Threads: Initial Thoughts

The place to be or just another platform?

Yes, No, Maybe?

It depends on who you ask. If you’ve been unhappy with Twitter’s changes — or should we say X’s changes — Threads might be your happy place.

If you’ve been on X for a while, rely on niche #hashtags and a smaller community — you may find that X is still the main home for your people.

Maybe you’re not happy with X but your posts are now receiving higher engagement because it’s being seen by more of “your people.”

We have no answers yet — but — we can share our thoughts thus far.

Darvin

Likes 👏🏼
Despite the app being in its early stages of development, I like the sleek and clean user interface. It allows me to easily read and digest information. I also like the culture that is being created on Threads. There’s still political talk, but I feel it’s not as polarizing as Twitter.

Dislikes 😩
I am not a fan of me not being able to search for a specific topic or news story. Other sites like Instagram and Twitter allow you to search for topics.

Threads does not yet have a feature to search. My hope is that they develop that feature soon.

How you’re using it for personal
I definitely do not use Threads as much as TikTok or Instagram — but when I do use it I am usually just reading what my friends repost or what other pages publish. I am finding that my Thread wall is very humorous, so when I need a good laugh I will open the app. The communities input on a thread will also make content x1000 more times funnier.

From a brand standpoint
I see threads as a child between Twitter and Instagram — informational yet loose and unserious. From a marketing and communications perspective, I can see NAU using the platform as a way to publish content relating to pop culture, campus happenings, and content that people can respond and engage with.

A good example of that being NAU’s recent post about Barbie & Oppenheimer. We referenced pop culture, yet included Louie (a strong NAU brand image) and asked our audience to engage with us.

What I’d like to see happen
I would like to see Threads evolve and change.

All social platforms have a culture and purpose among their audiences. For example: Twitter is used for news, Instagram is used for aesthetics & trends, and TikTok is for informational entertainment.

I almost feel that Threads can embody all of that, but only time will tell.

It is up to us as a whole to decide how we can use Threads and if we want to migrate from Twitter (now known as “X”) to Threads.

Maria

Initially, I really liked the fact that Threads brought over your Instagram audience. However, I soon realized that what I thought we would post (Twitter-like content), wouldn’t resonate the same with our Instagram users. Our users coming from Instagram interact with us mainly through our story and Reels content.

That type of content isn’t easily shared on Threads. Our audience who follow us on Twitter/X are mainly still there. We haven’t seen a huge drop in followers. That leaves us with a big question — who are we talking to on Threads and what type of content do they want to see.

Insights 📈

Currently, Threads doesn’t have any insights set up so we can’t make any platform comparisons or glean insights from our followers.

I would love if they added analytics to the mix to get a better idea of WHO we’re talking to as well as info besides likes, comments and reposts. Right now, I feel like we’re walking through blindfolded.

Sharing from Threads to other platforms

Threads has updated its capabilities and this means you can share Threads to other platforms.

However, from my experience the actual sharing capabilities are a bit glitchy.

If you select Send on Instagram, sometimes it doesn’t do anything and just stays in the Threads environment.

If you Post to X — it appears like below and loses the clean looking interface of the post.

However, if you share to Instagram stories — it looks much more aesthetically pleasing ⬇️

Overall — I do think Threads has potential. Its vibe is still positive which makes it a great environment for people looking to get away from the negativity common on other platforms. I’m interested in how we explore Threads and use the Thread discussion style to work with campus partners through “Threads takeovers.”

Scott

Threads is the new kid on the social media block. It’s easy to use and built on Instagram’s massive user base, making it a familiar and intuitive platform for many. The concept of “threads” is like Twitter but with a 500-character limit. This makes it an ideal platform for creators, allowing for deeper discussions and easier transitions from Instagram.

One of the standout features of Threads is its focus on moderation. Meta, the parent company, is working to make Threads a safer space for users. They also want to integrate Threads with the ‘fediverse’ — the decentralized social network ecosystem. This could transform our social media use and set Threads apart from competitors.

But Threads could be better. Like Facebook and Instagram — it has some privacy issues. It collects a lot of personal data and uses algorithms to decide what content appears on your feed, which may appeal to only some users. Also, there currently needs to be an easy way to move your Twitter followers over to Threads.

BENEFITS:

Threads is an excellent platform for sharing insights and joining in-depth discussions. It’s like an interactive version of Instagram, where I can share photos and engage in meaningful conversations.

For businesses or institutions like Northern Arizona University, Threads can be an excellent platform for reaching a wider audience. It’s another way to share information and interact with followers. However, brands might benefit from more control over what content appears in their feed.

Looking forward, it would be great to see Threads give users more control over their feeds and improve their data privacy practices. It would also help if Threads interacted more easily with other social media platforms. These changes could make Threads more attractive to potential users, simplifying the switch from other platforms.

McKinley

Personally I haven’t really been using Threads. I downloaded it when it first came out because I wanted to be ahead of the trend. So far I haven’t found myself opening or wanting to use the app.

From a brand standpoint I think it’s a good app if profiles can keep their audience engaged.

Features I like

• Being able to repost Threads to your Instagram story.
• The fact that your Instagram followers automatically transfer over because it’s easy for your Instagram audience to find your page.

I’ll be interested to see if more Twitter/X users come over to Threads and if Twitter users numbers decline!

Interested in sharing your thoughts on Threads with us? Send an email to social@nau.edu and we’d love to hear them and partner up!