Threads: Fleeting Trend or Enduring Force?

– By Lívia Gammardella, Communication Strategist and Social Media Planner at Latam Intersect PR

On the day of ‘Threads’ debut, what we saw was a bunch of excited people creating their accounts (30 million users in less than 24 hours), just like they did during the launch of other social networks like Be Real, Clubhouse, and Koo. Yes, we are witnessing the pure “hype” around the launch of the new social network by the giant Meta. On the other hand, there are plenty of memes swearing that this is the next internet “flop,” complaining, for example, that deleting the Threads account would also delete Instagram, highlighting the abusive use of cookies and other issues.

But the truth is, there isn’t enough active time to conclude whether this new social network would be effective and widely used in the long run. However, there are many interesting points we should pay attention to:

• The whole problem with Twitter is that users have been searching for a robust platform like the controversial Elon Musk’s for a while now.
• The strange change that Instagram is making to get closer to TikTok: first, they wanted to compete and become a video app, then they stopped prioritizing those formats. Now, they create a network like Twitter, which is very different from TikTok, as if they had switched their new target of war because the other one is becoming much more than just a fun app and even competes with Google as a search engine.
• The way to find the Threads app within Instagram is quite innovative and draws attention to the fact that they will put all the force they can into it.
• The size and influence that Instagram and other Meta apps have worldwide make me believe that they are strong enough to take down Twitter.
• For businesses, I think it can be interesting to enter Threads now to “ride the wave” of hype, but without great expectations that there will still be active users in the coming months.

About Lívia Gammardella: Lívia Gammardella, 25, is currently responsible for generating and strategically developing multichannel communication campaigns for Latam Intersect PR clients, as well as leading the digital team.

Based on social listening, insights, data, and trends, she has implemented strategies for clients such as Yango, Maple Bear, and Human Rights Watch, defining positioning, narratives, tone of voice, motivators, objectives, target audiences, and which Latin American territories to explore.

In addition to campaign work, Lívia also manages a creative team to implement the outlined strategies, as well as overseeing community management and post performance to further refine the team’s strategic approach. She has designed, organized, and executed campaigns for clients from various sectors, such as technology, finance, metaverse, gaming, chatbots, mobile, and food, adapting different narratives to their appropriate platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) and target audiences (B2B and B2C).