If you are reading this blog, you can now download Instagram Threads! Here’s a step-by-step on how to sign up. BTW, you’ll need to have an Instagram account to sign up.
What’s up?
“Threads is a new app that’s focused on text and dialogue. And the way that we think about this is we’re modeling it after what Instagram has done for photo and video,” said Connor Hayes, a Meta product vice president.
Mark Zuckerburg has a long history of copying concepts that work and Instagram Threads looks like Twitter. When Elon Musk shared the company would start limiting the number of Tweets they could view each day, Zuckerburg pushed the launch of Threads to today rather than later in the month as originally expected. The billionaire social media showdown is getting extra zesty.
Why does it matter?
Many apps have been named ‘Twitter Killers’ over the years but none of them have had this amount of credibility and an existing userbase of billions to draw from meaning Threads has a chance to catch on quickly.
It’s had over 30 million downloads in the first 24 hours! Curtis believes The Twitter Rapture is Now!
Yes, posting on Threads does look a lot like posting on Twitter 🤔
Impact on your business
Unlike other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even Twitter, Threads starts showing users posts the moment they create an account based on the behavior it already has from the Meta product suite. You can auto-follow everyone you follow on Instagram on Threads or go through however many people you follow and select some of them. Seems a bit taxing but it is an easy way to build an audience quickly. If you are creating a brand account and you like your current audience, it’s a good idea to give everyone a follow as the follow-for-a-follow manner is extremely common in the early days of a new platform.
Similarities to Twitter
- Character limit (500 compared to 280)
- You mention people in Threads using the @
- You can reply to a post
- You can quote or repost someone else’s Thread post
Differences from Twitter
- No direct messaging at the moment
- More control over who can see your post
- No limit on how many Threads you can see each day
- No way to edit a Thread after posting
- No hashtag or trending topics function
- Elon Musk’s thoughts will not randomly appear on your feed
- No ads at the moment…but they will likely come soon
Next steps
Do not feel rushed to ‘reserve’ your username, as it will be the same username you have on Instagram. Feel free to join Threads and play around with it. We are doing the same and will send along our recommendations shortly. Look for a follow-up post next week with that intel!
And in the meantime, follow us on Threads! We promise to follow back : )
Bonus
Your Instagram account shows what number account you are on Threads.
