The Youth Lab

EARLY SUCCESS

In its first week, Threads has already achieved unquestionable early success, reaching those 100 million new users at a quicker pace than either Chat GPT and TikTok did. This early adoption has been propelled mostly by organic demand but also facilitated by Meta’s own slick rollout, sending would-be users notifications on Instagram and pre-populating their feeds with content and followers. And while early data has suggested that users are spending considerably less time on Threads compared to Instagram and Twitter, the app has already succeeded in attracting major global brands to join, something which other social rivals such as Mastodon and Bluesky have found challenging. Big brands like Netflix, Ryanair and McDonald’s have all been attracting huge organic engagement on Threads already, a factor which could influence other brands to spend money there, as and when Meta eventually opens advertising on the platform.

Word from Mark Zuckerberg is that Meta won’t introduce ads on the platform until user figures reach 1 billion but the company has already begun to work on branded content tools for the service. And according to financial outlet Bloomberg, Threads could add up to $8 billion in extra annual revenue for Meta by 2025.

THE STRATEGY SCRAMBLE

A brand’s life on social platforms is entirely dependent on the way in which users engage on each individual site. Tiktok is known for its lo-fi space, where brands can create trending content that fits a specific Gen-Z style humour, the goal is to make it feel fitting to the already incredibly tailored feed. Twitter has been a reactive space for brands, as well as being an important part of breaking news and announcements. Threads is still finding its feet with users, with brands currently at a loss for how to effectively post.

“A couple days after launch, I noticed some publishers were already adopting their standard strategies from other platforms to Threads, and even as a user, I found it quite irritating this early on, as it felt like being bombarded when everyone is still just trying to have fun there” Rebecca Tyrell, Instagram & TikTok Lead, LADBible.

So where is it going? An immediate assumption has been a similar tone of voice from brands to what we’ve seen on Twitter, however Zuckerburg has made his intentions clear as to how the space will differ from its competition (in that its goal is to create a positive space for community). We’ve noticed a few brands directly recycling old Twitter formats, and immediately being hit with criticism from users. The important takeaway at the moment, is to let the app become what it will, and adapt with it, rather than spoil the fun by injecting the expected “Intern TOV”.

Check out this thread from THINKHOUSE client Jameson this week (see image below) to launch their profile on the site. Sometimes the right strategy is to just have fun, and show up the way your community wants you to.

JOURNEY TO THE EU

As if becoming the fastest growing app of all time wasn’t impressive enough it has done so without access to the 448 million people who live within the European Union. The app has been held up by what Meta spokesperson Christine Pai described to The Verge as “upcoming regulatory uncertainty.”

This is widely believed to be as a result of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The European Commission explains the need for this legislation: Some large online platforms act as "gatekeepers" in digital markets. The Digital Markets Act aims to ensure that these platforms behave in a fair way online. Together with the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act is one of the centrepieces of the European digital strategy.

So where does Threads fall afoul of this? Threads in and of itself does not breach the DMA, however users must have an Instagram account and use the same username to access the new App. The issue is the DMA partly exists to prevent ‘gatekeepers’ from providing more favourable treatment for their own products on its own platforms over that of its competitors. This is called “self-preferencing”, and is akin to Amazon ranking its own products above competitors in search results.

Where to next?

“There are no indications as to how quickly this will be resolved. But given the meteoric rise of Threads elsewhere in the world META will be eager to grab a foothold in the large, wealthy, digitally active EU market sooner rather than later. There is every chance that they may launch a modified version of Threads which does not use existing user data from their other platforms WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram to drive sign ups to Threads. This would likely slow but certainly would not stop their expansion into this extremely profitable market.” Donagh Humphreys, Head of Social & Digital Innovation

While young people are generally accepted to be more savvy around digital privacy, they are also less likely to be worried about how tech companies utilise their personal data. If the rise of TikTok among younger generations has taught us anything it's that users will flock to where the hype is.

THE TWITTER TAKEOVER

Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter in October 2022, it’s been predicted Twitter will lose 32 million followers in the next two years. In particular, Musk’s recent decision to limit the amount of tweets a user can see each day, is rumoured to have sped up Threads launch by Meta. As such, Threads couldn’t have come at a better time, as users are still keen to enjoy the experience of a conversation focused social app and many of the original positive things associated with Twitter, such as its ‘blue tick’ system of verification. Looking to the future, the rivalry between the two platforms is likely to rumble on, even reaching peak ridiculous with Musk challenging Zuckerberg to a cage fight!

BRAND TAKEOUTS

Know your platforms: There’s no need to risk coming across out-of-touch with your audiences. The growth of threads will only be heightened by the use of proper strategy on the platform, rather than leaping head first without first assessing the tone and use of the platform.

Multi-Channel Approaches: The fall of Twitter has showcased the fragility of the social landscape. We can’t protect our favourite sites from being bought out, or predict bold, ill-thought decisions from their current owners. Take Reddit’s recent black-out as an example, which caused the platform to shut down all advertising for a week. Twitter’s downfall has been slow, and there’s no guarantee that it’s permanent, but brands can keep their processes safe by considering multi-channel approaches. If you can find your market in different platforms, it’s always worth maintaining a presence on them, and keeping your communities alive across socials.

NEWS FROM THINKHOUSE

Creative Ireland Funding Celebrations: Today it was announced that THINKHOUSE is one of the 43 recipients of the Creative Climate Action Fund II. Working with Purpose Disruptors, we’ll be developing ‘GoodLife Ireland 2030’ (inspired by the GoodLife2030 project), to create alternative visions of the future. Watch this space!

Third Edition of Change In Progress: published today, the latest edition of our series with AdWorld addresses the business of biodiversity. In it, we explore how business is looking to fix its disconnect with nature, and tips for how marketers can help. Read here.

More Twitter Analysis: We looked at the early stages of the Twitter Succession line last month, breaking down the recent history that has led to the want to replace the app.