Instagram Threads has emerged as a new platform for marketers. Threads has been deemed an X rival with its text format that allows users to communicate with their close friends from Instagram. Threads has made a major impact with brands and content creators in the short few weeks that it has been around, with over 100 million sign-ups in the first week. 

Low-Lift Content

Threads’ predominantly text-based format is far more efficient when considering brand resources compared to video or static resources. For brands who are just getting started on Threads, consider repurposing content previously posted on other platforms. As a starting strategy, brands could repost their top three still-relevant tweets on Threads.

A prime example of an effective Threads strategy is Sephora, with its following of 904K. Sephora combines meme-style content with product highlights, keeping followers both entertained and informed. The brand is able to reuse promotional content from other platforms to feature specific products, while leveraging popular internet imagery or text-only posts to lean into the lighter side of Threads. The brand has found a healthy balance between the two content variations, for a low lift Threads strategy.  

Organic Conversations

Threads is also a platform where humor reigns supreme. Posts can adopt an authentic tone, mimicking conversations one might have with a friend. Being aware of and participating in textual trends, such as “say what you are” can further increase engagement. In addition, brands should avoid hard selling on Threads, as users are migrating to the platform for more authentic and organic conversations. For brands just making the intro on Threads, consider a “hello world”-style post to introduce themselves to their audience. 

Hulu is an excellent example of audience engagement through question-response content. The brand continues to engage with its audience by asking questions such as “what’s the best animated theme song of all time?” or “the movie you could watch over and over again without getting tired.” These posts see hundreds of replies and likes, sparking healthy debates and active conversations in the thread. 

Active Posting Schedule

Maintaining an active and regular posting schedule on Threads is crucial. Followers want to see consistency with the brands they follow. Successful brands have hit the ground running with posts every hour to keep interest high. While the lift is typically low for Threads content, post frequency can make a huge difference when it comes to audience engagement. 

In the initial weeks of joining Threads, Wendy’s, a brand already popular on platforms like X, made hundreds of posts. With its meme-style content and witty responses to followers, the brand quickly amassed a large following of 273K.

Platform Limitations

Despite an impressive initial response, with millions of sign-ups within the first few hours and numerous articles outlining content strategies for the app, Threads’ user retention strategy appears to be lacking strength, with the user base dropping 82% since the launch. Marketers have faced limitations, as Threads does not yet have a place for ads. In addition, Threads avoids engaging news and political content creators, necessitating a strategy for brands to remain hyper-relevant without relying on timely content. Finally, Threads did not initially have the option for a chronological feed, however the platform recently launched this feature in response to the complaint from users.

Threads is grappling with the challenge of retaining consistent interest and engagement from its users, with a significant drop in user count. In response to this decline, Mark Zuckerberg has released new features, such as allowing users to see liked posts, and has teased more releases on the horizon. While Threads continues to struggle with user retention, posts on the platform are still outperforming those on X in terms of user engagement. It remains to be seen whether these additions will effectively enhance Threads’ user retention strategies and reignite interest in the platform.

If you would like to learn more about Threads or get in touch with one of our digital strategists, please contact [email protected].

Katherine Grabowsky, Senior Creative & Content Specialist, Direct Agents