To Threads or not. To Tweet?

First impression review on the newly launched Meta app - Threads by Instagram. Explore its opportunities and drawbacks together with a Twitter versus analysis.

SOCIAL MEDIATECH OVERVIEW

7/6/20233 min read

With new apps and platforms popping up on almost daily basis, it may be hard to feel somehow less than overwhelmed and probably even anxious when planning your marketing strategy. Disclaimer: it's best to focus on a few (1-3) marketing channels when setting up your startup promotion plan - this way you can wisely utilize your resources and get the actual positive results, such as loyal follower base.

But how to select the social media to market your product/ brand on? Consider the goal you want to achieve. It can be anything from an increased engagement with your target audience and product portfolio exposure to more professional contacts, or investor finding. You can do it all yourself or reach out to us, and we'll help you out.

We are not saying you should not register on more than 3 social media platforms. You should, at least for the sake of SEO backlink practice. But this topic will be covering more in the upcoming articles. In the meantime, sit tight and explore a new app for public conversations - Threads by Instagram, Maybe that's the channel you have been looking for?

So on July 6, 2023, the world got a chance to see and experience the new product by one and only Meta (formerly the Facebook company). And although we are saying "new", its basic operational principles, values and actually communities are something we are very familiar with. Let's uncover those one by one and see what's the actual connection between Threads by Instagram and Twitter, Mastodon or Bluesky.

Ideally, social media apps are meant to help people connect with each other, enable communications and create communities. Threads is defined as the "Instagram's text-based conversation app", and, in fact, it looks like the one.

What is Threads?

How to get in to Threads?

Use your Instagram account. By the way, if after registration you decide to delete your Threads account - alas, you won't be able to do this without deleting your Instagram account. Think twice before signing up, or just deactivate Threads at any point (this feature is available).

What is on Threads now?

By the time we got there (several hours after its launch), the feed has been flooded with thousands of publications by brands, celebrities and verified accounts, numerous memes on Twitter vs Threads, Zuckerberg vs Mask, and people sharing excitement over a newborn on the digital part of the world.

Despite the excitement that we'd love to share, for now it seems like Meta decided to get itself another competitor clone-like application like it's earlier happened with Reels in Instagram and TikTok. Instagram's huge advantage is its several billion user base that they smartly invited to Threads with a simple sign-up. Good, then what?

Our Special Universe AB on Threads | Account Preview

Threads vs Twitter

Following feed: While on Twitter you can switch between Following (seeing only the posts by accounts you follow) and Trending publications, Threads' feed is like one endless conversation with themes and reactions all in one place. Okay for now, but just imagine how overloaded it's going to be with more people signing up and "threading". Without any Trending algorithm currently unveiled, it is also questionable whether it's by any means possible to get popular on Threads without initially being popular on Instagram itself. Yet with recent Twitter's limits on post views, Threads feed bombarded by threads from all over the world (apart from the EU, for now) is a place for unlimited reading and reacting. Enjoy!

Hashtags: You won't find any on Threads, sorry. So apparently, no hashtags, no Trending. Probably for now only, as there's been comments from Instagram bosses that features will be developed and introduced based on the user requests. Shall we request hashtags? #whynot

Editing: Neither on Twitter (unpaid), nor on Threads by Instagram editing publications is possible. So check twice before you share what's on your mind, mat! Oh, we meant "mate".

What can be published on Threads? As with Twitter, Threads allows publication of texts (up to 500 characters), links (SEO specialists alert), photos and up to 5 min videos.

Desktop: Current Threads has limited functionality, so if you want to explore its full potential - get a free Threads app from Google Play or Apple Store.

Wrapping up...

For now we want to wish a Happy Birthday to Meta's new babe Threads and invite you to follow us there or on Linkedin, if you are a professional old-schooler. We are working on some interesting materials and projects that we'll be sharing very soon.

In the meantime, thanks for the read and remember to make every day of yours special,

Your Special Universe Marketer AK