9 min read

6 Reasons Why Ecommerce Brands Should Start Using Meta’s Threads (With Examples)

QUICK SUMMARY

Will Meta's Threads be the next big social network? What does it mean for social commerce and ecommerce marketing? Here's why your business should get on board.

TABLE OF CONTENTS What is Threads What do Threads mean for ecommerce marketing 6 reasons to take advantage of Threads How to set up your business’s Threads profile

Whether or not you’re already a self-proclaimed threader or a Twitter (sorry, X) purist, Meta’s Threads has quickly become the fastest-growing app, surpassing even AI chatbot ChatGPT's rise to fame earlier this year. Threads gained over 150 million users in only one week and has already acquired a fifth of Twitter’s active users count.

While the bird app has been mired by layoffs and Elon Musk’s controversial top-level decisions over the past few months, the arrival of Threads feels like a breath of fresh air and a new start when it comes to creating a text-based social networking app that tracks everything from reality TV show slip-ups to political crises in real time.

Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram, says Threads is a place for “public conversation” and that they decided to create the app due to Twitter’s “volatility.” Other Twitter copycats like BlueSky and Mastodon exist, so it will be a race to see which Twitter competitor will come out on top.

Meta (formerly Facebook) has a history of poaching ideas from other social media platforms. The appeal of Snapchat stories quickly morphed into Instagram Stories, one of the most successful features on Instagram. And once TikTok became a hit, Facebook announced that its new tool, Instagram Reels, would roll out with similar video editing tools.

Which begs the question: Will Threads become the next big social network? And what does it mean for ecommerce marketing?

In this article, I’ll introduce you to Threads and explain why the new app should quickly become a priority for your ecommerce business’s social marketing strategy.

What Is Meta’s Threads?

This trending text-based social networking app created by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg feels like a blatant copy of Twitter upon first use.

Once you download the Threads app, you can link it to your Instagram account and quickly connect with your existing IG network. The profile layout looks eerily similar to Twitter, but the functionality is still very bare-bones.

There are no hashtag features, private messaging, or paid ads (yet). Users can compose a ~~tweet~~ thread by clicking on the paper icon and then add the multimedia they choose, whether it’s an image, GIF, or screenshot of their Spotify playlist.

What Do Threads Mean For Your Ecommerce Marketing Strategy

While social media managers all over the globe are wearily cracking open a bottle of wine as another new app takes hold of the Internet, it’s still worth thinking about how to maximize your business visibility within an app that has gained so much ground in a short amount of time.

Being available on popular social media platforms as they emerge can also be a great ecommerce customer service strategy.

Below I’ll walk through how you can take advantage of Threads for ecommerce. While it’s still missing a few core features, those will likely be rolled out in the upcoming months. And it never hurts to start planning ahead.

6 Reasons Why Ecommerce Businesses Should Take Advantage Of Threads

1. Threads comes with a built-in audience

One of the most attractive features of joining Threads is that you don’t have to build a captive audience from zero. Since you need an Instagram account to register for Threads, all your Instagram followers will be imported, which takes away the manual labor of trying to find and connect with your existing networks.

Rather than starting from scratch, it feels more like continuing the conversation with your community on a different platform that feels fresh and fun.

2. Use links and affiliate networks to generate more traffic and sales

While you can’t create a hyperlink in an Instagram caption, you can when you compose a thread. Like most social media platforms, you can add a URL to your bio, but the biggest advantage of using Threads is you can also add a link to every single post.

This is great for ecommerce brands promoting a flash sale, new social initiative, or their Amazon store.

Ecommerce Tip

This is also great news for your affiliate network. Encourage influencers to use Threads to utilize their promo code in their posts and link back to your website for more traffic and engagement.

*[Example of how affiliates can utilize links in their Threads posts to drive traffic and sales back to your site]*

3. Build brand awareness through organic content and engagement

You now have up to 500 characters to show off your brand personality. High-resolution videos and images still need to be part of your content strategy, but Threads’ popularity rests more on timely quips than aesthetic photos. If you haven’t already made a list of popular accounts you want to interact with, make that part of your social media growth strategy.

Don’t be afraid to reply to a popular Thread post or start a discussion yourself. Since the platform is so new, people are eager to engage and participate in a new environment. Start a new thread and ask your followers for their opinion.

Haus of Planner, a digital stationery brand, polled its audience on when they start their weekly planning while featuring a crisp visual of their planner and merch.

*[Haus of Planner’s thread polls their audience on their preferences while promoting their digital products]*

4. Targeted online ads and robust analytics (in the future)

Although Threads hasn’t added a paid ad feature for businesses just yet, it’s worth thinking about what your latest Thread ad campaign could look like.

While Twitter has struggled with getting more advertisers on board for years and recently lost half its ad revenue, Threads’ main advantage is that it could be a targeted ad powerhouse since it will have full access to Meta’s Ads Manager.

Meta’s Ads Manager is one of the most attractive business tools—responsible for skyrocketing ecommerce sales. The robust ad tool can target potential customers by interests, location, and online behavior, along with more granular filters.

In the near future, social media managers could log into Ads Manager and create ad copy not just for Facebook and Instagram but for Threads campaigns as well.

Ads Manager’s robust analytics will also give you insights into what types of Threads audiences are engaging with and driving discussions.

5. Take advantage of the algorithm and use keywords

Joining Threads early will make you stand out from your competitors, but the content you put out there will also feed into their algorithm.

Establishing a solid track record of engaging with others, accelerating your follower count, and offering valuable content that people ~~retweet~~ thread is key. When Threads amps up its features, it will only grant you more visibility. Once a Threads feed is created in the future, you’ll want the algorithm to prioritize your content first.

Take the time to use keywords related to your business and products or services. Since the search functionality is currently limited to finding accounts rather than posts, try to find relevant keywords to add to your bio so it's easier for new accounts to discover you.

6. Direct messaging for private conversations (in the future)

Although Threads is built for public conversation, it can be a great networking tool as well.

While there is no private messaging feature (yet), this is on the to-do list for Threads. Direct messaging organizations or influencers with your queries will be easier than putting them on the spot with a public post.

Once this feature rolls out, it will be a great way to build your contact list and create organic partnerships. While messages can easily get lost in Instagram DMs, Threads is still new and private messages will be harder to miss.

How To Set Up Your Ecommerce Business’s Threads Profile

Starting a new Threads account is easy. You can install the app through Apple’s App Store (on Mac) or Google Play (if you use an Android device). Once you sign into your Instagram account, you can import your data directly to Threads.

If you don’t want your Threads bio to be identical to your Instagram bio, you have the option of customizing it a bit further. Head to the person icon on the bottom right-hand corner to edit the fields in your profile.

Here are some tips for creating a great profile:

Add some keywords related to your niche or industry in the name field.
In your bio, state what your account is about (a strong reason why people should follow you!), relevant contact information, and a call to action when promoting a link to your website, email newsletter, or other social accounts.
Use a link-in-bio tool like Linktree or Beacons.ai to create a URL to a single landing page if you have multiple links you want to promote in your bio.
Use a URL shortener to make your Thread post links easier to read and more concise so you are under the character limit.

Will Meta’s Threads Cause Twitter To Unravel?

Will Threads replace Twitter as the Internet’s water cooler? Will threading become our favorite pastime? While it’s still too early to tell if Threads will have a long-term impact on our social media habits, its record-breaking rise can’t be ignored by the public, its greatest rival, or your ecommerce business, for that matter.

If Meta can moderate content and roll out more user-friendly features quickly, there’s no telling how fast its new app can grow and eclipse Twitter’s active user base.

Start making the most of your threading experience by following the steps above to gain more visibility for your business.

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