How to boost your marketing game using Threads (Meta’s Twitter rival)

When Instagram released Threads in July of 2023 as a competing platform to X (previously Twitter), I’ll admit that I was unconvinced it would make a splash. But here we stand in 2025: Threads has surpassed TikTok and Instagram in the social apps category in Apple’s App Store. Not everyone’s using it, but those who do say it’s a digital marketing powerhouse.

Post-launch, Threads quickly gained traction as one of the fastest-growing social platforms in 2023. While the initial buzz may have faded, Threads still remains an untapped goldmine for marketers looking to elevate their social media strategy.

Threads content is a real contender for your attention in 2025. It’s blown skeptics (like me) out of the water. Let’s look at how to get started on the platform, examples of successful posts, and tips from marketers on how to develop your Threads strategy.

Table of Contents

• Overview of Instagram Threads
• How to Set Up a Threads Account
• How to Use Threads
• 5 Threads Tips From Marketers (+ Examples)
• Brands to Follow on Threads

Overview of Instagram Threads

Threads allows brands to connect, curate, and quickly share content. It gained popularity rapidly — due in part to its focus on providing a simplistic, casual approach to social media.

With its intuitive user interface and seamless integration with Instagram, Threads became a popular platform for brands across industries.

Source

Threads Statistics

Let’s take a look at Threads by the numbers.

• Explosive growth. Threads exploded with 100 million users within its first week. This feat made it the fastest-growing social media platform ever. By the end of 2024, Threads had 100 million active users per day.
• Monthly active users. By the end of 2024, Threads had 275 million monthly users.
• Compared to X. In 2024, X had 335.7 million monthly active users.
• Revenue. The estimated revenue in 2025 is $8 billion. In 2026, its estimated revenue is $113 billion.

Here’s what marketers said about Threads in our 2025 Marketing Trends survey:

• Marketing ROI. 3.5% of marketers reported that Threads had the biggest ROI in 2024.
• Activity. 8.3% of marketers reported that they leverage Threads in their marketing strategy.
• Investment. 20.3% of marketers reported that they plan to increase their investment in Threads in 2025.
• Jumping in. 7.9% of marketers reported that they would leverage Threads for the first time in 2025.

And if you're curious, here's how Threads stacks up against Meta's other channels — all according to over 1,000 marketing pros. 

Are you one of those marketers diving into Threads for the first time this year? The water’s warm — here’s how to get started.

How to Set Up a Threads Account

Setting up a Threads account is a pretty straightforward process for seasoned social media users. Here are the steps to follow.

1. Download and install the app.

Start by downloading the Threads app from the App Store (for iOS) or Google Play Store (for Android). Once downloaded, install the app on your mobile device.

Source

2. Connect your Instagram account.

Launch the Threads app and sign in using your existing Instagram account credentials.

Since Threads was created by Instagram, the integration is seamless. And if you have multiple Instagram accounts, you can create a separate Threads account for each one.

Source

3. Customize your account.

Once you’re signed in, take a moment to personalize your Threads account.

I recommend adding a profile picture, populating your bio, and selecting a username that aligns with your brand or personal identity. You can also choose to link other social media accounts to enhance cross-platform engagement.

Source

4. Begin sharing and engaging.

With your Threads account set up, it’s time for my favorite part: Start sharing compelling content and engaging with your followers.

You can create your own thread or actively participate in conversations to foster stronger connections and drive meaningful interactions.

Source

How to Use Threads

One of the reasons I love Threads is that when it comes to posting, marketers truly have full liberty in defining what engaging and compelling content — that resonates with their audience — looks and sounds like.

Pro tip: Have content that isn’t quite right for Instagram or Facebook? Consider Threads as your new (unfiltered) best friend. Funny content, pop culture references, and other casual content fits well.

I think Threads has proven itself to be a platform that is safe for marketers to leverage casual content and tone as a marketing touchpoint strategy.

What to Post on Threads

Whether it’s sharing a brand-related meme, referencing a trending pop culture moment, or showing love for an upcoming brand partnership, you can use Threads to build authenticity and foster a sense of transparency with your audience.

Like this example from beauty brand, Glossier:

Source

Threads can help you promote newly-launched products, product lines, or services like never before. By sharing exciting new products or product updates with your followers, you can:

• Create a sense of anticipation.
• Immediately assess customer interest in products.
• Interact with customers and obtain feedback in seconds.

Just like Target did in the example below:

Source

I enjoy it when marketers initiate Q&A sessions, solicit feedback, or simply start meaningful discussions to create a sense of community and encourage audience participation.

This not only helps in building personal connections, but it also provides valuable insights that can guide future marketing strategies.

Here’s an example from Starbucks I love:

Source

5 Threads Tips From Marketers (+ Examples)

I have some ideas and examples of great Threads marketing from founders, marketers, and social media managers for you. I hope these insights steer your Threads marketing strategy.

1. Post content that invites discussion.

Posting content that invites discussion has been fruitful for Jen Ruiz’s Threads strategy. Jen Ruiz is an author and founder of Jen on a Jet Plane, and she’s created viral Threads posts in the travel niche. She compares the Threads algorithm to the TikTok algorithm in 2020 — global reach and the ability to get millions of views without followers.

“Certain topics for me in the travel niche (like tipping, safety, and air travel advice), always tend to go viral because they invite a lot of discussion.”

Source

As a user, I love reading these posts and their comments. The discussion from users makes you feel like you’re sitting at a round table instead of listening to someone talk into a megaphone. Here are some ideas for Threads posts that invite discussion:

• Common misconception in your industry.
• Unpopular opinions.
• Hot takes.

2. Join other people’s conversations.

Threads isn’t a monologue; it’s a dialogue. Beyond just creating engaging content, you should be engaging with others as well.

“Brands that win on Threads don’t just post, they participate,” shared Sasha Berson, co-founder of Grow Law Firm, a marketing company for law firms.

“Think of it more like a group chat than a content platform. Jump into relevant convos, ask questions, and reply like a human, not a PR team,” shared Berson. “Engagement drives reach on Threads right now way more than polish does.”

3. Keep it conversational.

Threads marketing is quick and minimalistic in nature. Sure, highly curated content formats are still present, but they kind of stick out like someone who’s overdressed at an event.

“It pays to ditch the blah corporate script and unleash a lil’ sass and personality,” shared Justin Belmont, CEO of marketing agency Prose. “Audiences aren’t exactly scrolling for corpspeak and platitudes; they’re hungry for off-the-cuff, witty one-liners and insights that actually feel human.”

Here’s an example from clothing designer Cassey Ho asking people to complain about their clothes. I love how this post feels like a conversation between friends at happy hour instead of marketing materials.

Source

4. Don’t ignore visual content.

While Threads is indeed a text-based medium, viewers still engage with visual content. After all, X isn’t purely text, either: It’s text, images, videos, audio events, polls, and more. Some easy, uncurated image ideas are:

• Behind the scenes.
• Process photos.
• Throwbacks.

The rest of your social media presence is probably highly curated. An authentic, untailored look at your brand will resonate on the Threads platform.

Here’s an example from Minky Couture:

Source

“Some of our best-performing posts are framed in a casual, low-production authentic way,” shared Breanna Hendry, social media marketing director for Minky Couture. “I believe Threads is all about showing your brand’s personality without overthinking it.”

5. Try trending content/conversations.

Don’t worry about chasing down trending audio. Instead, think about trending conversations that are happening right now in your community. Post a meme, an opinion, or even just acknowledge that you’re following the drama.

Not only does this spark conversation, but touching on trending content also shows viewers that your entire social media strategy isn’t pre-scheduled a year in advance. Every marketer schedules content in advance (myself included), but I really appreciate knowing that someone is still showing up in real-time to participate on a platform.

No one does this as well as Duolingo. The social media team doesn’t miss a trending meme or popular TV moment. Here’s an example that touches on the release of the new season of White Lotus. I haven’t seen White Lotus, but based on this post, I’m pretty sure it would give me nightmares.

Source

Brands to Follow on Threads

We’ve gone over the fundamentals of Threads marketing — now let’s look at brands that are doing these things well.

Plus, check out a few ways you can take inspiration from what they do best and apply it to your social media marketing strategy.

1. Poppi (@drinkpoppi)

Source

By leveraging Threads, Poppi makes deliciously tasty flavors that you know of (or maybe don’t) and turns them into beverage classics.

What do they do best on Threads? Poppi knows how to win the hearts of its viewers. Poppi keeps its Threads community alive through consistent engagement.

2. Spotify (@spotify)

Source

Through Threads, I love how Spotify treats followers like family. It makes announcements about new releases from artists and exclusive glimpses into the music world.

What do they do best on Threads? Follower fanfare. Spotify wants to know what’s on the minds of its followers and won’t hesitate to ask. The combination of Spotify’s inquisitive requests and its followers’ eagerness to answer creates a new kind of recipe for true social media success.

Source

3. Target (@target)

Source

On Threads, Target puts a new spin on what it means to share promotional content for its products.

What do they do best on Threads? Interactive, trendy content. Target can guess what’s on your shopping list without even asking, simply because they keep their eyes on well-performing products.

I like how Target uses Threads as a way to gauge interest in popular items in-store and online, then creates activity around the enthusiasm for those items.

Source

4. HubSpot (@hubspot)

Source

Of course, you can’t miss following HubSpot.

What do we do best on Threads? Using Threads, we “talk business” like never before by molding humor into valuable insights, tips, and strategies related to everything (yes, everything) to do with marketing.

Source

Threads for the Win?

I have realized I was missing out by brushing Threads off as “just another version of Twitter.” While I didn’t jump on the bandwagon initially, I’ve now integrated the platform into the overall social media strategy for my clients. I’m publishing daily and seeing steady growth; if I had a time machine, I’d be active there from the start.

Thankfully, Threads is still ripe for picking. Marketers can create a sense of exclusivity, intimacy, and authenticity through their off-the-fingertips posts. I look forward to seeing your content on my feed.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.