What You Need To Know About Threads.

It’s finally happened. Three months ago, Meta announced it was coming. And, on Thursday July 6, 2023, Meta unveiled their version of a text-based platform, the new rival to Twitter.

When the launch happened, new users didn’t enter a sparse environment, but rather a celebrity and creator-filled space. Within 18 hours of launch, 30 million new users had amassed. As of writing this on Friday, July 7, it’s now closer to 55+ million users, with Threads as the top free app on Apple’s App Store and a top trending topic on Twitter.

Here is everything we know:

Threads is a new app from the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp – the main goal per Meta is that it is a place where people can have real-time conversations.

The platform looks a lot like Twitter, with a feed of largely text-based posts — although users can also post photos and videos. It is still early – but the lingo for describing the functions within Threads is taking shape – it doesn’t hurt when Meta provides a Threads dictionary to help.

So, to clarify:

• Threads will have a 500-character limit.

• Each discussion is called a thread – so you post a thread in the app

• A post is an individual element within a thread (though some people are also referring to this as ‘threading’ or ‘stitching’)

• A shared thread is called a repost – not a ‘re-thread’ or some other variation

• Sharing someone else’s post is a quote thread

• Offers the ability to share posts from Threads directly to Instagram Stories.

How to create an account:

Thread accounts can be listed as public or private. Note: Verified Instagram accounts are automatically verified on Threads as well.

Users sign up through their Instagram accounts and keep the same username, password and account name, although they can edit their bio to be unique to Threads. Users can also import the list of accounts they follow directly from Instagram, making it super easy to get up and running on the app.

But can you leave Threads?
While users can temporarily deactivate their profiles via the settings section on the app, the fine print says that “your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account.” Some users have also raised concerns about the amount of data that the Threads, like Instagram, can collect about users, including location, contacts, search history, browsing history, contact info and more, according to the Apple App Store.

Threads also include several features that make it a more engaging platform than Instagram's main app. Threads also includes a "Quick Share" feature that allows users to share photos and videos from their camera roll with their Close Friends list with just a few taps.

Threads allows users to post longer-form content in a series of tweets, which are only visible to their followers. This makes Threads a more intimate platform than Twitter, where all tweets are public by default. Threads also includes features for sharing photos and videos, polls, and questions.

Does my brand or small business need to be on Threads?

Why should brands consider using Threads? Brands should consider using Threads to connect with their most engaged followers on a more personal level. Threads can be a good way to share behind-the-scenes content, exclusive offers, and other information you don't regularly share with a broader audience. Threads can also be used to run contests and giveaways or collect customer feedback. Threads offers a number of advantages for brands, including:

• The ability to connect with a more intimate audience: Threads is a great way for brands to connect with their most engaged followers on a more personal level.

• The ability to share longer-form content: Threads allows brands to share more in-depth content with their audience, which can help to build trust and credibility.

• The ability to drive traffic to other channels: Threads can be used to promote other channels, such as a brand's website or blog.

Once on Threads, Brands should focus on creating content that is:

• Personal and relatable: Threads is a personal platform, so brands should focus on creating content that is relevant to their audience and that they can relate to.

• Visually appealing: Threads allows users to share photos and videos, so brands should make sure their content is visually appealing.

• Engaging: Brands should use polls, questions, and other interactive features to keep users engaged with their content.

And from a user behavior standpoint, brands can build relationships with their followers on Threads by:

• Responding to comments and questions: When users take the time to comment on or question a brand's content, it's important to respond promptly and thoughtfully.

• Sharing user-generated content: Brands can show their appreciation for their followers by sharing user-generated content on Threads.

• Running contests and giveaways: Contests and giveaways are a great way to engage followers and drive traffic to a brand's Threads.

Overall, Threads is a new and innovative social media platform that offers a number of advantages for brands. If you're looking for a way to connect with your most engaged followers on a more personal level, Threads is worth considering.

If you’re looking for more social media and influencer marketing news worth using, be sure to check out more of my writing. My covering my favorite social media tools to use, like GoCharlie.ai. and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog. 

Close Out July With The Social Media News You Can Use

Was it just me or did July go by very quickly? As we head into August, here is the latest social media news that you can use. This week, we’ll talk about Elon’s rebrand of Twitter into X, Zuckerberg reveals how Meta and its apps are faring, and TikTok is adding text to certain posts.

Once you’re caught up on the latest social media news in June, be sure to check out more of my writing, like covering my favorite social media tools to use, like GoCharlie.ai. and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog. 

Elon Rebrands Twitter to X 

Twitter owner Elon Musk announced that he is rebranding the company as X. The billionaire announced on Sunday that he wanted to "bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds." Musk said he crowdsourced the design and chose the letter X because it "represents the unknown and the potential." 

Musk's decision to rebrand Twitter is part of his plan to transform the company into an "everything app." He has said that he wants X to be a platform people can use for payments, news, and food orders. Musk's rebranding of Twitter has been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised the new logo and the company's new direction. Others have criticized the move, saying it is unnecessary and will alienate users.  

The best part, Meta received a trademark in 2019 for its own X logo to be used across a variety of internet-related services, including social networking and digital messaging. Grab the popcorn. 

And Zuckerberg Reveals Threads Is Struggling 

In an earnings call earlier this week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed to investors and employees how the company is faring. For several quarters now, Meta's revenue growth has slowed as the company faces increased competition from TikTok and other social media platforms.

In the second quarter, the company's advertising revenue, which accounts for the majority of its revenue, was down 4.1% year on year. And Meta's Threads debuted on July 5 and quickly gained 100 million users, according to Zuckerberg. However, several studies have found that engagement has declined since then. 

"We have a lot of work to do to really make Threads reach its full potential...Even if I believe we're off to a good start, that's not a predetermined conclusion just yet." He also stated that he is "optimistic" that Threads will become an excellent app in Meta's family of apps over time. The other four are Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and Whatsapp.  

TikTok Adds Text Posts To App

First it was Twitter (I mean, X), then Threads, and now TikTok is exploring text-focused posts. Text posts are now an option for users on everyone's favorite video app. Users can now create posts by selecting from photographs, videos, or text.

TikTok's text posts have a 1,000 character limit, but users may still add noises, location tags, stickers, and many of the other features they're used to. A text post looks quite similar to how Instagram Stories now look. And, just as with video content, other users can interact with your text content by stitching, dueting, and commenting. This text post addition comes shortly after the launch of Threads and the rebranding of Twitter to X. Learn more here.

Harness The Power Of Custom & Lookalike Audiences On Paid Social

Facebook Ads have emerged as an influential marketing tool, enabling businesses to efficiently engage their target audience and expand their reach. In this blog post, we will explore the ins and outs of leveraging Facebook Ads to maximize your marketing efforts. Additionally, we’ll delve into using Custom and Lookalike Audiences, offering valuable insights on refining your targeting strategies and connecting with a wider pool of potential customers.

By the end of this post, you will possess a thorough understanding of how to wield Facebook Ads to effectively reach and engage your target audience, bolstering your marketing endeavors.

Are you looking for more social media and influencer marketing news worth using? You can read more of my writing, covering my favorite social media tools to use, like GoCharlie.ai. and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog. 

Catch Attention With Facebook Ads!

Undoubtedly, Facebook has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. With over three billion users, Facebook has the ability to target ads specifically to people who are likely to be interested in what you have to say, or sell. Simply put, Facebook ads are a powerful way to reach your target audience and drive sales over time.

One of the key things you need to remember when advertising on Facebook is that it's all about understanding your target audience. By leveraging its large swaths of user data, and the power of using artificial intelligence (AI), Facebook is able to predict user behavior even before they're ready to buy your product. This makes it great for the discovery phase, as you can zero in on users who may be interested in what you offer without them knowing much about your brand.

Another essential thing to remember when advertising on Facebook is that simplicity is key. You want your ad campaign to be simple enough for users to understand and interact with. Stick with boosted ads and simple headlines that are easy for users to read and understand. And finally, make use of engaging content – both static images and videos – in order to attract attention and compel users into taking action through your ad campaign. With these simple tips, you'll be working towards maximizing your reach on Facebook Ads!

Reaching Your Target Audience

But how do you reach these people? One powerful way is through advertising. With Facebook ads, you can target your audience based on a variety of factors, including custom and lookalike audiences.

Custom audiences allow you to target people with specific characteristics that match those of your own customers. For example, if you sell fitness-related products, you could create a custom audience that only includes physically active people. This would give you a more targeted pool of users from which to advertise your products or services to.

Lookalike audiences can also be very helpful in reaching your target audience. For example, let's say that you're selling lawnmowers online. You might create a lookalike audience comprised of people in the area who have lawnmowers similar to the one you're selling – in size, color, and features. This would give you an even broader reach for your ad campaign without expanding too much into territory that isn't relevant to your product or business.

Facebook ads are an extremely cost-effective way for businesses of all sizes to reach their target market. By using custom and lookalike audiences efficiently, you'll be able to reduce wasted advertising dollars while still reaching as many potential customers as possible!

In A Nutshell

Facebook Ads are a powerful tool for businesses to reach their target audiences and promote their products and services. By utilizing custom and lookalike audiences, businesses can create ads specifically tailored to the demographic they want to reach, boosting the effectiveness of their campaigns. With the right strategy, Facebook Ads can be an invaluable tool for growing your business. So take action now and start leveraging Facebook Ads for maximum success!

If you’re looking for more tips on social media, both organic and paid, you should check out my blog.

The Latest Social Media And Influencer Marketing News In July

The second half of the year is in full swing and I am not looking forward to when this warmer weather we’re having in Chicago goes away. Until then, I’m going to try to enjoy every moment. This week, we’re talking about how the SAG-AFTRA strike will affect influencers, how Meta is helping brands and content creators with Reels, and four key social media trends for the second half of the year.

But before you dig-in, you can read more of my writing, like covering my favorite social media tools to use, like GoCharlie.ai. and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog. 

SAG-AFTRA Says Influencers Are Part of The Strike 

If you've been following the latest strike affecting the entire entertainment industry, prepare for it to involve some brands and marketers. When SAG-AFTRA went on strike on July 19 to secure better pay and working conditions for its members, consumers' immediate impacts were clear.   

But this strike also affects influencers who work with brands that are members of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), such as Disney, Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon. Influencers who are not part of SAG-AFTRA but "perform covered work or services for a struck company during the strike" will not be eligible for future membership in the union.  

 For those who are curious, some of the guidelines that influencers should follow include the following: 

• Not promoting screenings or content produced by struck companies. 

• Not working with brands that are members of the AMPTP on new projects. 

• Fulfilling existing contractual obligations with struck companies but not accepting new contracts. 

Get Inspired with Improved Instagram Reels Templates 

Do you or your team require assistance in splicing together your Reels? I've previously discussed the new editing tools for Instagram Reels. Instagram has now released new Reels templates and a dedicated browser that leans into the creative insights of high-performing Reels. 

Users can look for templates in categories such as "Recommended," "Trending," and Reels they've previously saved. This new browser provides a single hub for producers to explore templates, create video content, and stay on top of major trends. The templates browser can be accessed by selecting the camera symbol in the Reels tab. 

4 Key Trends for Social Media in the Second Half of 2023 

Want to know what social media experts believe will be the secret to effective social postings in the second half of the year? According to Social Media Today, four crucial elements must be met. According to Social Media Today, there are four key trends to focus on for the second half of the year: 

• The Fundamentals:  It is critical to follow best practices for each social platform and guarantee that you are reaching your target audiences where they are. Regardless of the latest developments, these best practices will likely remain consistent in social media. Thus, it's crucial to stay up to date on them. 

• New Trends: Once you've mastered the foundations, you may incorporate the most recent trends. Keeping up with the latest trends keeps your brand fresh and interesting to all audiences. Trends encompass the types of postings brands should lean into and the platforms that brands can use (such as Threads). 

• AI: Of course, AI will continue to be a focus of marketers in 2023. Remembering this while using AI to generate new social media content is critical. It will be valuable to us as social media professionals and intriguing to observe how social networks adopt AI into their platforms, such as Instagram's new AI chatbot. 

• Video: This should come as no surprise, yet video content continues to dominate social media platforms. After introducing Reels, Instagram reported a significant rise in engagement, and TikTok continues to see increased engagement and reach. 

Until next time!

How To Gain Success With Influencer Marketing

Are you looking to increase your brand's awareness and drive more sales with influencer marketing? Then you have come to the right place! In this blog post, we will discuss the keys to gaining success with influencer marketing. From building relationships through gifting to using follower overlap to reach a wider audience, we will cover everything you need to know to maximize your influence with influencer marketing. We will also cover topics such as content creation, networking, and ad whitelisting. By the end of this blog, you will be an influencer marketing master!

Unlocking Your Potential With Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is one of the most powerful marketing strategies that businesses can employ. It can help to drive traffic to your website, boost sales, and build a strong relationship with your target audience. However, it's vital to use influencer marketing wisely in order to maximize the impact of your marketing efforts. This blog post will outline the key factors you should focus on when selecting an influencer.

First, make sure your brand stays top of mind with potential influencers by consistently reaching out to more influencers than you will likely partner with within a given year. This doesn't mean you should spam them via Direct Messages on their preferred platform. Instead, send them a carefully crafted email introducing yourself, your business and explaining why you think they would be a good fit for your upcoming campaign. Ensure that the influencers you contact are relevant to your target audience and the markets where you operate. The last thing you want to do is partner with an influencer who doesn’t live where your products are available.

Also, be sure to consider the relevance of the influencer's content. Make sure that the content they are posting, both their organic and sponsored content is interesting and would be valuable for your target audience. Finally, ensure that the relationship between you and the influencer is positive – don't request favors or pull invasive tactics to get positive feedback from them. Instead, focus on building a lasting relationship based on trust and mutual respect.

Building Relationships Through Gifting

Influencer marketing is booming and for a good reason. By partnering with individuals who have an authoritative voice in niches most important to your business, you can reach a large audience quickly and easily. However, building a successful influencer campaign requires more than just targeting popular bloggers or influencers to work with. Relationships are key in influencer marketing, and gifting campaigns are a great way to build them.

If you aren’t ready to partner with influencers in an official capacity, you can try a surprise and delight” opportunity, where you can send them a sample of your products as gifts that they can use in their own content. This way, you and the influencer benefit from the relationship – the influencer gets valuable gifts that if it ever is featured, helps promote your products. In contrast, you get exposure for your product without spending money on advertising. This is an effective strategy for both parties involved, as it allows you to understand how your product fares with influencers and potentially their following.

Improve Your Paid Advertising Efforts With Influencer Whitelisting

Influencer marketing is one of the most popular marketing strategies for brands today and for a good reason. Influencers have a large following and are typically very engaged with their followers. When you partner with an influencer, you gain access to their large following and can run ads through them. This allows you to reach a wide range of people who might be interested in your business or products.

One of the biggest benefits of whitelisting an influencer is that it allows you to target your ads specifically to their followers. This means that you're not wasting your money on ads that no one will see, and it also means that your ad will be more likely to be seen by people who are interested in what the influencer has to say. Additionally, whitelisting an influencer allows you to target cold audiences and lookalikes – those who look similar but may not be followers of the influencer. This is a great way to reach new people interested in what the influencer has to say.

Finally, whitelisting an influencer can help grow your relationship with them over time by exposing them to new audiences with your ad campaigns. By working with the same influencers on a more consistent basis, they'll begin to trust your brand more and be more likely to post sponsored content on their social media page in the future – which means more money for you!

In Summary

Influencer marketing is one of the most powerful tools for businesses to reach their target audience and in time, generate conversions. By understanding the basics of influencer marketing and taking advantage of its potential, businesses can maximize their reach and see actual results from influencers. With the right strategy in place, brands can benefit from increased engagement and conversions through influencer marketing. So, if you are ready to unlock your potential with influencer marketing, now is the time to get started!

If you’re looking for more social media and influencer marketing news worth using, be sure to check out more of my writing. My covering my favorite social media tools to use, like GoCharlie.ai. and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog. 

Social Media News For You In July

With the weekend coming to a close, I have the next installment of social media news you can use in July. This week, we’ll take look at the latest updates regarding Threads, Twitter’s latest move to court content creators and influencers, and Meta making updating its collaboration feature to promote influencers.

Before you dig-in, you can read more of my writing, like covering my favorite social media tools to use, like GoCharlie.ai. and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog. 

Threads Reaches 100 Million Users

We recently discussed Meta's new Threads app last week, a Twitter replacement that connects to Instagram. We're excited to announce that Threads has become the fastest-growing app of all time, and has now received over 100 million downloads (and 70 million within less than two days after launch). Here are some quick facts about the newest app from Meta: 

• Threads beat out ChatGPT for the fasting-growing mobile app, and an improved search function is coming to Threads, with active hashtags on the platform.

• Meta hopes to move the focus away from controversial news and politics and toward pleasant human relationships. 

• There are also plans for a separate "following" feed, similar to how Twitter is set up, so users can find content from those they follow.  

• It's unlikely that Threads with have in-app Direct Messaging capabilities as Meta is currently working to integrate its messaging tools into a single platform. 

• Users are currently unable to delete the Threads app without deleting their connected IG account; they can only deactivate Threads at this time. 

 Twitter Start Sharing Ad Revenue With Creators

Twitter has begun paying creators with large audiences, with some creators reporting earning tens of thousands of dollars. The move comes as Twitter faces increasing competition from Meta's Threads app, which has seen rapid growth in the past month. 

The revenue-sharing program is part of Twitter's efforts to attract and retain top creators. The company has said it will pay creators a percentage of the revenue generated from ads appearing on their tweets. The amount of revenue a creator earns will depend on several factors, including the size of their audience and the engagement of their tweets. 

Launching the revenue-sharing program is a significant step for Twitter, as it marks the first time that the company has directly compensated creators for their content. The move is likely to be welcomed by creators, who have long called for Twitter to do more to support them. 

Instagram Update Allows Three Collaborators on Influencer Posts

Instagram's Collaborative Posts feature debuted in 2021, letting users share credit for a post/reel with one other account so that both names appear on the post. Instagram now allows up to three collaborators posts and reels in their feed. 

Instagram hopes that increasing the amount of collaborators you can add would enhance interaction levels across posts and assist broaden a user's audience by putting their name out there more.  

Because of the restrictions surrounding influencer marketing and the disclosures, influencers must put on their posts, sponsored relationships must use the sponsored Paid Partnership Label process rather than the collaborator feature. 

Until next time!