‘We truly enjoy being ourselves’: How the American Red Cross wins on Threads by breaking the fourth wall

Things I’ve learned from following the American Red Cross on Threads:

• Use a metal lid or a cookie sheet to put out a grease fire?
• What to do if you’re outside during an earthquake?
• Clara Barton is a Capricon??
• I Miss You by Blink-182 has the right tempo for CPR?

In the grand scheme of social platforms, Threads is still a relatively new place for brands to figure out what they should be posting, how often they should be posting, and if they should change up their strategy from other platforms. While many accounts are still finding their footing on Threads, the American Red Cross – an early adopter of the platform – has cracked the code.?

By embracing the playful nature of Threads and putting their audience first, the Red Cross has not only humanized their brand, but they’ve generated authentic engagement and built a loyal audience of 50K+ users.?

With a healthy mix of humor, culturally relevant trends, and memes, the Red Cross has learned that the most effective way for them to spread their message on Threads is by leaning into the platform and how people are using it – all while keeping their core values at the forefront. I spoke with Jessica Buckholtz about their strategy, why it works for them, and her favorite post so far:?

You all jumped on Threads from the day it launched and haven’t looked back. What were your initial goals for the platform and have they changed at all since July 2023??

The goals of our social media channels are to inform and engage people with our mission. For Threads, we aimed to expand our reach and foster positive engagement by creating the best possible user experience.

Our goal remains the same, but the type of content we share has evolved as we've discovered what works best on Threads. Initially, we thought the platform would be similar to X, with a stronger focus on news, but it really evolved. It went from a place where we simply shared information to one where we engaged with our audience in unique ways.

How does the strategy for Threads differ from the strategy you have in place for other platforms like X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook?

We tailor our message for what works best on each platform and the different audiences we reach. For example, our tone on Facebook may sometimes be more serious than on Instagram, where users are more likely to gravitate to lighthearted captions.??

Threads, in particular, is a platform where we truly enjoy being ourselves. The interactions between brands on Threads create a fun environment, effectively breaking the fourth wall between social media managers and their audiences.

Can you explain what went into the decision-making to have the Threads voice be more casual and lighthearted while still being extremely educational??

When we started Threads, we tested a lot of different types of content until we found our voice. Ultimately, it was the users who helped us go this route. A lot of our favorite Thread conversations have been casual and funny interactions between people or other brands. When we joined in, we discovered how beneficial it would be for our mission.?

Using humor, we’re more effectively able to talk about things, like tips for preventing home fires and hydrating before a blood donation, that people may have been scrolled past previously.

What’s your favorite thing you’ve posted on Threads so far? (Please say this one)

My favorite so far has been this post about drinking enough water. I love it when other brands interact with us and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) 's account chimed in with their thoughts on water bottles. They are another brand that is really hitting it out of the park on Threads!

ICYMI

• YouTube announced a partnership with repurpose.io – an automated content repurposing and scheduling platform – offering 3 months free, allowing users to automatically repost TikTok and IG Reel content as Shorts.?
• At long last, a pause feature could be coming to Reels. According to CNBC, users would be able to start and stop the video with just one tap, as opposed to tapping and holding the screen.
• Taking a page out of Bluesky’s Starter Packs playbook, Meta announced Threads users can now share custom public feeds
• More changes are coming for the Instagram grid: Adam Mosseri shared users will soon be able to rearrange their profile grids and change the order of the posts.?

LIKE/RETWEET/SHARE/ETC?

Wake up in the morning, thinking about so many things. But mostly thinking about this ‘viral sounds you forgot were from Bravo TV ’ TikTok. Let’s dive in and discover how they used receipts, proof, timeline, screenshots, f*cking evidence to hit 1M+ views on this gem.?

• Exploring TikTok and asking yourself ‘where does this sound even come from?’ is a universal experience. There are so many soundbites that lose their origins and just become a part of the TikTok universe, but this video gives them a source.?
• It not only highlights the vast majority of sounds that users have heard before, but it also highlights some of the most iconic one-liners from Bravo’s catalog of shows.?
• The comments — all 900 of them — don’t miss. Not only are users discussing their favorite sounds in the original video, but the majority of them are sharing lines that were left out, leaving the door wide open for Bravo to turn this into a series, incorporating the ideas from the comment section.?
• If you stumbled upon a random Bravo post that is either a preview of a show or a scene with no context, it would be of little interest for non-Bravo fans. But this video was created for their fans, but also for the non-followers. It’s a gentle way for them to wade into the Bravo waters.?

Make it work for you: This felt like a low-risk way to test out a possible video series. By not explicitly labeling it “part 1,” the account could see how it performed, gauge the comments, and then determine if it’s worth creating more of these in the future. Let your audience tell you what’s resonating and then create more of it.?

?

Quick, call an ambulance. But not for the American Heart Association . Following Kendrick’s massive night at the Grammys last week, the nonprofit organization published an extremely relevant and timely static post that struck a chord with just about everyone not named Drake. Let’s see how they are saving lives (and possibly ending one too)?

• The American Heart Association didn’t jump on a trend, they jumped on a moment, which can be much more effective and powerful.?
• They took the cultural moment and made it fit into their regular content, not the other way around.?
• Because this is a series the account publishes frequently, it doesn’t feel out of place or like they’re trying too hard. Instead it is just the right amount of well-timed with the slightest hint of shade thrown in there.?
• Let’s talk about those other posts too. While they performed relatively well for the account, they do not come close to the Kendrick post that resulted in over 160K likes, more than 2,000 comments and 127K shares. Not a typo, ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN THOUSAND SHARES.?
• But about that shade. They’re letting their audience make those connections while the American Heart Association can sit back and say hey, we’re just out here trying to educate the public about hands-only CPR.?
• And last but not least, a round of applause for the commenters who brought their A-game, while still managing to keep CPR in the forefront. That’s 160,000 people who can now save a life ??

Make it work for you: You don’t have to state an opinion or take a stance to take advantage of a cultural moment. There are other – more subtle – ways to join the conversation while making the same impact.??

Post of the week

Y’all have to stop sleeping on Apple TV.?

Make It Go Viral ?? is a social media newsletter from Pennant Digital Director of Social Media Anna Fogel that hits your inbox three times a week. The Monday edition includes news, industry updates, and a breakdown of accounts doing social right. The Wednesday send features interviews with the best and brightest minds working in social media. And we close each week with a curated list of interesting social media job openings.

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