How PR Professionals Can Weave Threads into their PR Strategy

October 17, 2023

Did you know 55% of the world’s population uses social media?

It has consumed our everyday lives. The average person spends over two hours a day scrolling through social media platforms, viewing diverse styles of media. These types of media, consisting of videos, pictures, and text-based discussions, allow brands to share their content and messages worldwide, engage with their followers and advertise their products. The emergence of the new social media platform, Threads, introduces PR practitioners to another opportunity to connect directly with consumers.

A creation from Meta, Threads was launched in July of 2023 and was instantly a hit among social media users. Within its first four hours of hitting the app store, Threads had  (about the population of Texas!), primarily consisting of well-known celebrities and brands. Like X, formerly known as Twitter, Threads is a text-based app consisting of conversation threads for users to create an environment, “where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow. Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions, and creativity with the world.”

While Threads may seem like just another social media platform, the app offers an array of public relations opportunities to take advantage of. The basic principle of Threads is to engage in a deeper connection than other apps provide, with an emphasis on connecting users with similar interests. This app will give PR agencies, and the companies they represent, the opportunity to become naturally acquainted with their audiences, rather than focusing on traditional advertising and marketing tactics.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent, online conversations can feel less authentic than face-to-face interactions. Fortunately, Threads allows PR professionals to get to know their target audiences on a more personal level. A company can post a “thread” and start a conversation with consumers directly; users can discuss their wants or needs, enabling brands to better understand the consumer and engage in authentic conversations to deepen consumers’ affinity for the product.

Furthermore, brands or PR firms can post updates, share new products or partnerships and receive feedback from their followers. Instagram comments can get overwhelming and even lost, and X threads can become vicious. Threads is the perfect gateway to improve reputations, build relationships, and learn from the public. Meta’s cross-platform sharing feature allows content posted on one Meta platform to reach all Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Threads), increasing a post’s reach with the click of a button. This feature is an easy way to increase brand awareness and can even bring in new clients.

Due to the infancy of the app, there are still many updates to come, hopefully providing PR practitioners (and their clients!) with more opportunities to thrive as Threads grows in popularity. It is rumored that Threads could develop features like hashtags and language translations or allow users to have multiple accounts, rather than just having Threads linked to their Instagram. Currently, Threads can be an important part of a PR strategy and a fresh way to engage new audiences. Although the future of the app is unknown, Threads could change the outlook of public relations and the way that brands connect with their audiences, which is why it’s worth a second look.

P.S. Follow Impact PR & Communications on Threads!