So, What Is Threads?
The latest edition to the string of social media platforms by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Threads has been introduced in response to Twitter’s (X’s) no-so-certain future.
Threads is already steaming ahead in popularity. The app received five million sign-ups in its first four hours of it’s launch and has since had over 30 million users since! According to the Threads, it is the most rapidly downloaded app of all time.
Brands, celebrities, Sports personalities and other prominent figures are already established on the platform: Billboard, HBO, NPR and Netflix had accounts set up within minutes of the launch, and Sarah Jessica Parker, Oprah and Kim Kardashian are now also on board.
But what exactly is Threads? How does it work, and how easy is it to get an account? Here's everything you need to know about the app that some people are already calling the 'Twitter killer'.
What is Threads?
Threads is a free to download app, operating as a text-based conversation app that, according to Meta, is designed to be a space "where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow. Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favourite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world."
Who is using Threads so far?
The list is growing fast, but a few famous faces you might know have already signed up to the app, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Shakira, Kim Kardashian, Oprah, Jennifer Lopez and Gordon Ramsay.
Kim Kardashian was one of the first stars to download Threads, stating; "I am giddy with the hope that @threadsapp will be a new opportunity to continue to share book titles, images of my day in NYC and elsewhere, support for our libraries, a divinely cooked thin cut pork chop on the bone or anything else I think deserving of your time," she wrote.
She also expressed her hope that Threads "might prove to be a platform where folks are kind, thoughtful, don't feel encouraged to be mean, aggressive or hostile... this could be a new day".
How do I sign up to Threads?
Thread users will need an Instagram account to log in. Once you've signed up, it's simple: you can choose to follow the same people you do on Instagram, if those users also have Threads, or follow new people entirely.
An important note thought; if you download Threads and want to delete your account, you'll need to delete your whole Instagram account, too…yikes.
How similar is Threads to Twitter?
This is where the controversy truly kicks in. If you are (or were) a regular Twitter user, you'll notice the obvious similarities between the two apps: both have newsfeeds, heart-shaped symbols to allow users to 'like' other people's content, and the ability to repost.
Some of the wording has been changed, with retweets called 'reposts' and tweets called 'threads'. As you can imagine, this hasn’t been enough to stop Twitter from threatening legal action.
Meta has not been averse to being inspired by rival products in the past, including the 2020 launch of Instagram’s Reels feature, noted for its similarity to TikTok. Mark Zuckerberg has openly said that Threads is designed to rival Twitter. "It’ll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it," he said in a Threads post. "Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it. Hopefully we will."
Posts on Threads can be 500 characters long (compared with 280 for most Twitter users) and videos of up to five minutes in length can be shared. A post can also be shared as a link on other platforms, and posted directly to your Instagram story.
Considerations For Brands
Reserve your space. First and foremost, whether this is a platform that will stand the test of time or fall by the wayside, we would always recommend claiming your handle early doors. This is just good brand protection, staking your claim on your handle to prevent unwanted hands getting to it first.
With the sheer volumes of new sign ups happening daily, there is a fresh new audience just waiting to be tapped. This can mean a chance to take a new direction with your socials if you have found yourself in a rut or take advantage of a new algorithm to build your audience rapidly with engaging content while other brands are just turning their attention to the platform.
