Why Your Church Needs an Instagram Threads Account

On July 6th, Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, made waves in the social media world with the launch of its newest product: Instagram Threads. Just days later, Threads was deemed the fastest-growing online platform in history. Here’s what your church needs to know about Threads in order to navigate the ever-changing digital landscape. 

Threads: An Instagram App and Twitter Dupe

If you haven’t heard of Threads yet, you’ve come to the right place! Threads, labeled as "Threads, An Instagram App" on the App Store, is designed to seamlessly integrate with Instagram, acting as its counterpart in the realm of text-based communication. Instagram allows people to connect over photos and videos with minimal text descriptions. Threads, on the other hand, focuses on written posts with links, photos, and videos as supplemental elements. Posts can be up to 500 characters long and can include photos, links, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.  

In many ways, Threads is nothing short of an impressive new contender to Twitter. In fact, it has earned the nickname "Twitter Killer" for its ability to swiftly emerge as Twitter's biggest competitor within a matter of days – strike that — a matter of hours. Within the first seven hours of being launched, Threads attracted 10 million users. For comparison, it took Instagram a full 355 days to reach 10 million users, and it took Twitter 780 days. 

Today, Threads has 150 million users and counting, which means it likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. For this reason alone, it is a good time for your church to consider whether this platform is worth your energy and attention. If you are a church focused on evangelism and/or media ministry, I suggest that it is!

A Game-Changer for Church Communication

By its own definition, Threads is “where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what'll be trending tomorrow.” What better topic to care about and see trending than Jesus himself? 

One of the things that really draws me to Threads is its text-based nature, which opens up another opportunity for churches to boldly proclaim the gospel on social media without the need for intricate graphics or video production. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a well-crafted Reel like anyone else, but I have to face the truth—I'm much better at expressing myself through writing than I am at creating Reels. And I have a feeling that plenty of church leaders feel the same way. 

With Threads, your church can share everything from sermon notes to important announcements, and you can even invite people to post their prayer requests or engage in online chats. And because Threads is connected to Instagram, it is easy to set up and manage alongside your Instagram account. The integration alone is a game-changer for church communication in the digital age! The jury is still out on whether Threads is a better platform than Twitter, but it certainly is putting up a good fight! 

It Really is That Easy 

One of the standout features of Instagram Threads is how incredibly easy it is to download and use. As a user myself, I was able to sign up and integrate my account in less than 30 seconds. This is because Threads seamlessly connects with your existing Instagram profile, effortlessly sharing login information, the profile photo, and bio info without any hassle or extra steps. 

Threads also makes it easy to get a lot of followers really fast – especially if you get on the platform soon enough. This app allows you to mass follow all of the people your church follows on Instagram with just one tap. This is especially helpful if your church has used a mass follow strategy. Moreover, many of your existing followers on Instagram are likely to join you on Threads, especially when you share your Threads posts to your Instagram story. By seamlessly integrating the two platforms, you can effortlessly bridge the gap and encourage your current followers to connect with you on Threads, expanding your reach and engagement.

To further enhance visibility and accessibility, your Threads ID, represented by a unique series of numbers, will be prominently displayed on your Instagram profile. This means that people can effortlessly navigate to your Threads posts and engage with your content, fostering deeper connections and interactions within the Threads community.

Threads Best Practices

As Threads continues to establish its culture, there are actionable steps your church can take to thrive on this dynamic platform. First and foremost, it's essential to make a strong first impression. When setting up your Threads account, ensure that your profile doesn't appear empty. Kickstart your presence by sharing a few initial posts that capture the essence of your church. This could include your mission or vision statement, a warm welcome from your pastor, or a brief note indicating that Threads will now serve as the go-to platform for your church's announcements, sermon notes, inspirational content, and even lighthearted jokes. By having a handful of engaging posts already published, you'll encourage users to follow your church on Threads for future content.

Secondly, take risks and dare to step away from conventional church marketing approaches. Thread users are excited about a new platform with fresh content and fresh possibilities. This presents an ideal opportunity for your church to experiment and showcase its unique personality. Break free from the mold and infuse your posts with creativity and authenticity! Let your church's personality shine through as you share compelling and engaging content!

Thread with Caution

Despite its growing popularity, there is one tiny caution point to be aware of. Once you have created a Threads account, it is impossible to delete that account without deleting your Instagram account with it. While this isn’t the worst problem to have (you can leave the Threads account dormant with just a few key posts about your church), it is still something to consider before signing up. And, please, please don’t delete your Threads if you don’t want to delete your church’s Instagram account, too!

The Bottom Line: Is it Worth It? 

When it comes to embracing new social media trends, I usually advise churches to exercise caution and avoid jumping on every bandwagon that comes along. We're well aware that churches often encounter resource limitations, so it is wise to concentrate our efforts on a few carefully chosen communication strategies rather than spreading ourselves too thin.

But here's the twist—Instagram Threads isn't just another standalone social media account. It's highly integrated with Instagram, making it not only immensely popular but also remarkably easy to manage alongside your existing Instagram presence. The seamless integration of Threads within the Instagram ecosystem also opens up a world of possibilities, allowing you to tap into its popularity while leveraging the familiar tools and functionalities of Instagram. 

Bottom line: Thread is worth it. While it is possible that this trend could die out, the 150 million users suggest otherwise. If you, your church’s social media manager, or one of your volunteers have some time to spare, now is a great time to jump on this communication trend!

Looking for more social media resources? Check out the Breeze’s free church social media graphics bundle, or visit our blog!