Threads: Is it Worth the Hype?

Threads: Is it Worth the Hype? Here’s our Pros and Cons List!

As you may have heard, Meta introduced “Threads,” a new social media platform for “sharing text updates and joining public conversations.” 

(Introducing Threads: A New Way to Share With Text | Meta, 2023)

Threads is very similar to Twitter, now X, and reached over 100 million sign-ups within the first week it launched. The app is still in its early stages, but we’ve compiled a list of pros, cons, and neutralities for businesses trying to fit it into their social strategy. 

Quick Overview of Threads

Pros:

• Instagram integrations
• Organic engagement & brand awareness

Cons:

• Lacking discoverability features (keyword search, hashtags, messenger)
• Limited performance data and audience insights.

Neutralities:

• No ad capabilities
• New, but making a name for itself.

Pros of Threads

1. Instagram Integrations. Threads’ integration with Instagram makes creating an account virtually seamless. Your branding (handles, profile picture, bio, & links) and Instagram followers with an account on Threads carry over. These integrations ensure you don’t have to grow your audience from scratch. The followers carried over are already familiar with your brand, so you can jump right in and start connecting. You also have the option to cross-post a Thread as an Instagram story or feed post, making it much easier to share the content you’re doing on other platforms!

2. Organic Engagement & Brand Awareness. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant decline in organic reach across social platforms. The reality is if you want your content seen by a larger audience, you will most likely need to invest some $$$ into your strategy. Fortunately, because the app doesn’t support advertising capabilities (which we’ll get into in a bit), users have no choice but to connect organically.

With the weight of Meta/Instagram backing the app, Threads reached 100 million users within the first week, which is faster than any other social media platform in history. Engagement and user growth are at an all-time high. However, we’ve seen this before, and it’s only a matter of time before advertising comes along and changes the algorithm. For now, we say enjoy connecting and building your audience organically!

Cons of Threads

1. Lacking Discoverability Features (keyword search, hashtags, location tagging, messenger). These missing features are a huge drawback for us and one reason we hesitated to suggest Threads for our clients. Not only does it limit users from finding communities on the app, but it hinders our ability to reach a wider audience. Keyword search, hashtags, location tagging, and messaging are all vital in connecting with new people organically. On the bright side, others share the same frustrations with the lack of discoverability features, and Threads is working on adding these much-needed updates. 

2. Limited Performance Data and Audience Insights. The only insights we can see on the platform are likes, replies, and follows. While this gives us some indication of how our content is performing, we’re still missing essential KPIs such as impressions, engagement rate, and audience demographics. Data-driven insights are crucial in developing and refining our strategies. Without them, it’s hard to determine the success of our campaigns.

What We Think of as ‘Neutralities’ of Threads

1. No Ad Capabilities. As a digital marketing agency, investing time in a platform that doesn’t allow us to run ads may seem counterintuitive. But we see the good and bad of missing this feature. As of now, the platform focuses on genuine interactions and content sharing without ads cluttering users’ feeds. This presents an excellent opportunity to connect with your audience more personally!
2. New, but Making a Name for Itself. As we mentioned, Threads had the full weight of Meta and Instagram pushing the app. It’s the ultimate nepo-baby. We would probably not see the same traction and adoption if a smaller corporation launched the app. Nevertheless, we and 100 million other users have created an account and are seeing how we make our mark in the space. Now is the perfect time to experiment with your content, ask your audience what they want to see, and form connections!

Is Threads Worth the Hype?

We’ve asked ourselves countless times: is Threads worth the hype? Our conclusion? It depends. If you see that your target audience is gladly using this platform and it aligns with your marketing and business goals, we say go for it! 

Threads is still missing features that will help your business get noticed, but we also think it’s better to get a head start rather than try and play catch up. Time will tell how this app holds up. We always encourage experimentation and doing what’s best for your business and audience.

If you want to discuss ideas or experiment with Threads, contact us to schedule a discovery call!