Like many writers, you may be wondering if you should hop on the bandwagon of Threads, the latest social media trend. Designed to prevent unwanted ads, trolls, and bots, the Threads app launch broke records when it was introduced. But is it the right place for you and other writers? The social media experts at Web Design Relief have been monitoring Threads to learn what writers should know before signing up.

What Writers Should Know About Threads Social Media

Threads is a new social media platform from the creative minds at Meta, particularly the Instagram team. While it allows users to share photos and videos, its primary focus is on text posts and engaging in real-time conversations. Threads has been described as a kinder, gentler, more “grown-up” alternative to Twitter, but without the hashtags.

Launched on July 5, 2023, Threads is a very new platform, especially when compared to Facebook and its 2004 formation. It’s still a bit early to tell whether it will have the staying power and userbase of its competitors. However, there are certain factors that point toward Threads becoming a must-have social media platform for writers:

Easy To Set Up 

Threads requires an Instagram account, and you need to download a separate Threads app—but it’s easy sailing from that point on. The Threads app allows you to transfer your username, bio, profile picture, and even your followers from your Instagram account with one easy tap. This gives you an established audience and makes those cumbersome, initial setup steps a breeze—so you can spend less time dealing with tech and more time focusing on your writing.

Popular And Still Growing

Less than one day after launch, Threads gained 30 million users, and 100 million signed up within five days. By comparison, it took TikTok nine months to reach 100 million users. Threads’ large userbase opens up a whole new world for writers who want to connect with their readers, their fan base, or others in the writing community.

Threads still has a way to go before catching up with Twitter, which has around 450 million users even after its “X” rebranding. But the fact that it’s in the early stages of development and use can work in your favor—your posts won’t get lost in a sea of competing online content. Joining Threads now will allow you to set up a successful author platform and build a larger following over time.

Text Based

As writers, we tend to excel at social media platforms that highlight the ability to create and share words, as opposed to the image-forward Instagram or video juggernaut YouTube. Plus, Threads allows for posts of up to 500 characters—a sizable bump up from Twitter’s 280-character limit. You can also filter out any trigger words, emojis, and topics from your Threads feed.

Engagement Is Encouraged

While users spend their time on most social media platforms endlessly scrolling and occasionally liking a post or leaving a brief comment, Threads encourages discussion and community. Per their mission statement, Threads is meant for “creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas.” For writers, this is an ideal way to promote your work and join meaningful conversations about the writing process. And the interactions on Threads come without the security breaches, fringe group fighting, or dishonest manipulation that’s often seen on other platforms like Twitter/X.

Threads Features Currently Include:

• Quick follow: Allows users to follow accounts they see in their feed without navigating to their profile;
• Reply controls: Lets users determine who can engage with a specific post: Anyone, Profiles you follow, and Mentioned only;
• Mute profiles: For any Threads account you’d like to mute;
• Share: Users can easily share Threads to their Instagram Story or grid; and
• Choose between two feed options: For You, which displays posts from followed accounts and recommended profiles; or Following, which displays posts only from the profiles you follow.

Though still in its early days, Threads is definitely worth a try. It’s easy to set up an account, and you’ll be able to make connections and promote your writing on a new platform.

Of course, every writer should have an author website to act as a hub for all your information and your social media platforms. The design experts at Web Design Relief can help you build an author website that suits your style, genre, and budget. Schedule a free consultation today!

Question: What is your favorite Threads feature?