Why Threads? Why knot?
Dad jokes, queer community, high engagement, and other reasons I'm enjoying the latest Metaverse app
by Liz Getman
As a social media manager, I have a love-hate relationship with the Metaverse. Actually, it’s more of an accept/tolerate-frustrate/resent relationship, but the newest Zuckerberg-Mosseri baby has upped my tolerance for Meta…for now anyway.
When people ask why I’m a proponent of Threads, my answers are usually one of the following:
It’s less racist, transphobic, misogynistic, and overall less hateful than Twitter/X.
It’s pretty unserious. Brands aren’t really selling anything. Coaches aren’t trying to convince people to buy their programs. People are simply sharing their pithiest, tongue-in-cheekiest thoughts. And mocking our shared social media addiction in the process.
It’s like Facebook in the early aughts or a Millennial’s version of TikTok. You might regret your posts in 20 years, but for now, they’re fun.
And, my personal favorite, the app is queer AF. According to LGBTQ Nation, queer and trans folks report feeling safer and more welcome on Threads than on Twitter/X. I can say the same.
Those closest to me grew tired of my “Are you on threads yet?” inquiries quickly. But that’s okay. Because I have new thriends now. Half kidding.
I understand not wanting to add another social platform. I understand taking a break from social media or quitting it altogether. I recently came back from a hiatus myself. So no judgment here.
But here’s why Rise is encouraging clients and fellow entrepreneurs to join Threads:
People are leaving Twitter/X en masse due to various reasons, including Musk’s decisions to move to monthly subscription fees, limit users’ tweets per day, and sell tweets to largely right-wing advertisers—all because the company is losing money and the Tesla CEO only cares about money.
This summer, Threads showed a higher average engagement rate than Twitter (0.45% vs. 0.02%). Our clients who have joined can attest to this, too.
Users can showcase their personality in a different, more humorous way than on Instagram and Facebook.
Instagram now features Threads posts on its timeline, so IG users are joining more easily and rapidly. I don’t particularly love this feature, as it’s a bit of an in-your-face Meta move, but it is increasing folks’ follower counts.
There’s now a desktop app, so social media managers don’t have to take up more space on their phones.
Threads isn’t paying me to write this. I’m not sponsored by Meta, nor would I ever want to be. But if you’re looking for an alternative to Twitter/X, and platforms like Mastodon or Blue Sky Social aren’t your thing, let’s be thriends.
Lots of dad jokes, puns, and queer-affirming posts await you.
