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Threads week 1 – What advertisers need to know

Threads Week One:

 

Threads is Meta’s shiny new text based social media app and rival to Twitter.

In less than 5 days, the app exceeded 100m sign-ups, providing a welcome alternative for Twitter users who have grown increasingly frustrated by the Elon Musk owned app’s ever-changing rules, its lack of moderation, and for advertisers, its decreasing brand safety.

Musk’s imposition of viewing limits (600 Tweets a day for non-verified users) seemed to be the last straw for Twitter users and provided the prime platform for Meta to launch their own app, which saw a rush of signups, recording 30M on its first day in market.

But it’s not just Twitter users flocking to (pun intended) Threads, the app requires an Instagram account to sign up, so IG users have been creating accounts in droves, making for an interesting culture clash on the platform.

While Twitter natives have been using “twt speak” on the app, often discussing more esoteric topics, Instagram users have been bringing more generic points of view and asking broad questions in an attempt to drive engagement (and arguably lacking any interest in the actual responses):

 

Now:

Twitter’s chaotic platform updates, along with the introduction of Threads, appears to have tanked its already declining traffic:

 

However, that doesn’t mean Threads will last. Users are frustrated by the lack of customisation on the feed, which has not yet adapted its algorithm to users’ likes and dislikes.

Threads does not utilise hashtags, it does not allow its users to search content, it has no desktop site, and it does not allow users to see only the posts from people they follow. Furthermore, once users have created an account which automatically links to their IG profile, they cannot delete it without deleting their IG presence too. For now, these issues do not seem to be impacting the stickiness of the app, but time will tell if users start to lose interest.

Next:

Threads’ executives have announced they are actively listening to feedback and looking to integrate a range of new features for the app including:

  • A “following” feed
  • An improved algorithmic feed
  • The option to have and switch between multiple Threads accounts
  • Double tap to like feature
  • The option to search hashtags and content
  • The option to edit posts

 

Meta has announced that they intend to keep Threads a “safe space” by banning hate speech and hate accounts which will be a huge bonus for social media managers who are currently struggling to monitor brand profiles across Twitter’s platform.

Currently there is no advertising on the platform but expect this to change soon too. We think Threads will likely be added to the placement list of the existing Meta advertising suite. The only consideration may be that it would require new creative formats, however, from experience, Meta generally makes these new platform introductions smooth for advertisers, integrating existing creative assets at first to maximise the number of advertisers across its platform.

For now, we recommend getting on Threads and monitoring its developing vernacular in order to create fit-for-platform content for your brands. Happy Threading!