How to Use Meta's Threads

Meta's Threads has quickly become the go-to platform for real-time conversations, offering a fresh alternative for creators and brands looking to connect with their audience. This guide provides a complete walkthrough, showing you exactly how to get started, engage effectively, and grow your presence on the platform from the ground up.

Getting Your Foot in the Door: Setting Up a Threads Profile

Threads is built upon the Instagram ecosystem, which makes joining incredibly simple if you already have an Instagram account. In fact, it's a requirement. This integration is designed to help you hit the ground running by connecting you with your existing community.

Step 1: Download the App and Log In

The first step is downloading the Threads app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. When you open it, you'll see a prompt to "Log in with Instagram." Tap this, and it will automatically connect to the Instagram account you're currently logged into on your phone. If you manage multiple Instagram accounts, you can easily switch between them here.

Step 2: Craft Your Profile

Once you've connected your Instagram, you'll be prompted to set up your Threads profile. You have two highly convenient options:

• Import from Instagram: With a single tap, you can automatically pull over your bio, profile picture, and link from your Instagram profile. This is the fastest way to get set up and maintain brand consistency.
• Start from Scratch: You can also choose to write a new bio and upload a different profile photo. This is useful if you want to position your Threads presence differently from your Instagram. For example, a brand might use Threads for more casual, behind-the-scenes founder commentary while Instagram remains focused on polished product visuals.

Consider your bio a short, sharp introduction. Who are you, and what kind of conversations will you be starting or joining here? Keep it concise and memorable.

Step 3: Follow Your Community

Threads will then show you a list of all the accounts you currently follow on Instagram. You can choose to "Follow all" with one tap, or you can go through and selectively follow the people and brands you're most interested in hearing from in this new text-based format. Even if you choose "Follow all," people who haven't joined Threads yet will be automatically followed once they sign up.

How to Post on Threads: Mastering the Basics

Creating content on Threads is straightforward, but understanding its unique features will help you make a bigger impact. The "new thread" icon is always visible at the bottom-center of your screen.

The Anatomy of a Thread Post

Unlike its more buttoned-up cousin Instagram, Threads is primarily about text, but it's far from boring. Here’s what you can include in a single post:

• Text: You have up to 500 characters to work with per post in a thread. This is a sweet spot - longer than X (Twitter) but short enough to encourage quick, scannable thoughts.
• Links: You can paste any URL directly into your post, and a clickable preview card will be automatically generated.
• Photos & Videos: Tap the paperclip icon to attach media. You can post up to 10 photos and videos in a single post, with videos capped at 5 minutes long. This works great for sharing carousels of images or quick video clips.
• Voice Notes: Tap the microphone icon to record and share a voice note. This is a fantastic way to add a personal, human touch to your updates without having to be on camera.
• Polls: Tap the poll icon (three horizontal lines) to create a simple poll with up to four customizable options. Polls are great at driving quick engagement and gathering audience feedback. They last for 24 hours.
• GIFs: Tap the GIF icon to search and add an animated GIF from GIPHY, perfect for adding a bit of personality and humor.

To create a true "thread" of multiple connected posts, simply type your first post, hit enter a few times, and an "Add to thread" button will appear. You can stack as many posts as you want to tell a longer story or break down a complex idea.

Fueling Growth: Strategies for Brands and Creators

Just having a profile isn’t enough. True success on Threads comes from actively participating in its conversational culture. It’s less about scheduled announcements and more about spontaneous interaction.

Find Your Voice and Niche

What makes your perspective unique? Threads is the perfect place to lean into it. A CEO could use it for leadership thoughts, a developer for live-tweeting a project build, or a food blogger for asking followers what they should cook next. Don't just repurpose your content from other platforms. Tailor your contributions to what works in a text-first conversational environment.

Ideas for content that works well on Threads:

• Ask Open-Ended Questions: Go beyond "what do you think?" and ask questions that invite detailed stories or opinions. For example, instead of “Do you like our new feature?” try “What’s one unexpected way our new feature could make your workday easier?”
• Share Quick Takes & Casual Observations: Post the thought you'd normally keep to yourself. Did you just have a funny client interaction? A small business win? Share it. These moments feel authentic and relatable.
• Go Behind the Scenes: Use text, photos, or short videos to show the less polished side of your brand or creative process. This builds trust and community far more effectively than a perfect, curated feed.

Master the Art of Engagement

Threads rewards interaction. The more you engage thoughtfully with others, the more visible your profile will become. Your feed isn't just for posting, it’s for discovering conversations to join.

• Reply with Value: Add to the conversation. Instead of just "great post," elaborate on *why* you think it’s great or add a related idea.
• Use the "Quote" Feature: When you find a post that sparks an idea, use the Quote feature to repost it with your own commentary above it. This shows whose ideas you're building on and invites both their audience and yours into a wider discussion.
• Repost Thoughtfully: Use the "Repost" button to share valuable content directly with your followers. It’s a simple way to act as a curator for your niche and provide value even when you're not creating original content.

Leverage New Features Like Hashtags

Hashtags on Threads function more like topics or searchable tags. You can add one tag per post (though you can use multiple words in it, like #SocialMediaMarketing). When you click a tag, you can see all the other posts on that topic. Use them strategically to categorize your content and make it discoverable to people who aren’t already following you. Resist the urge to string together multiple hashtags, pick the single most relevant topic for your post.

Cross-Promote Smartly with Instagram

Meta makes it easy to share your Threads posts directly to your Instagram Stories. This is a powerful way to alert your Instagram followers that you're active on Threads and draw them into conversations. When someone sees your Thread in their Stories, they can tap it and be taken directly to that post in the Threads app to reply. Use this whenever you post something particularly engaging, like a poll or a question you really want answers to.

Navigating the Threads Interface

The app has five main tabs at the bottom, making it easy to get around.

• Home: This is your feed. By tapping the Threads logo at the top, you can switch between the algorithmic "For You" feed (which shows content from accounts you follow plus recommended content) and the "Following" feed (a chronological view of posts only from people you follow).
• Search: Here you can search for accounts and, more importantly, see a list of trending topics. This is a great place to find conversations to join that are happening right now.
• New Thread: Your composer for creating new posts.
• Activity: This is a centralized inbox for all your interactions: follows, replies, mentions, reposts, and quotes. It helps you stay on top of a conversation without having to hunt down individual posts.
• Profile: View and edit your profile, see your past posts and replies, and access your settings.

Managing Your Feed and Privacy

Threads gives you control over who sees your content and what you see in your feed. In your settings, you can:

• Set your profile to private: Just like on Instagram, a private profile means only approved followers can see and interact with your content.
• Manage hidden words: Create a list of specific words and phrases you don't want to see in replies to your posts. This keeps your conversations constructive and on-topic.
• Mute, Restrict, or Block Accounts: If an account is being bothersome, you can easily mute them (you won’t see their content) or block them entirely.

Final Thoughts

Threads offers a significant opportunity for creators and brands to build community through authentic, text-based conversation. By getting the basics right - a clear profile, consistent engagement, and a distinct voice - you can establish a strong presence on a platform purpose-built for connection.

Juggling conversations across Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms can feel overwhelming. That’s why we designed an all-in-one management tool built for today's social media reality. With Postbase, you can plan, schedule, and analyze your content across all your platforms from a single visual calendar, and our unified inbox makes sure you never miss a comment or DM, creating a far more streamlined workflow.