Instagram Threads App: Pros and Cons for Marketers in 2025

When Meta launched Threads, a text-based social media app, in early July, it sent shockwaves through the digital world. With more than 100 million users signing up within days, Threads quickly became the fastest-growing app in history leaving marketers and brands wondering: “Should we jump in too?”

Now that the initial excitement has cooled down, brands are taking a step back to evaluate the platform’s true potential. What kind of content works best on Threads? How can brands stay relevant? And is Threads a worthwhile investment in your already busy social strategy?

1. What is the Threads App?

Threads is a text-based social media app developed by Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook. It was launched in July 2023 as a direct competitor to Twitter (now X). Unlike Instagram, which focuses heavily on visual content like photos and videos, Threads allows users to share text-based updates, reply to others, and engage in real-time conversations.

What sets Threads apart is its deep integration with Instagram. Users sign up with their Instagram accounts, and can automatically follow everyone they follow on Instagram. This seamless onboarding experience led to explosive growth in the app’s early days.

Threads offers:

• Posts up to 500 characters

• The ability to include links, images, and videos

• A feed focused on your followed accounts and algorithmic content

• Threaded replies that help conversations flow naturally
  

In essence, Threads is Meta’s attempt to build a text-first community space that promotes engagement through dialogue rather than visuals.

2. How to Use Instagram Threads App

Using Threads is straightforward, especially for users familiar with Instagram. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Getting Started:

1. Download the Threads app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).

2. Log in with your Instagram account. Threads is tightly linked to your Instagram profile.

3. Customize your profile. You can choose to import your bio, profile picture, and even your followers from Instagram.

4. Start posting. You can post text (up to 500 characters), images, and short videos.

Navigating Threads:

• View your home feed for posts from people you follow and recommended content.

• Use the reply feature to engage in conversations.

• Share or repost content from others (like retweeting).

• Like and follow profiles just like you would on Instagram.
  

Threads encourages a more relaxed, conversational style than the often polished or curated vibe of Instagram.

3. Pros of Joining Instagram Threads

Instagram Threads has emerged as a refreshing alternative in the social media landscape, offering a text-first platform that emphasizes conversation over curation. Whether you’re a brand, creator, marketer, or everyday user, Threads brings unique benefits that are hard to ignore—especially in the early stages of its growth. Here’s a deeper look at why joining Threads can be a strategic move:

Instant Following from Instagram

One of the most attractive features of Threads is how seamlessly it connects with your existing Instagram profile. When you sign up, Threads gives you the option to instantly follow everyone you already follow on Instagram with just a single tap. This built-in audience means you don’t have to start from scratch, making it far easier to establish your presence on the platform from day one.

For brands with an existing Instagram fanbase, this can be a game-changer. It offers a ready-made community to engage with, without the slow climb that usually comes with launching on a new platform.

Simple, Text-Based Posting

In a world where visual perfection often dominates Instagram and TikTok, Threads is a breath of fresh air. The platform is centered around text-based communication, allowing users to share thoughts, updates, or commentary without the need for flashy graphics or edited videos.

This simplicity reduces content production time and removes the pressure to be “visually perfect.” You don’t need a design team or a photo shoot to maintain a strong presence just authentic thoughts, questions, or conversation starters are enough.

For small businesses, thought leaders, or solo creators, this can be a huge time-saver and a way to engage without creative burnout.

Higher Engagement Opportunities (Early Mover Advantage)

Joining Threads early offers a significant competitive advantage. Like most new platforms, early adopters tend to benefit from greater organic reach before algorithms evolve and platforms start prioritizing paid content.

At this stage, Threads is still relatively light on ads and algorithmic noise, which means your posts have a better chance of being seen by more users without requiring boosted or promoted content.

This is particularly beneficial for new brands or creators who want to build authentic engagement without investing in heavy ad budgets.

Conversation-Driven Community

Threads is intentionally built for interaction. Unlike Instagram, where comments are often an afterthought to a polished post, Threads encourages back-and-forth dialogue. Think of it as a digital town square where you can start a conversation, respond to others, or join a thread in progress.

This format is ideal for:

• Thought leadership: Share insights and invite discussion.

• Community building: Foster a sense of closeness with your followers.

• Brand personality: Show the human side of your brand with informal, real-time content.

Instead of focusing on metrics like “likes,” Threads focuses on what’s being said and shared. That makes it a valuable space for genuine conversations and audience engagement.

No Pressure for “Perfect” Content

Perhaps the most refreshing part of Threads is the freedom to be real. Unlike platforms that reward polished visuals or professionally edited videos, Threads is built around authentic, unfiltered expression.

There’s no pressure to post a perfectly curated photo grid or viral video. Just type, post, and engage. This shift creates space for honest discussions, spontaneous ideas, and meaningful interactions—which many users crave in today’s overly curated online spaces.

For brands, this also means you can post more frequently without overthinking. Want to share behind-the-scenes thoughts, quick updates, or start a debate? Go for it. Threads reward consistency and authenticity over aesthetics.

4. Cons of Joining Instagram Threads App

While Instagram Threads offers exciting new opportunities for brands, creators, and users alike, it’s important to approach the platform with a balanced perspective. Despite its smooth integration with Instagram and early growth momentum, Threads comes with its share of challenges and limitations. Below, we explore the key drawbacks of joining Threads that every brand or digital strategist should carefully consider.

1. Another Platform to Manage

For businesses and content creators, managing a robust social media presence already demands considerable time, energy, and strategic planning. From Instagram and Facebook to LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, and YouTube, each platform has its unique algorithms, audience behavior, and content expectations.

Adding Threads to the mix introduces yet another channel that requires consistent posting, community engagement, and monitoring. While Threads may seem less demanding due to its text-based nature, it still requires fresh, relevant, and platform-specific content to remain effective. Simply duplicating content from other platforms is not recommended, as audiences expect unique, conversational engagement on Threads.

For teams with limited resources, this additional workload could stretch bandwidth and impact the performance of other core platforms.

2. Limited Features (for Now)

As of now, Threads is still in its early stages of development, and many essential features that brands and marketers rely on are noticeably missing. These include:

• No Hashtag Support: Unlike Twitter and Instagram, Threads does not currently support hashtags, which significantly limits discoverability and topic categorization.

• No Trending Topics or Explore Page: There is no centralized way to discover what’s currently popular or being talked about across the platform.

• No Direct Messaging: The app lacks the ability to send private messages, limiting customer service opportunities and personal engagement.

• No Scheduling Capabilities: Without scheduling tools, marketers cannot plan or automate their content, making it difficult to streamline workflows.

These limitations make Threads less versatile for long-term marketing campaigns or for those who rely heavily on automation, outreach, and content calendars.

3. Uncertain Long-Term Engagement

While Threads saw explosive growth immediately after its launch—amassing millions of users in a matter of days—the initial hype has since cooled off. Data from various analytics sources show a significant drop in daily active users and time spent on the app. This brings into question whether Threads can maintain user interest and become a lasting part of the social media ecosystem.

For brands, this presents a risk. Investing time and resources into a platform with declining engagement could lead to a poor return on effort. Unlike more mature platforms where user behavior and algorithm changes are predictable, Threads remains a wild card, and long-term viability is still uncertain.

4. No Built-In Analytics or Reporting Tools

A major drawback for marketers is the lack of in-depth performance analytics. As of now, Threads does not provide native tools for tracking engagement metrics such as impressions, reach, click-through rates, or post-performance over time.

This absence makes it difficult for businesses to:

• Assess what type of content resonates with their audience.

• Measure ROI on time and effort spent.

• Create data-driven strategies to grow their presence.

Any performance tracking must be done manually, based on likes, replies, reposts, and comments—making reporting tedious and potentially less accurate.

5. Lack of Discovery Features

Discovery is a core element of growth on any social media platform. Unfortunately, Threads falls short in this area. The platform currently lacks:

• Hashtag discovery

• Trending sections

• Searchable content categories
  

As a result, users can only see content from those they follow or posts surfaced by the algorithm. This makes it harder for new users or small brands to get noticed, go viral, or organically build their community—unless their content is directly shared or they are tagged by someone with a larger following.

For brands aiming to grow their audience and expand reach beyond their current followers, this can be a major limitation.

5. The Future of Instagram Threads App

While the hype has slowed down, Threads still holds promise. With Instagram’s support and a strong infrastructure, Meta is likely to continue evolving the app by:

• Adding new features like hashtags, DMs, and trending topics.

• Improving integration with Instagram.

• Introducing analytics tools for creators and brands.

• Building out monetization options for businesses.
  

Threads may become a niche app for community-building and customer interaction, rather than a replacement for Instagram or Twitter. It’s also expected to become part of the Fediverse, a decentralized social network structure, which could open it up to more flexibility and broader access.

6. What is the Minimum Age Limit?

To create an account on Threads, users must be at least 13 years old. This is consistent with Instagram’s age requirement. For users under 16 (or under 18 in some regions), Threads automatically sets profiles to private by default to enhance privacy and safety.

Parents are encouraged to monitor their teens’ online behavior and ensure they’re engaging on the app responsibly.

7. How Does Threads Work?

Threads is built for public conversations using short posts (like tweets). It works like this:

• Post a thread (up to 500 characters).

• Add images or videos if desired.

• View replies and respond in a threaded conversation.

• Repost others’ content or quote it with your comment.

• Follow users and discover new content through the home feed.
  

It’s essentially a text-first platform where the goal is to start and join discussions.

Unlike Instagram, Threads doesn’t emphasize photos. And unlike Twitter, it doesn’t currently support hashtags, trending topics, or a full-fledged explore page—though these features are expected to evolve.

8. How Can I Delete Threads?

If you want to deactivate or delete your Threads account, there are two main options:

1. Deactivate Threads Profile

This will hide your profile and content, but keep your account data saved.
Steps:

• Open the Threads app.

• Go to your Profile > Settings > Account.

• Tap Deactivate profile.
  

2. Delete Threads Account (Permanent)

This used to require deleting your Instagram account, but Meta has since decoupled Threads and Instagram. Now you can delete Threads without affecting your Instagram.

Steps:

• Go to Settings > Account > Delete Profile.

• Follow prompts to confirm.

Always check the latest app updates, as Meta is continuously adjusting how Threads accounts are managed.

9. Reporting and Blocking in-App

Threads allows users to report abusive, inappropriate, or misleading content just like on Instagram.

To report a post:

• Tap the three-dot menu on a post.

• Select “Report” and choose a reason.
  

To block a user:

• Go to the user’s profile.

• Tap the three-dot menu > “Block”.
  

Blocked users won’t be able to see your profile, content, or interact with you. These actions are synchronized with Instagram, so blocking a user on Threads also blocks them on Instagram.

10. How Parents Can Keep Teens Safe

Meta has introduced several safety features to make Threads a safer space for young users:

• Private by default: Users under 16 get a private profile automatically.

• Content controls: Teens can restrict who can reply to their posts.

• Hidden words: Users can filter replies that contain offensive or unwanted words.

• Supervised blocking/reporting tools: Parents can encourage teens to use built-in safety features like blocking or reporting inappropriate behavior.
  

Parents are also encouraged to:

• Discuss healthy online habits.

• Review account settings together.

• Encourage respectful interactions and digital boundaries.
  

Meta is also working on expanding Family Center tools that give parents more visibility and control over their teens’ activity across Meta platforms.

Final Thoughts: Is Instagram Threads Worth It for You?

Instagram Threads presents a unique opportunity for brands, creators, and individuals looking to engage in real-time, text-first conversations. With its seamless integration with Instagram and its user-friendly, low-pressure environment, Threads makes it easier than ever to build connections, share thoughts, and foster authentic engagement—without the need for polished visuals or high-effort content.

However, like any new platform, Threads comes with limitations. From missing features like hashtags and analytics to the uncertainty of long-term user engagement, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before fully investing your time and resources.

For early adopters, the platform offers valuable visibility, a built-in follower base, and a chance to experiment with a new, more conversational social strategy.

For parents and younger users, Threads includes safety features and account controls that support a more secure and positive user experience.

For brands and marketers, the key will be staying flexible—using Threads as a space for community-building and authentic dialogue, while keeping an eye on how the platform evolves.

In the end, Threads is still finding its place in the social media landscape. But with Meta behind it and its growing list of updates and improvements, it may well become an important piece of the digital puzzle soon.

Written by Piyush Chauhan

Piyush Chauhan, CEO and Founder of EncodeDots is a visionary leader transforming the digital landscape with innovative web and mobile app solutions for startups and enterprises. With a focus on strategic planning, operational excellence, and seamless project execution, he delivers cutting-edge solutions that empower thrive in a competitive market while fostering long-term growth and success.