Threads Unravelled: 8 Tips for Maximum Utilization
The text-centric platform Threads has made quite the stir, amassing over 100m signups in its first seven days. Mark Zuckerberg has said the app won’t be monetized in 2023, meaning brands can only use Threads for community building and branded content.
It’s still very early days, with the industry all learning together what works and what doesn’t, but there is some basic guidance I observed to get you started with more solid steps.
Avoid overcomplicating content at the moment. Begin with "light-touch" experimentation: It's tempting to start by creating extensive and complex content. However, at this early stage, it's more beneficial to keep things simple and experiment with different types of posts to see what resonates with your audience. For example, start with simple text posts or short stories to see how your audience engages with them.
Early users will benefit: Brands that start using Threads at this early stage will have a competitive advantage because they'll have more time to understand the platform and its audience. For example, imagine being one of the first brands on Instagram - you would've had a much clearer path to gaining followers and engagement simply because there was less competition.
In the absence of advertisements, it's crucial for brands to collaborate closely with creators: Since Threads won't be monetizing in 2023, brands can't rely on paid advertisements to reach their audience. Instead, they should consider partnering with popular creators on the platform to get their message across. For instance, a clothing brand could collaborate with a fashion influencer who aligns with their brand image to showcase their products in the influencer's posts.
Stay alert for any new updates: As Threads evolves, new features and updates may be introduced that could change the way brands should use the platform. For example, if Threads were to introduce a new content format, brands would need to adapt their content strategy accordingly.
Utilize engagement metrics for measurement: Rather than focusing on vanity metrics like follower counts, brands should pay attention to how their audience is engaging with their content. This might mean tracking likes, comments, and shares, or seeing how long people spend reading their posts. For instance, if a post garners a high number of comments, it might be a sign that the content is resonating with the audience.
Even though audiences are being auto-transferred from Instagram, avoid directly replicating content: Threads is a different platform with a different focus, so it's important to create content that's tailored to this new environment. For example, even if a particular type of post was successful on Instagram, it may not perform as well on Threads. Brands need to test and learn what works best on this new platform.
Despite Threads being text-oriented, visuals shouldn't be ignored: While Threads is designed for text, that doesn't mean visuals have no place. Brands should experiment with incorporating visuals into their content to see if it increases engagement. For instance, a restaurant might share a text post about their new menu item but include a tantalizing photo of the dish to pique interest.
Refrain from investing an excessive amount of effort into Threads for the time being: At this early stage, it's not yet clear how Threads will develop and how valuable it will be for brands in the long run. Therefore, it's advisable to be involved and experiment but not to invest too heavily in terms of time or resources. For example, rather than allocating a significant portion of your marketing budget to Threads, consider it as an additional channel to explore and learn from.
Do you have any tips we can add to this list?