💪 New kid on the block

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Meta released its new mobile app, “Threads,” designed to be the first high-profile competition to Twitter’s text-based platform. 

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It’s taken the world by storm, evident by 10M downloads in less than seven hours after release. 😱

We wanted to know what all the hype was about.

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Let’s dive into what Threads is, why your brand shouldn’t hesitate to get onboarded immediately, and what you should expect if you sign up.

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🧵 What’s Threads all about?

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Threads allows users to post text, image, and video content like Twitter does. Content is limited to 500 characters at the time of release and can be supplemented with up to five minutes of video.

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Once your Threads account is active, you can create posts (aptly named Threads), and other users can contribute to your Thread with replies, reposts, likes, and shares.

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Content from users you follow is shown in the main feed. This feed is fueled by an algorithm, meaning you’ll see a mix of content from users you follow and recommended users.

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A blue check next to a username indicates that the user is verified. That verification would port over from Instagram and explains the many verified users on the platform so soon after release.

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While this all sounds very similar to Twitter, the potential lies in Threads’ ambitions as a decentralized platform. Threads’ is the first stage of Meta’s journey towards a decentralized library of applications called the fediverse that allows for a flexible exchange of information between each app. 

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Hypothetically, this could mean that if you close your Threads account, you’ll have the option to transfer your profile information, followers, posts, and verification to another platform like Mastodon.  

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Having an online presence with such great flexibility is very exciting, but privacy and user protection are among the leading causes of the platform's absence in the EU. 

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It seems like a global future is a bit further away than Meta had hoped; however, Threads lays the groundwork for a decentralized social experience. 🌐

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🚂 Why hop on the hype train?

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New platforms aren’t released every day, so now is your chance to leverage the early adopter advantage. With a growing user base, discoverability is at an all-time high as users are engaging and signing up with the platform at an incredible pace. 

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The fear of missing out (FOMO) is very compelling in today’s marketing landscape, and it seems that many users are looking to experience the growth of a new platform for themselves. 📈

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Leverage users’ curiosity and be the early adopter with the flexibility to try new content angles or lean into what your Instagram audience is passionate about. 

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Considering that many of your followers would be ported over from Instagram, it’s a safe bet to post similar or supplementary content to what’s available on your Instagram page.

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Photo and video content are both likely to connect well with the Instagram audience, so make an effort to include visual content mixed in with text-based content. 

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Business Insider uncovered some support documents sent to high-profile Instagram accounts to aid their onboarding process. 

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One document advises users to post twice daily to help understand how the app works, but there may be some underlying motives here, such as leveraging the algorithm more effectively with regular content. 

🤷 Where are the ads?

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Mark Zuckerberg wants Threads “on the path to 1B users” before considering monetization. CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, reflects on this vision as he noted that ads and monetization are part of the long-term plan, but the growth of Threads’ platform is a priority at the time of release.   

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🤔 What to expect

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When you first open Threads, you’ll be greeted with a series of five onboarding screens that should take you less than 30 seconds to get through. 

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Check out the onboarding flow below for a breakdown of each step. 👇

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1️⃣ The Threads splash screen takes a delightful and minimalist approach in design with a few recognizable colors that reference Instagram. Your Instagram profile should be pre-filled in the text box at the bottom of the screen.

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2️⃣ Your profile info, including your links and bio, can be imported from Instagram, or you can fill them out manually.

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3️⃣ The accounts you see here will mirror your connections on Instagram. Feel free to follow them all or throw some low-key shade by following accounts manually to exclude those with content you’re no longer interested in. 

4️⃣ The mandatory privacy toggle can be adjusted here. Leave this public to be discoverable, or set it to private and only interact with your followers. 

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5️⃣ The last screen outlines how Threads works in a few paragraphs. To summarize

• Threads and Instagram data will be used to personalize your experience
• Threads will support the fediverse (a universally compatible social network of apps) 
• By using Threads, you agree to Meta’s Terms and Threads’ Supplemental Terms

🏀 Gettin’ the ball rolling

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The ability to leverage your existing followers on Instagram means that new users and brands won’t need to face the overwhelming fear of starting fresh on a new platform. 

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Threads is the perfect place to accelerate your growth with high discoverability and engagement potential with Instagram users and social media fans looking for a perfect alternative to Twitter.