Ahh Threads. Another social platform owned by Meta, creator of Facebook and Instagram, and its first app envisioned to be compatible with an open social networking protocol. According to Meta, “the benefits of open social networking protocols enable the development of new types of features and user experiences that can easily plug into other open social networks, accelerating the pace of innovation and experimentation.”
However, despite the new “X” competitor coming out of the gate strong, garnering tens of millions of users in more than 100 countries in just a few short weeks since its launch, it’s already hitting some turbulence, losing approximately half of that following and engagement almost as fast as it came in.
The platform is still in its infancy, which means ebbs and flows of this nature are somewhat anticipated, as users test the waters to see if it might be the next best place to “set up shop.” For their part the tech giant has appeared to consider initial feedback, announcing updates and new capabilities to address user concerns.
So, what are those capabilities you ask? And what are some things to keep in mind before clicking sign up? Read on for an exploration of the latest social-media craze through the lens of B2B uses.
What B2B Brands Should Know About Threads
Today, one of the key advantages of Threads is its association with Meta, which brings with it a wealth of resources and expertise in the social media landscape. This means that B2B brands can expect a seamless integration with their existing Instagram account, making it easier to manage their online presence across multiple platforms.
Threads Features for B2B Brands
Currently, users are allowed to create dedicated threads for different topics or campaigns, for business, this enables brands to engage with their audience in a more organized and targeted way. Without paid functionality currently in place, this can be particularly beneficial for companies looking to showcase products or services to a specific niche audience.
Within this custom threads, posts allow for up to 500 characters which can include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length. This content can then be amplified to an Instagram story or shared as a link on any other platform of choice. What’s more, new functionality just released on August 1st is inclusive of a “Following” tab, now allowing users to view chronological posts from people they follow instead of the “algorithmically curated content” that originally appeared in the “For you” feed—bringing it seemingly closer to what the original Twitter once boasted and enabling greater organization of active conversations.
3 Considerations Before Signing Up for Threads
While the tech giant appears to be making open-minded concessions and rapidly pushing out updates users want, one they have yet to budge on is having the ability to easily delete the account. For clarity, users can delete their Threads account, but it also means that the associated Instagram account must go, as well, due to their interconnectivity.
So before signing your company up for a Threads profile, here are a few things to consider before pushing that sign up button.
1. Audience, Tone, & Functionality
Before doing anything, have a clear understanding of your target audience and how Threads aligns with your company’s overall marketing objectives. While the platform has gained significant traction, it’s still relatively new, and its user base may not be as diverse as other social media platforms. Other things to consider include:
- Audience: Currently, the primary user base appears to be content creators, influencers and consumer brands who are capitalizing on the algorithm favoring early adopters.
- Tone: With no paid ads at the onset, the tone has been very casual and conversational with a hefty dose of humor, as well. “Although the app is very similar to Twitter in several ways, [Mark] Zuckerberg has stressed that one of the key differences is the focus on “kindness” and being “friendly”.”
- Functionality: A text-based platform with capability to add images, video, emojis and gifs. However, most glaringly lacking the ability to use hashtags, search, or index content for discoverability and/or tailored conversation.
2. Team Bandwidth and Resourcing
Do you have the necessary bandwidth and resources to build and properly engage another online community? Like all social media channels, Threads will not be successful with a “set it and forget it” approach.
Like its predecessors, Threads will thrive on authentic engagement and thought-provoking content — similar to LinkedIn or Reddit for example. If there aren’t enough resources to dedicate toward a steady cadence of meaningful conversations and interactions with the audience, its best to rethink your desire to adopt the platform until those resources are available.
To Threads, or Not to Threads?: Questions to Guide Your Decision
While there has been less initial interest coming from B2B brands compared to B2C, there are several ways Threads can be a valuable tool. Not only does the platform provide an intimate space to build a rapport with potential clients, but it can also be used to drive top of funnel awareness traffic to relevant content on a website, thought leadership, major announcements or product updates.
It’s not yet clear what Threads will become longterm, but if you’ve been exploring it as a potential new channel for your brand, here are some questions to work through with your internal teams:
What part of your customer journey do you hope to support with Threads?
If the answer to this question is, “leads, leads, leads”, you may want to rethink your strategy. At its core today, Threads is an engagement and conversational platform. That means KPIs centered around demand generation, running ads, or converting leads aren’t aligned with the current capabilities/ intent of the platform. There’s also no current way to target content to an intended audience, or report on who is seeing your content. Essentially, if you choose to sign your brand up for a Threads account, you’re buying into a new platform early, and hoping your content finds its way to the intended audience.
Does your brand use a more formal or corporate tone?
Today on Threads, the tone is conversational, satirical, lighthearted, and humorous. Remember Wendy’s on Twitter? That’s essentially the essence of this platform right now. That means serious, heavy-hitting corporate speak will very likely miss the mark and not resonate. However, if you’re looking for ways to adjust your brand tone, this could be a great channel to test a different one.
Is Threads here to stay?
Getting set up on Threads is easy for businesses that already have an Instagram account, as it will be directly linked, allowing users to seamlessly import details from Instagram to a new Threads profile. Once an account is set up, the next step is to start Threading and posting.
Should my B2B company take the leap and join Threads?
While it’s still too early to tell if the world will fully embrace Threads for the long haul, if you’re curious about what its impact could be, consider investing some resources to test and learn what works to drive engagement or even build new relationships.
If you’re interested in enhancing your social strategy to include Threads, or if you’re looking to maximize the impact of your existing platforms, let’s talk.
