In possibly the largest party crash of the year, Mark Zuckerberg and Meta dropped their own spin on Twitter, called Threads, on Wednesday night to thunderous reaction. Since then, tens of millions have jumped onto the new social platform after widespread malaise with how Elon Musk has handled Twitter after taking over the app.
With Threads being the talk of the town, many companies, stations, and talent understandably have questions and curiosity. Radio Ink talked with Lori Lewis, one of radio’s most renowned social media leaders and founder of Lori Lewis Media, about the new app on the block and what it could mean for the industry.
Radio Ink: Can you give us a basic rundown of Threads and how the platform operates?
Lori Lewis: You have to have an Instagram account as Threads is powered by Instagram. So, right now it’s basically one app you can toggle back and forth on. But you need to download the app. It’s an easy find in the App Store as it’s titled “Threads powered by Instagram.”
Reading between the lines of all Mark Zuckerberg (Meta/CEO) and Adam Mosseri (Head of Instagram) have shared, it sounds like they’d like Threads to be about conversation, sharing thoughts; having a discussion.
Radio Ink: So if it’s all about conversation, what are the key features and functionalities of Threads that make it an attractive platform for radio stations and social media engagement?
Lori Lewis: You can build a following quicker than starting from scratch since you can auto-follow all of your followers from Instagram onto Threads. So, there’s that where you’ll get some instant followers.
The functionalities are the same as Twitter without a few features that will roll out in time. No hashtags or “followers only” feed. But, I like that Threads rolled out with more of a “For You Page” feed.
What that means is it’s similar to TikTok’s “FYP” where you get a blend of people you follow and those you haven’t yet discovered. It gives radio a little extra boost in discovery. So, long as the content is entertaining, encouraging, or empowering – radio has the opportunity to jump on Threads the same as any other brand is doing now for awareness.
Radio Ink: Threads has certainly made a dramatic entrance with more than 40 million users since Wednesday. How do you see the immediate impact of Threads affecting the social media landscape, particularly about radio stations and their online presence? Do stations need to be early adopters?
Lori Lewis: Radio doesn’t need to be an early adopter of Threads, but it does need a plan and show up soon. A plan is what’s missing with most brands today. How to be clever and create content people didn’t know they needed. Just showing up with “I’m here” makes people feel nothing. Match the same energy you produce every day on-air, and on social media.
Radio Ink: We’ve seen a lot of audio-based social platforms rise and fall since COVID like Clubhouse and Spotify Live. Video is hot right now with reels – does short-form text stand a long-term chance? Are audiences burnt out on another social app, and prone to just stick with what they know?
Lori Lewis: Building a long-standing social media platform is hard. Just think about what people call the “Social Graveyard.” Clubhouse (as you mentioned), Vine, BeReal, Meerkat, MySpace, Google Plus, Friendster, YikYak, etc…
It never hurts to jump on emerging platforms because you should be learning something with every app you try. Vine users learned how to be clever in 6 seconds and took that skill over to TikTok.
I’m sure there’s a larger percentage burnt out on another platform – and that’s where the greater brands eat the weak. No matter what, when you’re not where the audience is, you’re permitting them to form loyalties elsewhere. It doesn’t mean you have to show up every day – but you have to show up and be worth it.
Radio Ink: Twitter has been biggest for the talk format, both sports and news. Most other formats don’t have much luck. Do you see Threads making inroads into short-form text for other genres because of its ties to other Meta platforms or for other reasons?
Lori Lewis: Because of Threads’ tie to Instagram – there may be topics beyond sports & news for radio. I feel like hyper-local is the key. You’re not going to “own” country music and artist news – too many bigger outlets own that. But you can own conversations about what’s unique, fun, and only in your market. We’ll see. It’s early. Let’s talk again in three months!
