Elon Musk is threatening to sue! Who, you may ask. His new nemesis. In case you were disconnected from news and social media recently, the nemesis in question is the new Instagram’s Threads App.
One more update, marketers are panicking as well. Let’s find out more.
What Is Instagram’s Threads App?
Threads is Meta’s new social media app developed by the Instagram team and is anticipated to steal the spotlight from Twitter; considering the limitations and unpredictability that’ve been associated with Elon Musk’s Blue Bird recently.
The app was launched on July 6, 2023, in its Android and iOS versions in more than 100 countries. It supports 31 languages, including English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, and Turkish. But unlike the other Meta apps, Threads doesn’t support Arabic. Well, not yet; it might be available in Arabic in the near future.
Users can log in to the app using their Instagram accounts and can choose to follow the same people they follow on Instagram or look for others that share the same interests.
Threads, or the “new way to share with text” as Instagram introduced it, allows 500 characters posts opposed to Twitter’s 280-character tweets. It also enables its users to share posts and replies that include links, photos, GIFs, and videos up to 5 minutes long.
The Twitter competitor integrates the core accessibility features that Instagram supports, such as screen reader support and AI-generated image descriptions.
On their feeds, Threads users can see posts of people they follow and suggested posts that may match their interests.
Just like Instagram, users can control who mentions them or replies to the threads they share and filter replies based on hidden words they add.
Breaking the Records
Threads scored about 30 million sign-ups globally in just 16 hours. The platform reached its first million in only one hour, exceeding ChatGPT, which took five days to hit a million users.
In the latest updates we got, the app hit about 100 million sign-ups, setting a new record as one of the fastest-growing apps.
The rising star on the social media playground hasn’t caught the attention of casual users but also celebrities like Oprah, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Shakira and Selena Gomez, who signed up to the platform as it launched.
Brands such as Calvin Klein, Shein, ELF cosmetics and Nike are also present on Threads.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has announced that Threads’ growth, retention, and engagement rates are exceeding his initial expectations.
Should Marketers Jump in?
It’s no secret that marketing managers are in a quandary about whether they should start crafting their Threads strategies or they should look at this surprising popularity and huge numbers of users as a soon-to-burst bubble and should focus on the other platforms they are already juggling.
Adopting a new social media strategy isn’t something to happen overnight. Marketers should test the water and experiment before adding Threads to their social media pool. Here are some points that are worth considering when thinking about marketing on Threads:
An Already Existing Audience
With Threads, brands don’t have to start building their audience base from scratch; they can reach those who are already following them on Instagram.
This could be a downside as well, considering brands may have to worry about catering to an additional platform without the benefit of reaching a new audience.
Branded Content Tools to be Introduced
Axios’ recent reports indicate that Instagram is planning to introduce its branded content tools to Threads, which will enable businesses to benefit from paid promotions and present the platform as a more attractive option to marketers. But for now, brands who joined Threads are relying solely on producing organic content.
No Chronological Feeds
Threads hasn’t introduced chronological feeds, meaning that brands won’t be able to post real-time announcements and expect their audience will be informed on time. Threads will work better for creating engaging content and interacting with a target audience.
No Hashtags
There are no hashtags on Threads for people to find content. Brands planning to hop on the platform must ensure they create interesting content with the potential to go viral.
Posting the Old-fashioned Way
For now, Threads users can’t draft posts or schedule them. Brands’ social media managers must write their threads and post them manually in real time.
Final Thoughts
All the points we’ve discussed in this article remain speculation. Some new features may emerge in the following months, and paid promotions may come later or may not. So, for now, it won’t hurt to study the value of establishing your brand presence on Threads and reconnecting with your audience using original content.
If you have enough resources, you can exploit the record-breaking popularity to provide engaging content and interact with your current customers. But brands must definitely prioritise platforms they are already active on.
We Help You Speak to Your Arab Audience on any Platform
The Arab world is a prominent segment for Instagram; Egypt ranked 19th with 15.4 million Instagram users, and Iraq followed with 14 million users.
So, considering Instagram is looking to convert its existing users to Threads, it’s important for brands looking to capitalise on the new platform to offer content that resonates with Arab audiences.
This is where e-Arabization’s copywriting services come into play. We help brands to create creative Threads, keeping in mind localisation and grammatical accuracy. This way, we ensure Arab users remain engaged and loyal.
Contact us today to learn more about our copywriting services in the UAE and GCC.