Weaving through Threads – using it for journalism and communications

Unless you've been living under a rock, you would've noticed that in the past 24 hours, that Meta has launched its new microblogging platform – Threads. Ten million users signed up in just hours, partly due to the ease of porting information, following accounts, etc., from an existing Instagram profile.

Being in the field of media and communications, any new social media platform will create some level of excitement, anxiety, and doubt. But it is also often seen as an opportunity, as a new channel is there to be leveraged for content, messaging, voice, and marketing.

We don't know much (yet) about Threads, but here's what I compiled – 5 quick things that I think may be useful for those in #communications and the #media to consider when using Threads, to bolster their work and connect with their target audience.

1. Real-time Story Updates

Just as Twitter does (or used to do), Threads provides a space for journalists and communications practitioners to share real-time updates with their audience. A thread can be used to post live coverage, breaking news, event highlights, or exclusive insights. By connecting directly with their followers, Threads can be leveraged to build a loyal and engaged community. We've already seen major news platforms quickly jumping on the Threads bandwagon – CNA, BBC, Reuters are just a few examples. And they all seem to be more active on Threads, than they are on Twitter, since its launch!

2. Targeted Audience Engagement

Threads allows users to create different profiles, enabling journalists and PR practitioners to connect with each other, their audience, or the loyal supporters of specific brands and verticals. They can tailor their content to the interests and preferences of these groups or profiles, fostering meaningful engagement and delivering relevant information to the right people. Bloomberg (at the time of writing) has created at least eight different Threads accounts – from Bloomberg Businessweek to Bloomberg Opinion, Bloomberg TV, and more. They all carry different content pieces to suit the wants of their followers.

3. Enhanced Privacy and Security

In any industry, maintaining the privacy and security of sensitive information is important. But for journalists and PR practitioners, this is paramount. Threads offers end-to-end encryption, ensuring secure communication and protecting valuable data from unauthorised access, making it an ideal platform for sharing confidential news and insights. It is early days, so it remains to be seen if it can uphold the early promises. Do note that some privacy settings applied to a Threads account will also apply to its linked Instagram profile.

4. Direct Messaging and Collaboration

I recall at the peak of Twitter (that seems so long ago now!), journalists used their personal accounts to reach out to potential sources via a general callout or by messaging known individuals directly. With Threads, the same can be done through its direct messaging feature. This can be a useful way for journalists and PR professionals to get in touch with each other, to explore story ideas, conduct interviews, or collaborate. The platform is new, so the opportunities are endless for creating new ways of communicating with people who are both inside and outside of the industry.

5. Cross-Platform Sharing

Threads seamlessly integrates with Instagram, enabling journalists and PR professionals to cross-promote their content. By utilising both platforms, you can amplify your reach and engage with a broader audience. Threads also offers the option to share stories directly on Instagram, ensuring content consistency. Bear in mind that with every social platform, a content strategy has to be created for it to be used effectively. So, we'd probably want to avoid aimlessly pushing the same content on Threads and Instagram. Yup, that's boring. But who's going to put their hands up to create the best social media strategy for Threads? We'll see!

Threads has definitely emerged as a not-so-new idea but a versatile tool for journalists and PR practitioners to benefit from. Now, what do we do with this shiny new toy, though? Is this just a Twitter replacement for us all? Perhaps it's an opportunity to reinvent what we'd have liked Twitter to look for us - both individually, and for the companies we represent. I feel like we now have something new to experiment with, and the communications and journalism world can hopefully use this collaboratively to make our jobs easier, more exciting, and fun!

Yes, I am of course on Threads too! After all the words above, I must say that I don't quite know what I'm doing with it yet but give me a follow and maybe we can help each other to figure that out! Here's me! Do share in the comments what you know about Threads that all of us can learn from.