Are you missing out on sales if you're not on Threads? | Ep. 44 Content Magic with Lindsay Smith
Aug 27, 2024The short answer? Not really.
The long answer is a bit more nuanced!
In this episode of Content Magic I'm talking all about Threads and what has changed in my business since joining a year ago, why it's so much fun for me and how building a business over there is much different than most social platforms.
The vibe on Threads is very community-oriented. Maybe because it's text only and there is less thinking required to post something.
The question I attempt to answer in this episode is, can we take the Threads energy over to Instagram? And, how?
Let's get started!
Lindsay [00:00:00]:
I want to know how to use this thread's energy and bring it back to Instagram to make Instagram more fun. If you have an online business, you're creating content. And the way you create content is more important than ever. It's really noisy out there, and learning to stand out is the only way. Hey, I'm Lindsay, and I'm the host of the content Magic podcast, all about being an entrepreneur and creating kick ass content to market yourself and your business. I have a the not so secret superpower for copywriting, marketing and content. And I've helped hundreds of folks just like you show up with a ton of confidence in the online space. I've been doing this content thing for 20 years, and I believe the real magic is a combo of intuition, creativity, and strategy.
Lindsay [00:00:50]:
You can create content for your business without losing your mind, I promise. So tune in every week for tangible content tips, inspiring guests, and some real spicy opinions. Probably mine. Ready to dive in? Let's go. Well, hello, friends, and welcome back to the podcast. It's me, Lindsey, your host. And today I want to chat about threads. And the reason for this is, one, a couple of clients have asked me 20 to be on threads like they're missing out on something.
Lindsay [00:01:23]:
And two, I've been trying to, like, figure out why it's different, how it works, and if we can take threads energy over onto Instagram. So these are some of the things I've been thinking about. And so the short answer of whether or not you need to be on threads is, well, no. And the long answer is a bit tricky. The reason I love it is because my brain works in, like, witty one liners. So because threads is text based, that it's just easy for me. It's easy for me to throw up a random thing. So for me, it is very random.
Lindsay [00:02:14]:
I've heard some people describe it as unhinged, which I don't think is entirely true. To me, that means it's, like, negative. And to me that means Instagram is, like, businessy. And then threads is where you have all these unfiltered thoughts. I mean, yes, for sure there is some truth to that. It's just the word unhinged I don't really love. And I had a guest on the podcast, and she used the word awareness platform, which I thought, huh, that kind of fits. Because what I've noticed is that there's a definite sense of community over on threads.
Lindsay [00:03:01]:
I mean, listen, obviously you're going to get idiot replies. It's the Internet. It's fairly easy. If somebody's nasty or mean to just block them and carry on, I think there's a lot less time for nonsense over there. And so if I had to describe it, it would kind of be like Facebook statuses circa, I don't know, early two thousands meets, like live tweeting the Bachelorette on Twitter whenever that first bachelorette came out. It's a bit like that. So can you use it for business? Yes, you absolutely can. However, not the way you might use Instagram.
Lindsay [00:03:50]:
So the thing is, there's, it's like a whole new way of, of selling over there. And the word selling I use very loosely because very rarely is somebody like, hey, guys, I've got a brand new program, check it out. Nobody really talks like that. And I even asked my community over there, I was like, what makes threads so different? And can we bring that energy over to Instagram? And I got a lot of very different answers. Some people were like, yeah, I'd love to do that, but how we do that? And to me, it's like this weird equation that we have to figure out. And some people are like, nope, it's not possible. And then some people said, Instagram feels way too much like a performance. And to get people to start talking, it's like pulling, pulling teeth.
Lindsay [00:04:42]:
No, I don't like that expression. Like hurting cats a little bit like that. Yes. So, and some people said, some people said Instagram is a lot more passive and private, and threads is kind of the opposite, you know, and, and listen, our, as every social platform, completely different. And do they all carry a different energy and is not every social platform right for your business? True. Yes. I don't think everybody needs to be on every platform all the time. And so usually when I work with people, either one on one or with any of my group programs, I often ask people to pick one short form content platform and one long form content platform.
Lindsay [00:05:33]:
More often than not, people choose Instagram as a short form and email marketing as their long form. Sometimes people have a blog that they want to focus on. So. And then some people are like, yes, it is possible because you are the cultivator of your community, so you decide how you want to show up. And then some people are like, oh, no, the algorithm, impossible. Like, it's different everywhere. So there's a lot of, I don't know, there's a lot of different opinions. And so, and I still don't really know the answer.
Lindsay [00:06:04]:
Can the threads energy be brought over to Instagram? And is the only difference is that threads is text based. And Instagram is very, you know, image based. Is that the only thing? I mean, yeah, you can post pictures and whatever on threads. Sure you can. It's just nothing the norm. And I think maybe the refreshing part of threads is that there is a little bit less pressure because you can, it doesn't have to, like, you don't have to think about what your image is or what your reel is. And here's where, yes, people are making sales over there. Absolutely.
Lindsay [00:06:43]:
And the types of stuff they're posting is about their business, but in a very different way. Nobody, not many people are sharing links. A lot of people. And here's how. This is what my behavior is, and I can only speak to myself. If I find somebody new on threads, I will usually go over to their Instagram. If there's somebody new that I'm like, oh, this person's really cool, I will usually go over onto their Instagram and follow them there because threads does not have like, a DM thing. And so I would say the biggest thing I use Instagram for is probably in my stories and my DM's.
Lindsay [00:07:27]:
You guys know if you're following me on Instagram, that anytime I'm out with the dog, I'm always talking to my stories. I've always got something to say. And then in the DM's, I'm always chatting with people on the DM's, usually via voice message. So that's. And yeah, sure, I post stuff. And yeah, I noticed that the reach has been down and it's not really stressing me out that much. Instagram does not convert for me, it's not one of my, like, huge converters. Also, if it is converting for you, I'd love to hear from you, and I'd really love to know what your Instagram strategy is.
Lindsay [00:08:05]:
And there are people who are really good at Instagram, and there are people who teach you how to use Instagram, and they're really, really good at it. I'm not knocking Instagram. The thing is, I want to know how to use this thread's energy and bring it back to Instagram to make Instagram more fun. And the other thing about threads is that the most random things go viral. Sometimes I post about my dog. Sometimes I post about motherhood. Sometimes I post about, here, let me scroll through and show you. I'm going to give you an example of something that went ridiculous, ridiculously viral.
Lindsay [00:08:51]:
Oh, yeah. I said something about Kim's convenience, the canadian show. People went cuckoo. And sometimes. Right. And if you say anything about controversial, about being a parent. Ooh, the people come for you. Like, some stuff gets tens of thousands of views, and it's like the most ridiculous thing.
Lindsay [00:09:14]:
Something about tie dyeing in the driveway. Like, it's the most ridiculous thing. So what is fun? This is the other thing that's funny about threads, right? You can. I have found that if I'm, like, kind of trying to, even when I talk about content, right. It often it's like, oh, 800 views. And if I talk about, I don't know what, you know, the weather turning, like, the leaves turning red and, like, and the fall's coming, then suddenly it's like tens of thousands of views. It's like the most. So, and this is the thing anybody, the idea of going viral does not mean the same thing on threads that it means on Instagram.
Lindsay [00:09:58]:
Like, I'm nothing getting. Suddenly this huge influx of followers and this huge influx of, like, sales and whatever. And this is the other thing, too. If you're listening and you are using threads intentionally and, you know, your business is growing because of it, I'd also really love to hear from you. And so the best use of threads for me is just discovering new people. And I've also, you know, I've had guests on the podcast and being like, yeah, I kind of knew who you were, but it's not until we connected on threads that I really knew who you were. I've had a few people tell me that. And same, same, right.
Lindsay [00:10:36]:
And so what's, for me, the collaborations have been the biggest thing. I've found a lot of really aligned podcast guests. I've found people who I've guest trained in their programs talking about content or email marketing. I've had lovely chit chats in the DM's on Instagram with people that I didn't previously know. And I've also connected with a lot of copywriters, which has been very interesting because it's just so you think, like, oh, a copywriter, this is what they do. And to me, you know, the only other copywriters I ever knew were, like, some of my friends in the area, but the only other copywriters are new is when I worked in advertising full time, and a lot of us were very similar. But now, right, like 17 years later, theres so many, they offer so many different things. And now that were in the land of online business, what copywriters offer to help other people, it's been very eye opening to see where other copywriters strengths are, what they offer.
Lindsay [00:11:57]:
Like, some people only do email marketing, and that's all they do. They either do it done for you or done with you, or they teach or whatever some people, and also to look at their price points, too. That's been also very eye opening to me, and I've been charging this much for this, and this is what they're really good at. So to me, um, it's just been really cool to compare notes and, and not from a competition standpoint, not at all. It's just, just more of an awareness and just kind of being like, oh, that's neat. That's what they're doing. So not like, not in a, like, feel bad comparison. Not at all.
Lindsay [00:12:40]:
And in fact, I have another copywriter coming on the podcast in a couple of weeks, and I love having other content and copy people on the podcast because, listen, I nerd out on this stuff and any other, any chance to, like, nerd out on copy and content with other people, 100%. Sign me up. So I think with a different intention. Sure, give threads a chance. Sure. That sounds like some sort of catchphrase. Give threads a chance, but just know that it is not like most platforms. And if you are, if you do want to, like, hang out over there, it's okay to just, like, be silent and creep people for a bit.
Lindsay [00:13:29]:
I think that's okay, too. Like, if you just want to sort of know what people are doing over there, that's okay too. Just sort of, you know. And I think when you open a threads account, well, I don't know now because I was, like, on there last summer, but I think you immediately follow the same people you're following on Instagram, I think. Anyway, so I've been having a lot of fun over there. It's been awesome for, like, collaborations. It's been awesome to connect with other people in similar industries, and it's just also been really lovely to share my random witty one liners. Okay, friends, until the next time.
Lindsay [00:14:13]:
We'll see you soon. Toodaloo. Thank you so much for listening. If you loved what you heard, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, or share this episode on social media. And don't forget to tag me on Instagram. Lindsaysmithcreative. And if you do all three, I'll be your best friend forever and invite you to all my birthday parties. That's it for today, and I'll see you next time.
CONNECT WITH ME
Instagram: @lindsaysmithcreative
Website: lindsaysmithcreative.ca
Free community call: Content & Coffee
