Why I’ve Loved Posting on Threads

Mention Threads to anyone within your circle of friends, and they’ll probably look at you in a bemused way like you’ve just rocked up to a party in a Superdry hoodie straight out of 2013. Whilst Zuckerberg’s version of Twitter (sorry still not calling it X) isn’t that old or out of fashion, it certainly did enjoy a fairly quick rise and fall in popular culture.

Strangely enough though the platform has both maintained and is growing in prominence within the photography community - perhaps being the most damning criticism of Instagram and how it’s perceived to have abandoned the user base that arguably contributed most to its growth. On a personal note, all I’ve experienced on the latter over the past year are dwindling metrics and a level of growth that would require a magnifying glass to notice. Conversely in just a month on Threads I’ve amassed over a thousand followers, bringing with it fulfilling engagement and a renewed sense of enthusiasm when it comes to photography in general.

Of course the plaudits are great and (obviously) the end goal of posting, but there are several layers as to how the experience on Threads trumps that of Instagram. So without further ado here are five reasons as to why I’ve loved posting on the platform, and why you should consider doing so as well:

It’s all in the algorithm

Akin to Twitter, Threads divides its feed into a “For You” section and a “Following” section. In other words one half is centred around content from users you’ve explicitly chosen to see, with the other (default) half showing a combination of posts from who you follow, others in your niche, and general posts the algorithm thinks will appeal to you.

At first it can seem daunting to ‘give up’ control with a feed set-up like this, but truthfully the Threads algorithm is pretty spot on in sharing valuable content with the occasional drop of light entertainment in there too. More importantly though it’s this system that allows for a hell of a lot more organic reach than its older brother in the Meta eco-system.

Whilst Instagram seems like a closed shop at times with our feeds only showing us work from who we follow (and about 10% of those if we’re lucky), Threads’ algorithmic approach seeks to drop in content it deems valuable regardless of prior interactions. As a creator I’m seeing levels of reach and engagement I’ve never experienced on any other platform, and as a consumer I’m continuing to discover other creators whose work I really admire.

In short the basis of Threads makes life easier for photographers, and therefore more efficient given its results. There’s no requirement to comment “Epic shot!!” on the first 50 photos you see, or to start creating video content/reels in the hope 3 new people start following you.

Once again it seems photos are prevailing.

(Good) Photography Prevails

Okay so the previous point does need some clarification.

Threads isn’t just a place where you can post any old shots and you’ll start getting traction, but if you do have faith in your work and have taken time to refine your craft, the experience will be so much more rewarding than anything you’re used to.

The truth is nowadays good photography on Instagram isn’t enough. And this creates more issues than it seems.

Forgive me for sounding like oldmanshoutingatclouds.jpg, but it appears that anyone growing on Instagram does so either through being the loudest in the room (aka deploying the tactics of follow for follow/commenting niceties in the hope people will feel guilty enough to return the favour), or producing reels for the reasons as stated above.

The problem with this is that it pretty much removes photography out of the equation, or at the very least moves genuine talent and skill further down the list of priorities.

Strangely enough then it’s actually the absence of ‘community’ on Threads that adds to its appeal, with users seemingly being able to post into the void and reaping the rewards if their work evidently demonstrates ability or evokes a connection with the viewer.

There is naturally an art to how successful posts are curated, to be touched upon later, but the removal of a ceiling dependent on followers and subsequent reciprocal feedback for the work I’m proud of is inspiring.

The Snowball Effect

This is more point 2a rather than a standalone advantage of Threads itself, but it is worth commenting on just how this rewarding system works. Specifically noting how it operates in contrast to its counterpart.

Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, frequently makes it clear that content on the app is first shown to a portion of followers, with its ongoing reach dependent on shares, saves, comments, and likes - importantly in that hierarchical order too. It’s this approach that, rightly or wrongly, marks the app’s modern focus on viral content.

The issue here however is that this, at least in my opinion, doesn’t relate to photography or art in general. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but this lack of commentary is evidently the opposite of what the app wants with the goal of keeping people logged in and ‘engaged’. Hey, this is social media after all.

Nevertheless if we take the example of a gallery, they’re often quiet places that provide a space for visitors to calmly reflect on the creations in front of them, with standout pieces perhaps prompting research into the artist or further conversation later. This dynamic, and again I can only speak for myself, stretches into the digital space for photography too.

I’ll find myself subtly dropping likes throughout the day on a fraction of the photos I see that speak to me, now and again I might comment on a gem that really does impress, and to be honest I don’t think I’ve ever shared a post - although admittedly have saved a number as inspiration or to physically show someone else. Evidently though this is the inverse of how ‘content’ is designed to be consumed according to the Instagram team.

Fortunately on Threads, a like goes so much further than it would do elsewhere. With posts already being presented based on the algorithm’s assumption of their suitability, a like confirms and validates this - strengthening the suggestion and pushing it to more people who may find it informative or entertaining.

With more reach will come (hopefully) more likes, setting the tone already to a viewer that what’s been posted is impressive or worthwhile. In other words positively implementing a confirmation bias.

the Ability to Analyse

The muddled nature of Instagram has left us all pondering the question - so what does work?

Stonewalling of photography on the app in general makes it almost impossible right now to make sense of things with metrics lower than ever, whereas the increased figures and reach of Threads makes analysing content both interesting and far more efficient for creators.

As much as we’ve come to love the dopamine rush associated with a few likes, it can now be strangely rewarding to have a post that completely flops given that it provides value in the form of a lesson to take forward. For example night photography struggles to get much traction, at least my own that is, mainly due to the reason that dark images blend into the app’s background - therefore not catching a viewer’s eye when scrolling.

Alternatively, and more positively, collating images that represent a day out or a story work wonders for engagement as they initially provide terrific ‘value’ for the viewer as they can be transported away in just the few seconds it takes to scroll through several photos. Consequently, a worthwhile message is conveyed that how you present your photos can be just as, if not more, important as their quality.

A New Challenge

Following on from the point above, the task of capturing the viewer’s eye and maintaining their attention is one I’m sure many creatives will relish.

Whilst there are no rules in place when it comes to Instagram, the gallery layout of one’s profile often finds the majority presenting their work in a portfolio fashion with standalone images or the ‘best of the best’ being collated to impress. Conversely, the simple feed layout of Threads removes this sense of permanency and subsequently the seriousness attached to presenting one’s work.

As someone who simply recycles their ‘hero’ shots, it’s been a joy to delve into the archives (Lightroom folders) and test the waters with a variety of photos from wide establishing shots to intimate details. The fun doesn’t just stop at image selection either, as there then comes the challenge of cropping and reformating them in several different ways too.

For example one of my most popular posts already has been this magazine-esque approach reflecting the day turning to night in Hong Kong. On their own some of the lo-fi shots might not strike a chord, but when cropped thinly and collated with a few others, it gives a real feel of authenticity and story-telling.

On one hand of course this content-ification of our work could be seen as a slight on artistic integrity, but for the mostpart it has simply offered a fun challenge that has relieved the weight of expectation we can often place on our photos.

Joining Threads? Drop me a follow at @scottpseath