It’s no exaggeration to say that Twitter’s reputation has seen a sharp decline in recent years, for reasons that include unpopular changes to the algorithm as well as the tarnished public image of owner Elon Musk. As Twitter’s popularity started to dwindle, a number of new platforms emerged as potential alternatives. None have found quite as much traction as Threads, a Meta-owned microblogging site that launched just last year but already has more than 100 million downloads.

Indeed, many social media experts say that, of all the would-be Twitter replacements, Threads is by far the most viable, the most likely to stick around for the long haul. Naturally, this makes it the one most relevant to marketers, who may wish to know about Threads’ potential as an ad platform.

Threads at a Glance

First and foremost, it may help to have a little more background about Threads.

Again, it should be stressed that this is a Meta property, a big part of its perceived resilience: Social networks come and go, but having the same corporate mothership as Facebook and Instagram is incredibly helpful.

In terms of form and function, the platform is very similar to Twitter. What sets it apart is that Threads is decentralized, meaning there is no single entity regulating content. Users have a lot of autonomy over their privacy settings and the types of content they interact with.

Who Uses Threads?

For advertisers, demographics are a big deal… so of the hundreds of millions of people who’ve downloaded Threads, what are some of the most notable demographic breakdowns? Early stats show:

• More than two third of the user base is male, with females making up around 32 percent of the Threads population.
• A majority of the platform’s users belong to Gen Z.
• Nearly all of the users also use Instagram, and 80 percent are also active on WhatsApp.

Are There Any Brands on Threads?

While Threads is not yet as widely used among businesses and brands as, say, Facebook or LinkedIn, a number of companies have developed strong followings on the fledgling platform.

A few companies that have already made waves on Threads include Pizza Hut, Canva, and American Airlines. Each one has demonstrated that there is an audience to be tapped on Threads, and ample opportunity to do engaging, creative work on the platform.

Using Threads: A Few Basics

Before developing a complete advertising strategy, it may be helpful to learn some of the basics of how Threads works. A few general pointers to keep in mind:

• Like old-school Twitter, Threads imposes a character count on every post. In the case of Threads, the limit is 500 characters per post.
• Note that you can toggle your account between public or private, allowing you to control the visibility of your content.
• While Threads does not have its own built-in “Stories” mode, you can cross-pollinate to a linked Instagram account, sharing Threads posts to your Insta stories. This is a critical tool for building your Threads audience!

What About Advertising?

As of right now, formal paid advertising isn’t available for Threads, though there are plans to unveil advertising by the end of this year. That’s something for businesses and brands to keep an eye on, but in the meantime, there are meaningful ways to use Threads to cultivate organic reach.

Some general guidelines for getting started on Threads include:

• Avoid bland or overly salesy content. Threads are most useful for generating community around your brand, and you can’t do that with generic or throwaway content. To do well on Threads, you’ll want to invest some time and resources in posts that are original, preferably funny, and targeted toward your specific audience.
• Observe your competitors. It’s also helpful to spend some time reviewing the content your competitors and industry peers are sharing. See what seems to resonate and what doesn’t—and take some cues for your own content strategy.
• Focus on interaction. Do what you can to invite your followers into conversation! Ask questions, use topical prompts, and try out polls and surveys.
• Share and curate user-generated content. Threads can be an excellent place to repost quotes or testimonials from your clients, along with photos or videos of them using your product in an appealing way.

Threads: A Platform to Keep an Eye On

It remains to be seen whether Threads will truly hold up over time, emerge as a viable advertising platform, or fully replace the platform formerly known as Twitter. For now, we recommend advertisers launch accounts, explore the platform, and start getting a feel for potential strategies. Threads is definitely promising, and a platform that could become a very big deal for businesses and brands.

With any questions about Threads or social media marketing, don’t hesitate to contact the enCOMPASS team at your convenience.