Is Threads a Viable Alternative to Twitter for Multifamily Marketers?

In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, Meta’s new platform, Threads, has emerged as a potential alternative for multifamily marketers seeking refuge from the controversial changes that transformed Twitter into “X” under Elon Musk’s leadership. While Twitter once reigned as the virtual water cooler of the nation, Threads now offers a Twitter-like experience, enticing users to make the switch.

Meta, thanks to its expansive reach through Instagram, allows Threads users to seamlessly migrate their followers from the sister site. This strategic move propelled Threads to a remarkable 44 million daily active users on its debut day, catching the attention of multifamily firms that have long relied on Twitter for marketing. The question on their minds: Can Threads replicate the impact Twitter once had? Experts suggest it’s worth exploring.

Mike Whaling, founder of PropTech, a Columbus-based multifamily marketing firm, believes Threads is significant enough to warrant attention. He advises clients to establish their presence on Threads before others do, recognizing its potential.

However, Threads and Twitter, while sharing similarities, do exhibit some key differences. Threads allows longer posts, up to 500 characters, and supports extended video content. Nevertheless, it currently lacks features like direct messaging, hashtags, keyword search, and analytics, which are standard on Twitter. These omissions might explain Threads’ sharp decline, losing 82% of its active users within a month.

Tamela Coval, an industry principal at Atlanta-based Livewire, shares her experience with Threads, stating that while it hasn’t fully won her over, she hasn’t dismissed it for her clients either. She notices that Threads tends to host more personal content from her Instagram contacts, as opposed to the professionally curated content she enjoyed on Twitter.

The question arises whether the multifamily industry truly needs a Twitter copycat. Coval suggests that managing content strategies for both platforms is feasible, and innovative tools like ChatGPT could assist in streamlining efforts.

Whaling reflects on the changing landscape of social media behavior, noting that Twitter has shifted from being a platform for apartment hunting to a place where customers voice complaints. This shift raises concerns from a branding perspective. Threads’ focus on visual content may give it an edge, as consumers increasingly gravitate towards visual platforms for shopping and engagement.

Whaling suggests that multifamily marketers should tap into the potential of current residents as advocates on these platforms. Residents often share positive experiences and images of their living spaces, which can be harnessed to enhance marketing efforts.

Mark Zuckerberg, the driving force behind Meta, has promised additional features as Threads matures, potentially making it more valuable to the multifamily industry. Until then, marketers believe there’s no harm in experimenting with Threads, even though apartment companies are scarce on the platform at the moment. Coval suggests that Meta is learning, and in time, Threads may hold value for the B2C industry.

In summary, as Twitter undergoes transformation and controversies, Threads emerges as an intriguing alternative for multifamily marketers, albeit with some differences and room for growth. Marketers are advised to explore its potential and adapt their strategies to this evolving social media landscape.