Threads: The new social app for brand engagement 

By Helina Asefa, Strategy Director at Siegel + Gale

Instagram Threads’ launch was deemed an overnight success, topping 100 million users within days of its arrival in a challenge to Elon Musk’s rival platform, Twitter, which has subsequently been re-named X. However, will Threads be able to keep its users engaged? Helina Asefa explores the social media apps’ user and brand experience.

 

In the vast world of social media platforms, a new contender has emerged. Threads, the latest creation from Meta, seeks to offer users a fresh perspective on digital interactions as a text-based app. Since its debut, Threads quickly carved its niche in the ever-evolving realm of online communities. Rather than being a stand-alone social network, it works as a companion app to Instagram, integrating with its existing user base.

At its core, Threads seems to be striving to be a more interactive experience. Unlike platforms that focus on building a network of connections or endless scrolling, the app encourages users to engage in “threads” – ongoing conversations centred around user-generated topics.

While Threads provides a conceptually similar approach to Twitter (hereafter referred to by its new name, X) its main ‘rival’, from a functionality and brand experience standpoint, we explore its key differences: 

In-app experience

Threads offers a similar experience to that of X, resembling a news feed, but with the distinctive identity and features of Instagram, providing a unique brand experience. The experience is simple, drawing user data from other Meta apps. What sets Threads apart from other platforms like Facebook is its commitment to thread-based conversations. Threads allow users to create dedicated spaces for specific topics or interests, where they can engage in ongoing discussions, share content, and collaboration. 

Meta’s cohesive brand identity and integrated ecosystem of apps, including Threads, present a more unified and robust experience than X. Additionally, Meta’s interconnected user base and established brand following give the company the credibility and influence necessary to compete with X successfully.

Strategic identity and separation

Launching Threads as a separate app from Instagram indicates a deliberate strategic decision, potentially driven by timing, given the negative sentiment surrounding X. Users perceive X as a platform with a higher level of negativity and boredom, potentially suggesting that Threads, as part of the Meta brand, could offer a more positive and engaging experience.

The choice of the name “Threads” was deliberate as it is seemingly related to X’s core functionality, strategically positioning the app as a competitor to X, emphasising its purpose and differentiating it within the market.

For decades, the word ‘thread’ or ‘threads’ has been used to describe a single discussion where replies are visually grouped. Further, when considering that a ‘thread’ on X is a series of connected tweets from one person, the choice of ‘Threads’ strategically positions Meta’s app as a competitor to X. However, it is not just X that has a relation with the term ‘threads’ with other established apps such as Reddit have long used this term. A strategic, and somewhat safe decision from Meta which has, without a doubt, secured its spot in the conversational, text-based platform space. 

Diversity of brand experience and interactions

Users anticipate that Threads will facilitate connections and interactions with a distinct set of individuals compared to those on Instagram, highlighting the potential for diverse brand experiences across Meta’s platforms. With an emphasis on creating close-knit communities with users, Threads allows brands to engage with a carefully curated target audience. Many companies have started using Threads to reveal their brand’s personalities through humorous conversations, including Wendy’s and Netflix. 

Threads aims to offer a distinct user experience, potentially challenging conventional usage patterns and providing new avenues for communication and engagement. Meta has prioritised user experience and successfully created a user-friendly interface. 

With X, there were objections regarding the negativity and toxicity produced by the platform. Meta has eradicated these themes and promoted a positive environment by allowing users to make a list of words which are prevented from being shown on feeds. As well, the Threads app is simplistic and minimalistic, removing unnecessary steps and clutter by allowing Instagram users to simply import their information straight to the Threads app. The focus on UX and UI seemingly allows it to surpass its competitor and provide new avenues for communication and engagement. 

Breaking generational codes

The introduction of Threads, as part of the Meta brand, challenges the generational principles of platform usage, potentially attracting older users who are more accustomed to Facebook, thereby expanding the brand’s reach and diversifying the user base.

Millennials vastly overtake Gen Z on X usage, so people are calling to question whether Threads will be able to attract Gen Z with this particular platform style. Only 17.1% of X users are 18-24 compared to 38.5% being 25-34. Research by Morning Consult shows that Gen Z’s preferred media consumption is video, with YouTube being their most used platform, followed by TikTok and Instagram. However, Threads’ ability to connect users to their Instagram account could position them well to target the young generation, where nearly three out of four Gen Zers claim to use Instagram. 

The Future of Threads vs X

Thread’s speedy growth has been attributed to several factors. Its seamless integration with users’ pre-existing Instagram accounts has allowed for easy sign-ups. Users could port their followers over to Threads from their Instagram accounts. Several renowned Instagrammers, such as Bill Gates, Shakira, and Oprah Winfrey, as well as major fashion brands like Michael Kors and Nike, were among the early adopters.

However, Threads’ early momentum is starting to stall. The app has since lost more than half of its users in the weeks following its buzzy launch and was criticised for the limited functionality it had when the app first launched. As a result, users have significantly dropped as the app reportedly felt rushed. 

Meta is looking at adding more “retention-driving hooks” to entice users to return to the app, like “making sure people who are on the Instagram app can see important Threads”. For instance, Meta has since added new features to improve Threads’ brand experience, such as separate “following” and “for you”‘ feeds, and increased scope to translate posts into different languages.

It seems Threads has already given Musk and his team good reason to assess their decisions since he bought Twitter last year. Talk of the town is it may have triggered Musk’s plans to rebrand the platform as ‘X’ in a bid to become the app that can do ‘everything’. 

X has been around as a social media platform for over 17 years, with lots of useful capabilities that have been implemented, particularly features that help you locate topics of interest and up-to-the-minute news. X can show you what’s going on right now around the world; something Threads is simply not built for at the moment.

Whilst creating a new, shiny brand might initially capture attention, the true essence of a sticky brand with longevity lies in the delivery of a compelling and seamless experience. The matter of speed in decision-making and the willingness to embrace failures and iterate rapidly can be seen as a Meta strategy for achieving excellence in crafting such user experiences.

Identifying and addressing gaps in functionality within the overall brand experience further reinforces the notion that a brand’s promise must be fulfilled through exceptional customer interactions. The key to success lies not only in making a new brand but in wholeheartedly delivering on the promise of a remarkable and unforgettable experience that keeps customers coming back for more.