Learn all about Meta’s latest social media platform, Threads. 

Threads, the latest social media platform to hit the app store, is one of the most talked about apps of the month. But can you have brand deals on the new platform? Is it worth making the jump from more popular apps such as Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok? 

Today we will be talking about Threads and how to make the most out of this new social media.

Can You Have Brand Deals On Threads?

What is Threads?

Threads, a social media platform, and networking service, is under the ownership of Meta Platforms, the brains behind Facebook and Instagram.

The app empowers users to share text, images, and videos and engage with others’ content through replies, reposts, and likes. Tightly integrated with Instagram, Threads requires users to have an Instagram account and utilize the same handle. 

Threads is likened to Twitter and has even been dubbed a “Twitter killer” due to the platforms having nearly identical platforms and concepts. 

Threads’ inception can be traced back to Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in October 2022, leading Meta employees to explore the idea of introducing text-based functionality to Instagram. 

This concept first materialized as Instagram Notes, which was rolled out in December 2022. 

Instagram Notes are concise messages you can share with followers you mutually follow or your trusted “Close Friends” list. Each note is limited to 60 characters. You’ll find them sitting atop your direct messages in your inbox. Similar to Stories, these Notes vanish after 24 hours, creating a fleeting yet personal connection with your audience.

By January 2023, Meta began to work on a separate app dedicated to text-based posts, internally known as “Project 92.” This would be a much larger expansion upon Notes. 

This project culminated in the official launch of Threads in the United States on July 5, 2023, quickly expanding to 100 countries in the following days. 

The launch conveniently came at a time when Twitter was coming under fire for introducing tweet-view limits, limiting unverified users to seeing 600 Tweets a day. Although this only lasted a few days, users felt more than inclined to jump to Threads, which promised no viewing limits and seemed as a perfect alternative to Twitter. 

Incredibly, Threads amassed an astounding 100 million users within its first five days on the app store, breaking records previously held by ChatGPT. 

How does Threads Work?

As we mentioned above, Threads is an extension of Instagram, so you have to log in with your Instagram account. 

When you sign up, you have the option of importing all your following, profile picture, and bio. If you are verified, your verification will cross over to Threads as well. 

You can also completely start fresh with your Threads page, but it will still be attached to your Instagram handle. 

Threads, just like Twitter, encourages users to write short to mid-sized posts to share with your followers. 

Below is an example of what your screen will look like when you’re crafting your Threads post.

Similar to many social media platforms these days, the home page of Threads shows a mixture of posts from accounts you follow, as well as popular and trending posts from similar accounts. Below is an example of what your home page could look like.

From here, you can like, comment, and repost, and respond to your own followers as well. At the moment, there is no separate page for following and non-following. This means it is likely that the majority of the content you see will be from accounts you don’t follow, but who share similar likes and content to the accounts you interact with.

Unlike Twitter, you are allowed to say a bit more on Threads. Your Threads can have up to 500 characters, compared to 280 characters on Twitter. You can also post 5-minute videos, compared to Twitter’s 2-minute limit. 

Some other differing features include the inability to direct message on Threads, as well as no trending page. Though Meta is constantly updating their platforms, it’s probable that soon, all these features will be available. 

As of July 2023, you can not delete your Threads account without also deleting your Instagram page, which defers users from deleting the app. 

What popular brands are already on Threads?

Some of the most popular brands have already established a page on Threads.

Sportbible, which has 7.2 million followers on Instagram, has 400k on their Threads page.

Threads is also proving to be massively popular with beauty and fashion influencers, including Manny Gutierrez, Mikayla Nogueira, and Nicol Concilio. 

As of July 2023, the most followed Threads accounts are Selena Gomez with 5.23 million followers, the nature magazine National Geographic at 5.2million followers, and Kim Kardashian with 5.1 million followers.

So, can you have Brand Deals on Threads?

As of July 21st, 2023, Instagram has not yet made brand deal tools available on the app. However, insiders have stated that these tools will become available soon. So you should be ready to get your sponsorships on the platform.

Threads has high engagement possibilities due to the vitality of the platform. 

Your Threads posts won’t just be seen by your followers, but have the possibility of being seen on the home page of thousands of new accounts. Joining a new social media platform at the beginning of its’ inception is an exciting time, as there are thousands of new accounts that you can reach. 

This is the perfect time to cultivate your audience and establish your brand on the platform. If you’re used to creating only content on Instagram,  adjusting to Threads could take time. While we wait for brand deal tools to be available on the platform, you should be figuring out how the algorithm works for you. 

What types of posts are getting more engagement? Do you need to practice writing out longer-form content? 

Pushing organic content is always a great way to test how your content will do on a new platform. Engage with your followers and even new accounts – you never know what could go viral on this app.

This could also be the time to reach out to brands you have previously worked with to establish a connection on the type of Threads posts you can collaborate on once advertisements are allowed on the platform.

Instagram’s terms and services for brand deals will also apply to Threads. So if you aren’t familiar with the terms, you can take the time to familiarize yourself. Read our article on how brand deals work on Instagram here. 

Here’s a short list on what you need to know about branded content on Instagram, especially concerning prohibited content and formats. 

• Prohibited Formats:
  • No static videos, image polls, slideshows, or looping videos.
• Prohibited Behaviors:
  • Avoid engagement bait and soliciting compensation for extreme content.
• Prohibited Categories:
  • No misinformation, especially anti-vaccination claims. Restricted topics include sensitive social issues, tragedy/conflict, death, mental illness, abuse, cosmetic procedures, weight loss, family planning, contraception, and financial/insurance services.

According to Axois, the advice given to brands at the moment is to clearly label any posts that could have sponsored content. But if you’d like to play it safe, stick to the organic content for now, and leave the brand deals for when there are more rules put in place. 

Have you already joined Threads? Want to learn more about other social media platforms, technology, and influencer news? Let us know what you’d like to read next down below.