Frictionless process is Meta’s trump card: new Threads users simply sign up through their existing Instagram accounts, which lets them immediately connect with the content feeds and audiences they’ve built there.

Threads users are still discovering and establishing the vibe of the platform. Savvy brands are blending in with playful, irreverent posts that spark one-on-one conversations about scrambling to figure out this new space. Take Wendy’s trying to name Threads posts, TikTok’s comment on the mercurial nature of social media right now, or Instacart dryly exposing how brand feuds drive traffic.

Brands are being rewarded for jumping on board with responsive followers engaging in conversation. According to Instagram head Adam Mosseri, offering an “alternative space for public conversation” is Threads’ purpose driver. These conversations are supported by Meta’s existing moderation guidelines for handling harmful content – a distinct advantage over Twitter, where the devolution of moderation has enabled a doubling of the volume of hate speech in the months following Elon Musk’s takeover (USC, 2023).

The early days on Threads have been marked by benevolent jokes, frank conversations and shared attempts to create new communities on a blank canvas. If brands can maintain some of that energy and focus on active conversations involving the everyday user – as opposed to pushing pre-crafted messaging – Threads could become a powerful engagement tool set apart from the otherwise increasingly broadcasting-orientated social media landscape.

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Threads Re-Activates Brand-Positive Social Space