Hanging by a Thread: What Can #EventProfs Learn From Meta’s New App
We gave in to Threads so you don’t have to. Well, if you’re one of our fellow #EventProfs, maybe you should give it a shot.
In their July 2023 internal town hall, Meta shared that while it took just five days for their newest social media platform, Threads, to reach 100 million users, more than half of them have stopped using the app since. In the rush to publish this new competition for Twitter (or “X”), everyone’s feeling like we’re missing out on the key features that help us best connect with others.
We’ve watched brands, ourselves included, pull out all the stops: posing questions, following trends, and even sharing behind-the-scenes content. And still, all these traditional social media engagement strategies just aren’t working for any of us. So, what can event professionals learn from Threads, from how it attracted users to its post-launch slump and engagement drop-off?
“Celebrities are more approachable and influencers get a fraction of engagement there,” says Julius Solaris, who’s an expert on event industry technology and trends. “It is easier to build rapport to get on their radar.”
We’ll admit - we downloaded the app on day one, feeling just as excited as our fellow event marketing professionals about the new territory, and a week later, found ourselves engaging with more brands than real people. Could there be value in these micro-interactions with dream clients, though? Even past and present clients?
If you’re an event professional offering B2B services, there’s certainly some value in meeting with marketing teams where they’re at, getting your name into the right places, and showing off your expertise.
“When Threads first launched, all small to mid-size agencies, including RED VELVET, felt hope to connect with brands in a way that they were not given access to before,” Cindy Y. Lo, CEO of RED VELVET, says. “After all, it usually takes anywhere from 6-7 positive interactions to start building a meaningful relationship. And Threads was accelerating this serendipitous meeting.”
Clearly, even the largest of giants in business are searching for the key ingredient that keeps audiences engaged and leaves them wanting more. We’re no strangers to the quest for revolutionizing on- and off-line experiences that can create a lasting impact. On the surface, social media sometimes seems like the antithesis of live events: fewer tailored experiences, limited physical sensory stimulation, and less spontaneity of engagement.
We know better, though, and because social media has undoubtedly shaped the way humans choose to connect with one another, it’s more necessary than ever to take away learnings every day and understand how cultural moments like Threads impact the ways we approach experiential marketing. For now, Threads can be used as a great tool for finding common ground with an individual or brand can help build a new relationship that previously might have taken years to develop.
Meta, are you reading this? Hit us up. Everyone else, we’d love to hear from you, too.
