What is Threads and does my company need an account?

In mid-December, Instagram launched Threads in Sweden and over the Christmas holidays, the app went hot on many people's phones. But how does the app work, and is it worthwhile for businesses to register an account on Threads? Navigator explains.

If you know anything about the world of technology, you've probably been following the storms surrounding the social media platform Twitter. The microblogging service, which has been a strong platform for opinions and discussions since 2006, was bought by Tesla founder Elon Musk in the fall of 2022. The reason for the purchase was, according to Musk himself, to offer an app completely without restrictions.

As part of the purchase, Musk renamed the app X and allowed previously banned accounts, such as Donald Trump, back into the feed. With the new policy and lack of content moderation, journalists, businesses and other serious players slowly started to leave the app, and the platform lost its foothold.

More curious about the storms surrounding Twitter? Read our blog post on the subject here.

Why Threads was created

The unrest on Twitter created a gap in the market, and several companies started looking at the possibility of launching new similar services. One of them was Meta, Mark Zuckerberg's billion-dollar company that owns Facebook and Instagram, among others, and in July 2023 Meta launched its own version of Twitter called Threads.

However, due to the EU's strict rules on, among other things, data privacy, it took until December before the app got the green light in Europe, and on Tuesday, December 14, Threads was launched in Sweden.

How do Threads work?

In many ways, Threads works in exactly the same way as its predecessor Twitter. The app is based on users publicly sharing short text posts (max 500 characters). In addition to letters, posts can also contain images, gifs, audio, links and videos, but the main focus is on text. Posts can be reposted, liked and even commented on.

Inside Threads, just like on Twitter, there are two feeds: one called "For you" and one called "Followers". In the latter, you will find only your followers, and in the other, accounts and content that the algorithm considers suitable for you will appear. By liking or hiding posts, you can teach the algorithm what you like, which in turn creates a more personalized and relevant feed.

How do I create an account on Threads?

You can get Threads by visiting threads.net or by downloading the app to your phone. Upon registration, you will be asked to log in with your Instagram account, which is directly linked to Threads. Currently, you can't get Threads without an Instagram account, so if you don't have one, this is the first step in the process.

Once logged into Threads, you get the choice to automatically follow all your Instagram followers. It's a smart move to quickly get up to speed on the app and find people you already know. As your Instagram followers join the app, your follower base grows and their accounts are automatically added to your follower list.

What is the atmosphere like at Threads?

Just over a month after the Swedish launch, the number of users on Threads is growing. There are no current figures on the number of Swedish users, but when the app was launched internationally, the platform gained 50 million users in one day.

Like other new social media start-ups, people in the media industry have been quick on the uptake, and right now the app is home to a lot of journalists, influencers and marketers. The climate, unlike Twitter, is very welcoming and right now there seems to be a bit of a honeymoon period going on inside Threads. The cheers and kind comments are many, and so far no trolls seem to have entered the app.

Which companies are active on Threads?

As far as Swedish companies are concerned, many seem to be somewhat cautious with their entry into the app, but recently more and more business accounts have started to appear. Some who have been quick on the ball since the start are Lidl Sweden. In their feed, memes and other posts are published with great recognition. Lidl has always been good at creating content in social media, and Threads is no exception.

Should my company join?

Although the business presence on Threads is not yet very large, there is no clear argument why your business should not be on the app. But like any other social media, it takes time, and if you choose to register an account, you should also set aside time to manage it. An account without content never looks good.

What can my company publish?

Threads is very much a current affairs medium where trends and news are covered at a rapid pace. To be successful on the app, it's important to actively follow what's being said and publish content that relates to it. Threads is a perfect tool to quickly get a handle on your audience and explore what they are talking about.

To take Lidl as an example again, the retailer was quick to pick up on the trend of 'out and about' lists that were trending on social media in early January. The result was a fun and topical post that subtly included Lidl's offer.

 

Posts by @lidlsve

View on Threads

 

Is Threads more than a fly?

Whether Threads is a platform that is here to stay is impossible to say. The app, which has been available in the US for just over six months, continues to gain new users, but data shows that time spent in the app is slowly declining. The future of Threads in Sweden remains to be seen, but so far the influx of users seems to be good.