Creative daily

What exactly are Instagram Threads? And How Do Creators Benefit From It?

Aug 2, 2023

It was a bit frustrating to feel as if we had been left with the same handful of social media giants over the past few years, it seems like the new player has joined the ranks. Meta controlled by Mark Zuckerburg, released a new discussion-based app known as Threads and is closely linked to one of its other platforms, Instagram.

It's also claimed to be a leading Twitter rival too. But will it stand up to the fight? We're going look into what it is, how you can use to create content, and if it's really worth the buzz!

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What is Threads and what is the reason to care?

At 7pm on July 5, Eastern Standard Time, Mark Zuckerburg released his new product, Threads. Within four days, the site has already had more than 5 million sign ups. This isn't a small accomplishment.

Threads began as a discussion forum for users to to share their thoughts, comments and talking points or information. Then, other users on the platform can add responses to the posts creating a thread of discussion. Thus, the name Threads. The platform even made a post on their app, talking about different methods to utilize the platform and what the purpose behind it.

Why is Threads important?

The launch of Threads will be interesting at the time. Certainly, there's a lot of news concerning Mark Zuckerburg's ongoing struggles in his relationship with Elon Musk, who is a accomplished entrepreneur who spends lots of time in the spotlight for controversy-inducing news stories. To the point where the two leaders were offered an opportunity to compete at the Colosseum in Rome. The launch of Threads can easily be seen as a strategy to compete with Meta to take the market share of Twitter.

On a broader level the uncertainty has been growing regarding Meta's ability to retain their position as one of the highest ranked social media empires. Particularly with the emergence of rivals such as TikTok and BeReal and the fast-changing behavior in Gen Z's social media utilization.

From a commercial perspective from a commercial perspective, from a business perspective, the Meta team has already seen several rounds of layoffs within the past two years. affecting nearly 21,000 people and which has lowered morale for the remaining employees. The company also saw lower revenues in 2022 than 2021. In the coming years, innovative experiments and products like Threads will be necessary for Meta to explore. There is a need to find a great technology that will help them increase (and even keep) their position on the market for the long run.

How to access Threads

Getting on the platform of Threads is simple, particularly if you already own the Instagram account. First, go onto the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and download "Threads the Instagram app" which will have a black and white icon. It's totally free to download and use!

When you first open the app, you should find your Instagram account on the opening page. There is also the option to click "Switch accounts" to open another of your owned Instagram channels that you can use for Threads. If you do not already have an Instagram account yet, this area will instead require you to sign up for a new one!

If already registered on an Instagram account, this process is easy. It will automatically import your followers, name, as well as bio data over (but be assured that you'll have the option to change this info if you prefer the information to differ). Follow through the rest of the quick steps to personalize your account.

Do you think Elon Musk and Twitter be anxious about the upcoming launch of Threads?

Regardless of any reason that we can think of as the reason Meta has launched Threads today, it's an actual competitor to Twitter. As of July 7th at 10am Eastern Standard Time (less than 2 days from the launch) The platform had 50 million members.

In general, the information about the site is favorable, as well. It's a concern for Twitter that has grown to 368 million active daily users since. More concerning is the fact that Twitter users remain unsure of Elon Musk's ownership of the company. After his intentions were announced to assume control Twitter, the daily use of the site fell. This is in part due to unpopular decisions such as the ability to make verified status purchased and the limit on how many users are able to view tweets per day.

Because Threads and Twitter appear to be so similar, there's also already been plenty of internet discussion between the two companies. Twitter has threatened to sue Meta in the event of the launching of its own platform.

Putting the active competition between Musk as well as Zuckerburg, you may be wondering if it's time to change to Threads, stay on Twitter or both! There are pros and cons of Threads that you should consider:

The pros of Instagram Threads

  • It's very simple to get set up on the platform. Since Threads syncs with your current Instagram account(s) it means that it won't affect your branding or link trees, and it will follow everyone you're already connected with via Instagram. It is also possible to upload your Threads profile on your Instagram account in order to invite your followers to follow you on this brand-new platform!
  • The learning curve is low. It functions very like Twitter. If you're comfortable with the way in which that social media site works, then you're ready to utilize Threads too! Even if you're no previously Twitter users, the layout of the site is extremely user-friendly.
  • There's a lot of hype about Threads right now. What's better than having your own know-how about what the platform similar to? The platform isn't yet available to everyone. If you're on the list, it is a good position to lead the conversation regarding the future of social media platforms like Threads!

  The Cons Instagram Threads  

  • It can take a while to recreate your following. As people sign up for Threads, they can start following you back. But if you have many Instagram followers that don't have a Threads account, then it could result in a smaller following that you can reach via your brand new channel.
  • It's a crucial, but somewhat hidden note about deletion of data in Threads. Because it's in close proximity to the details of your Instagram account, you are able to delete individual posts and threads from your Instagram profiles. You can't, however, completely delete your Threads account unless you delete the entire Instagram profile, too. A temporary option is to disable your Threads account if you don't would like to make use of it. This can hide the likes, comments and threads from the public - but this won't permanently delete it. Learn more about this in the Instagram Help Center here.

What creators are doing with Threads

New social media platforms bring an exhilarating rush of creative ideas as well as curiosity to discover how they impact engagement, interactivity and the distribution of content. Here are some instances of creators already on the platform to find inspiration for your own channel!

  creators are already are on Threads  

  Simran Kaur  

Simran Kaur, who has the handle @GirlsThatInvest. She hosts a masterclass and podcast on investing in the stock market to beginners. Through Threads she's been making use of her platform to inform users on financial tips and personal experiences with budgeting and investing, and advice on other websites to get free financial advice. It's a great platform to engage in conversation with her by asking questions on anything financial or sharing your personal stories on the thread.

  Kiaundra Jackson  

Kiaundra Jackson is well-known therapist, specializing in relationships between families and couples. In addition to publishing a book about her knowledge, she also hosts a free course about achieving your relationship goals! Joining her on Threads will give you an opportunity to stay updated regarding her advice for relationships, as well as allowing you to contact her directly with questions and she'll respond in the form of a thread.

  Taylor Loren  

Taylor Loren is an Instagram fan, and so you can be sure she's a good person to consult for tips regarding how Threads might play over the coming months. She focuses on encouraging social media users to build connections through the Instagram platform. In fact, she's created her own training course on how to leverage Instagram Reels! In the short time since the launch of Thread, she's been sharing new tips and strategies on how to take advantage of the brand new platform in comparison to Instagram.

  Lia Haberman  

Lia Haberman has an academic background in marketing, specifically in digital marketing techniques such as influencer marketing and creating content. Her channel is called Threads the channel, she focuses on the expectations of adjusting to the new social media platform in terms of the rate of engagement, features that are new and the kinds of conversations between users. Also, she offers a course on Working with Influencers to help you develop an understanding of the fundamentals of the social media interaction.

Some ideas to help you get started

Based on the information we've gathered from creators and Thread users already, there's plenty of creative ways to get started on Threads. If you're in search of motivation, you could consider building your thread around some of these suggestions:

  • Talk about the things you don't think of about the capabilities offered by the platform.
  • Inquire about what they do normally to be able to adapt to a brand new social media
  • Use different content styles like memes, videos, pictures as well as text to determine which performs better
  • Begin to reply to threads in other forums on subjects you are interested in.
  • Post a thread tagging the most well-known celebrities and ask them their opinion regarding something interesting.
  • Make a post about your favourite brand or influencer and tell them why you love them

Is Threads worth getting on?

Threads is definitely picking up speed, but it's impossible to predict what it's going to do in the long-run. With the younger generation appearing to prefer more video-based content, it might be thought that Threads is a short-term solution for Meta to take on Twitter. However, if it takes shape, it could make room for some serious innovations in the features that would be exciting to be one of the first ones to test!

Ultimately, it boils down to your inclination to try new things early. You might lean towards being an early adopter, this means that you want to be the first to discover new trends and be the first to test a technological advancement. However, if you're among the vast majority of people who prefer waiting to observe how things go, that's okay too.

Joining the service, especially in the case of an existing Instagram user, couldn't hurt. It's a good start, as it will give you a place at the table when talking about what you've liked or disapproved of on the platform so far. Then, why wouldn't you?

If you'd like to hear creators talk about Instagram Threads (including some of the ones that are featured here!) tune in to our on-demand webinar!

Are you interested in marketing via social media? Take a look at our guides to selling and marketing below.