Some Instagram updates have really thrown us for a loop, but this one takes the cake. On July 5, 2023, Instagram Threads by Meta officially launched. The easiest way we can describe Threads is that it is essentially Instagram’s version of Twitter—with a twist, of course. Directly linked to your existing IG profile, Threads is a primarily text-based platform. Users can add photos, videos, and links to their threads, but the text is really the key focus here.

In just the first week post launch, over 100 million users joined Threads. And we have to admit, our curiosity was piqued too; rather than starting completely from scratch, Threads imports your current Instagram following list to your profile, giving you the option to automatically follow all or manually follow select accounts. Plus, your audience immediately includes other worldwide Threads users. (Profile reach FTW!)

You’ve probably heard “Threads this” and “Threads that” over the past month, but what about using Instagram Threads for your medical aesthetics practice? The MeyCo Marketing team assessed the new app… These are our pros and cons.

The Pros

Each thread has a 500-character limit (that’s double Twitter’s 250-character limit), so each one you make is kept relatively short. But don’t let this “limit” hold you back: Shorter messages have the potential to provide your patient base with quick announcements, specials, or just a casual, fleeting thought. In fact, keeping your Threads profile casual could be just the thing to really resonate with patients, as you can more easily humanize your practice. While Instagram can be your informative content hub, Threads can be the place where you connect with patients by:

Responding to patients’ thoughts and concerns
Answering FAQs
Offering your hot takes on trending treatments
Giving patients a behind-the-scenes look at daily life in your office

One huge pro is the near-seamless integration of your current Instagram following list. Starting any platform from scratch can make it difficult to hop on new social media trends, but when you create your Threads profile, we see two key benefits. First, because your username stays the same, it’s easier for your community to find you on Threads (and easier for you to remember your login information). Second, with the option to import who you follow on Instagram, Threads checks off one step from your profile building to-do list!

While we can’t say much about Threads’s trajectory, we can’t deny its record-breaking sign-ups—100 million users joined in just five days! So if (and only if) this growth continues, your aesthetic practice’s growth could be made easier too.

And according to Insider, it seems like this platform has been well-received by Gen Z…

Millennials (aged 25–35) are generally the “ideal” aesthetic patients. They are right in that sweet spot to begin exploring anti-aging treatments and addressing new wrinkles and other dermal concerns. However, we don’t recommend only marketing to millennials; Gen Zers (aged 18–24) are equally as important. They may not be young enough to see signs of aging just yet, but the oldest Gen Zer is about 24 years old, so now is the time to start preventative care.

Threads is the perfect segue to expanding your patient base to Gen Z, and essentially prolonging practice success by working on provider-patient relationships with the next generation of aesthetic patients.

The Cons

Threads is still developing every day. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that its search capabilities will soon be improved, allowing users to search for trending topics as well as previous posts. (Currently, Threads users can only search for other profiles, according to Instagram’s Help Center.)

DMs are also currently unavailable, with the only option being traditional direct messages via Instagram. So while your Threads game may be on fire, and while you may be steadily increasing patient interest and engagement, there is no way to capture leads directly or track profile analytics on Threads. Bummer.

These cons could just be short-term as future updates come out. However, from a wider perspective, Instagram Threads seems to lend itself well to individuals rather than businesses. Think B2C versus B2B. Depending on your medical aesthetics practice and the goal of your marketing efforts, Threads may or may not be an asset; a practitioner looking for a new radiofrequency microneedling device to add to their treatment menu may not be as interested in Threads as a first-time Botox patient would be in their local medspa’s Threads account.

And of course, we can’t ignore the whispers of Twitter’s potential lawsuit against Threads…

In conclusion…

For the time being, our running pros and cons list is only speculation; only time will tell if the pros outweigh the cons, or vice versa. With Threads being as new as it is, it could become as huge as TikTok—or it could amount to no more than a trend like BeReal or IGTV. In the meantime, have fun with Threads: Experiment with how your business will utilize it, and see how your audience responds to it.

Happy threading!