#1 Fastest Growing Social Media Platform

The Facts

As of 11th July, Threads is the number 1 social networking site on the App Store, with a rating of 3.3 stars out of 5. It’s had a whopping 100 million sign-ups in the 5 days since it launched; impressive right? That’s faster growth than ChatGPT! 


Zuckerberg announcing Thread’s sign-up milestone this morning. July 11 2023

A key thing to note about Threads is that it’s not a social media app starting from zero. Driven by juggernaut Meta, and with a direct link to Instagram’s whopping 2 billion users, Threads could easily surpass Twitter’s user base of 353.90 million.  

“If only 1 in 10 Instagram uses starts using Threads, it’s overtaken Twitter in the blink of an eye.” Daily Mail

What Content Will I See and Create?

Text is somewhat king, with posts up to 500 characters including links, photos and videos of a maximum of 5 minutes allowed. So yes, it is another place to recycle your TikTok’s, but we’re not yet sure how well they will be received.  

There’s a theory that Threads is an attempt to revive the era of Facebook statuses. Remember when social engagement was as simple as posting “Like my status and I’ll inbox you my honest opinion of you” or funny quotes that we stole from Tumblr? Meta may be attempting to reengage with text content – which is nice for businesses whose Facebook marketing strategy has been affected by declining engagement on the platform.  

Will it help my business?

Social Media marketers around the globe let out a collective shudder last Wednesday when Threads was released. The good news is you don’t need to rush and place this app at the top of your strategy.

Here are some ways you can use Threads to your advantage, and why you should not pour too many precious hours into it:

1. Engage in a conversation:

On your Threads profile you’ll see two columns; one for your Threads (content you post) and one for replies. Just like on LinkedIn, engaging in conversations with your community via comments and replies on Threads is a valuable piece of content. It allows you to encourage others to use the platform by boosting their work, who are then more likely to think positively of you and return the favour (unless you are commenting negatively, obviously.)  

It also exposes your profile to other users who may be keen to give you a follow if they like what you have to say.  

2. Use Threads for Branding, not for sales

If Meta Ads Manager is where you make sales, then Threads is the awkward lunchtime conversation you have in your coworking space. Don’t try to push your product here: instead, share interesting thoughts about your industry, funny stories or just a passing comment about your working week. Most of the content on Threads so far has been about the platform itself. A kind of “I’m new here, and so are you”. People are getting a feel for the community there, so experiment and see what works for your brand.

3. If you don’t have anything to say...be quiet

If you weren’t using Twitter, let alone Facebook, in your social media marketing strategy, perhaps Threads isn’t the place for you. You may already be keeping busy with short-form video content creation for TikTok, Reels and perhaps even YouTube. Don’t burn yourself out creating an unfamiliar form of content that’s not guaranteed to drive results.

4. No scheduling, just pure vibes

There’s currently no way to schedule content on Threads, which can chew up a bit of time for business owners trying to post on their usual platforms. That combined with a lack of a Desktop version means it’s so far designed to be used when you jump on your phone in between ‘real productive’ work time.

Not to mention, no paid ads (yet). We’ll see how long Meta keeps it this way.

Digiday. chatted to a Meta spokesperson who said; “At this time, there are no ads or monetization features on Threads. Our priority is to build consumer value first and foremost, which allows us to explore how to build business value in a way that doesn't compromise the consumer experience.”

5. Do journalists belong here?

It’s early days, so the jury is still out on whether journalists will find their new home on Threads as the demolition team moves in on Twitter, tossing their belongings off the balcony. It’s argued that Instagram’s base of creative, visual and relatively youthful users will not match Twitter’s journalistic, political and at times controversial heritage - making Threads a less serious and more colourful vibe.

So there’s my take; have fun on Threads but don’t waste time mastering a content type that doesn’t serve you or your business.

If anyone needs me I’ll be on TikTok.

Written by Maggie Bochat, Social & Digital Marketer at Matter.