At the beginning of July, Meta shook the internet by launching a brand-new social media platform – Threads. Arriving without fanfare or even without notice, the platform came at exactly the right moment, seemingly jumping on the heels of the downturn of Twitter. Promising to be ‘the best parts of Instagram’ along with a new experience for text discussions, it took the internet by storm, and over 100 million users signed up within the first few days of its arrival – breaking the world record for fastest-growing app ever.
But a lot of the business owners we spoke to were a bit unsure about joining Threads. Because it’s still such a new platform, they were finding it difficult to see how it would fit into their existing marketing strategy. Now we’ve spent a bit of time on the platform and had a play with the features, here are the pros and cons of joining Threads for your business.
Pros To Your Business Joining Threads
Be A First Mover: There’s definitely something to be said about being an early adopter of a new platform. Most people with a big following on Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube will tell you that they started early, and they have a point. The first goal of a new platform is to flood itself with users. Threads doesn’t even have ads enabled at the moment, which means the content is a priority. That’s huge in terms of impressions and engagement and means your content will be seen by more people than at any other time on the platform. Joining now means you’ll secure that all-important username, and benefit from the start-up flood.
Experiment With A New Channel: If you’re getting bored of Instagram Reels and you’re not sure if anyone actually reads what you post on LinkedIn, then Threads can be a good alternative. It’s a bit of a social media playground right now, which means it’s the perfect place to run experiments and see what you can achieve. For example, you might meet some great collaborators to work with, sign up a new client from your first post, or win a bunch of followers with your witty takes. There are no rules and no strategy right now, so if you have an idea, sign up, try it out and see what happens.
There’s Nothing To Lose: Because it’s so new, there’s not a lot on the line! If you’re looking to grow your business, you know that growth can come in the most unlikely places. New networks and introductions, random pockets of customers or reconnecting with old acquaintances in a new way. Threads presents all of these opportunities, so if you’re hungry for new business and have the spare time on your hands, you won’t lose anything by signing up and trying it out.
Cons To Your Business Joining Threads
It Could Be A Distraction: If you’re someone who suffers from ‘shiny object syndrome’, then Threads might not be a good option for you. A lot of entrepreneurs tend to fall prey to this, easily distracted by the latest thing that could help boost their business, even if their energy would be better spent elsewhere. Threads is the latest distraction in that list. And since you don’t know if your target customers are on Threads or not (as there’s no data yet), it can be all too tempting to dive in and experiment. Success on Threads, like every other social media platform, will require a strategy and an action plan, so if you’re the distractable type, it might be best to leave it on the back burner until we have more information.
It Could Be A Fad: One of the biggest worries business owners have about Threads is that it could be just another fad, here today and gone tomorrow. While some social networks stick around for the long haul, this wouldn’t be the first time a new network made a splashy entrance before fading into obscurity. The one that springs to mind is Clubhouse, which launched in 2020 and at its highest point in 2021 had 10 million active users. It was a thriving community, with an emphasis on WAS. Since then, its user numbers have declined, activity has slowed significantly, and the platform has pivoted several times in an effort to keep people engaged. With any new platform, there is always the chance it will be a brief flame, which is why some SMEs are waiting to see if Threads will last out it’s first quarter.
There Are Better Ways To Spend Your Energy: Unlike other social networks, Threads isn’t just about spending time on the channel. Using it isn’t just about time spent on the channel – it’s about keeping up with the Zuckerberg/Musk drama, having conversations every day about whether it will take off, and making sure you’re using it multiple times a day to get your profile off the ground. All that takes energy, and that energy has to come from somewhere. Whether that’s developing your business in other ways, spending time with your family or reading a good book – you have to decide if that energy is worth spending on the budding platform.
So what’s the answer? Well, right now we can’t tell you! Every business needs to make its own decision about whether or not Threads will be worth it for them, and how much effort they’re willing to put into making it grow. The one thing we will say is that it’s worth securing your username now, even if you’re not sure you’ll ever use it. It will make life a lot easier if you do decide to try it out, and means that you won’t have to settle for some obscure username that doesn’t match your business name or other social handles.
At Moyralla Marketing we’ve spent a lot of time on Threads over the last month, and we’ve already got loads of tips and tricks that can help you make the most of your time there. So if you want to ask some questions about how it all works, or get some free tips for success, just get in touch with the team!
