Unraveling Instagram Threads: The Next Big Thing for Higher Education Social Media

Discover Instagram Threads: What Exactly Is It?

Up until now, there has been one social media platform that excelled in short-form text content. But as it underwent a series of transformations, the door has opened for other social media channels to make their mark. If you thought Twitter had the monopoly on bite-sized content, think again. Instagram is stepping up to the plate with its new offering.

Enter Instagram Threads, Meta’s latest brainchild and a worthy alternative to the bluebird. Threads is a centralized platform for engaging in conversations and spreading messages, similar to what we love about Twitter. While other text-based platforms have emerged, they have yet to make quite the impact as Threads. Its appeal was immediately apparent, as evidenced by the millions of users who signed up from the very first day.

The focus on Instagram Threads is about more than just keeping up with the latest social media trends. It’s an opportunity for higher education marketers to reevaluate their current strategies. As Threads carves out its niche in the social media world, it’s crucial to understand how this new platform can influence your marketing approach.

Start the Journey on Instagram Threads for Higher Ed

Meta has streamlined the process of linking Instagram accounts to Threads, making it a breeze to set up. While currently, the newsfeed displays posts from all accounts; Meta plans to revamp this over the next few months by focusing on the discovery of creators and aligning content with user interests.

Here’s an insight into Instagram Threads and how it can be harnessed to boost user engagement:

• Instagram Threads offers diverse content options, from images and videos to gifs, all designed to foster conversation among users.
• Each piece of content on Threads can contain up to 500 characters, providing ample space for meaningful interactions.
• Cross-sharing is made easy as Threads can be shared directly to Instagram stories.
• Threads is engineered to be a platform that encourages “positive” dialogue. For added control, Instagram allows certain words and accounts to be muted or interaction-free.

What Instagram Threads Mean for University Social Media Strategies

Despite being a fresh platform, Threads doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your social media knowledge. It’s built on the same app that many colleges and universities are most likely already on. This means there’s no steep learning curve to tackle. It presents an exciting opportunity for social media teams to craft fresh content and establish a unique voice that stays true to their brand.

Here are some ideas to kickstart best practices for personalizing your content creation on Instagram Threads:

• Have Ambassadors Introduce the school on Threads in a selfie video. Embrace the instant-ness of this content. Have ambassadors go create content and share instantly.
• Create niche humor content. Students from Instagram will follow your Threads account, and you can make content that fits perfectly with audiences who already know the university or college.
• Share High-Quality Images to highlight the campus. Threads uploading high-resolution images and videos. Take advantage of this.
• Interact with students! This is a conversation-first app; respond and interact with current or future students.
• View this as an addition to your Instagram strategy. It’s a chance to connect to students authentically and personally.

Top Takeaways and Important Considerations for Higher Education Social Media

• Threads is still new, and a lot of it is still in development
• Threads do hold good competition with Twitter
• Higher education institutions should take up their usernames right away to prevent others from it
• Threads are a quick form of communication, and interaction is still being worked on
• It is a chance to create new and unique content
• The app is meant to converse with each other

Whether focusing on text-based content, crafting engaging conversation starters, or responding to user comments, every interaction on Threads can be an opportunity to build stronger relationships with students and enhance your institution’s online brand.

EDDY has been around the social media block and can guide you through the twists and turns of new platforms. If you’re thinking about adding Threads to your marketing mix, reach out and team up with our expert social media strategists.