gathering a whopping 2.3 million active users in July 2023, many have failed to stick around. By 7 August, active users were down by 79% to 576,000. For a quick comparison, Twitter/X has around 100,000 million active users every day.
Shutting down your Twitter/X messages now also means that you will lose your hard-won audience, who may not make the shift to the new platform.
In addition, Twitter/X remains a better option for anyone who prefers to use their desktop or laptop to manage their business socials. Currently, there is no desktop version of Threads, although that doesn’t mean developers won’t roll it out in the future.
Having said this, it is still a good idea to be proactive and make sure you bag your business handle on the platform, just in case. You don’t have to start using it, but at least you know that someone else won’t bag your first choice if you later decide to make the platform part of your social media strategy.
Talk to us about your marketing strategy
If you’d like us to help you develop your marketing strategy, or you need an experienced copywriter to develop your brand messaging, get in touch with us today!
Give us a call on 0330 0430736 or drop an email to hello@methodmarketing.org.