August 3, 2023 - As if there weren’t enough platforms to keep up with, Threads by Instagram recently took the social media world by storm on July 5, 2023.
On its first day alone, thirty million users signed up for Threads — making the Twitter (now known as X) rival surpass ChatGPT as the fastest-growing app in history.
As the app is still in its infancy, we have yet to see if it will become a success or a failure.
Before we get into how your agency may be able to utilize this platform, let’s take a look specifically at what sets Threads apart from the other platforms.
What’s the Deal with Threads?
Like X, Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) launched Threads as a digital space for people to engage in public conversations through text updates.
Although it’s tied to Instagram (users need an Instagram profile to create an account), its user interface is X more in a variety of ways.
The app features buttons to like, reply, repost or quote a post. Threads accounts can also be public or private.
Unlike X, users can create posts consisting of up to 500 characters and five minutes of video content, versus Tweets, which are limited to 280 characters of text and two minutes and 20 seconds of video content for non-paying users.
Still, Threads lacks other standard social media features, such as hashtags, trending stories, and direct messaging.
It’s important to note that Threads is still in its infancy, and the platform is working on several new missing features.
According to a Threads post by Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, the new social platform is currently working on several new improvements, including the capability to edit and view liked posts, a timeline that shows posts from followers, the ability to search for posts, hashtags, being able to view trending topics and improving the desktop app.
“Our focus right now is not engagement, which has been amazing, but getting past the initial peak and trough we see with every new product, and building new features, dialing in performance, and improving ranking,” Mosseri said in a July Threads post.
Since its launch, the app has well over 100 million users and has been adopted by some large insurance providers, including Geico and Progressive Insurance.
How to Use Threads for Your Insurance Business
While Threads currently doesn’t support paid advertising, there are plenty of opportunities for organic growth — especially while the platform is still in its early stages.
Let’s take a look at how you can get started with the new platform and some advice on using it to generate organic growth!
Learn How Threads Works
After you create your profile, take some time to introduce yourself on the app and look at how your audience and competition are communicating on Threads. Before you start talking about your business, ensure your bio has the necessary info for your agency and keywords related to your industry, connect with relevant followers and introduce yourself to your audience with an introductory post.
Offer Industry Insights
Being that Threads is primarily a text-based platform, this is an excellent opportunity to share your industry insights, including educational bits of advice and developments in the insurance industry. Doing this can increase engagement with your audience and help people better understand the insurance world.
Share Business Updates
Whether your agency offers new products, hosts an event, or offers new specials and discounts, consider sharing any new information regarding your company to reach a wider audience.
Add Media and Links When Possible
While there’s a greater emphasis on text-based content, you can add additional media, such as photos and videos, to your posts to better engage with your target audience. Also, don’t forget to add links to your website or any other relevant information whenever possible.
Is Threads Right for My Agency?
As part of being an insurance agent, part of your success falls upon embracing and adapting to new technology, including the latest developments in social media.
The insurance industry is built upon building close relationships with your customers and establishing a framework for attracting prospects, so being on Threads is another unique way to build upon your brand image.
And, of course, Threads will likely continue to grow and will add more features as time passes.
Whether or not it’ll be a “Twitter Killer,” time will tell.
A Marketing Agency That Understands Your Industry
When it comes to staying on top of the latest trends in digital marketing, Melon Local is always attentive to the latest developments in the marketing world — you can even find us on Threads!
If your insurance agency is looking for a marketing company that actually gets your industry, you can count on us to harvest fresh, quality leads!
From social media and reputation management to paid and organic search, schedule a demo today to learn more about how we can grow together!