Threads is a relatively new social media platform operated by Instagram (well, Meta). 

It first launched on July 5, 2023, and hosts over 200 monthly active users. Brands also wasted no time jumping onto this app, which is integrated with Instagram.

On the app, you can interact with companies like Wendy's, the American Red Cross, and CNN. 

Threads is a place for conversation, but what about marketing? How easy is it for smaller creators and brands to increase visibility?

Although limited, Threads does supply users with insights. But what insights? Are they helpful? Continue reading for answers to these questions and more.

Does Threads Have Insights or Analytics?

Threads currently has some insights and analysis, although it isn't extensive. According to Instagram's help center, the insights available to users include total views of your content, interactions, and followers.

You can see your interactions by clicking on your post and viewing who has reacted, reposted, and responded. 

This is in addition to your insights page, which is located on your profile at the top right of the screen.

On the insights page, you can see your total views over the past 90 days, general interactions, followers, and top posts by views and likes.

It's important to note that the information won't display until you've gained at least 100 followers.

Threads Vs. Instagram Analytics

Although Threads and Instagram are connected, there are fewer limitations on Instagram insights/analytics. Instagram insights, though, are also only available for business and creator accounts. You can find the Instagram insights in your dashboard.

Instagram's insights page displays your views by follower vs. non-follower, accounts reached, audience, profile visits, top-performing content, and external link taps.

You can also view more detailed interactions, including the overall number and percentage by content type (Reels, Stories, and Posts).

Instagram also provides free tools to boost your engagement and views with Best Practices and Trending audio.

What Metrics Matter on Threads (Even if They’re Not Native Yet)?

So, what metrics should you pay attention to on Threads as a business owner or marketer?

Engagement (Likes, Replies, Reposts, Quotes)

Engagement (or ‘Interactions’ in your Threads dashboard) encompasses activities such as replies, reposts, and quotes.

How often are people replying to your posts? Are they sharing them as quotes? The more users engage with a post, the more likely the algorithm is to push it out more, allowing your brand to gain visibility.

However, the downside to using engagement as a metric on Threads is that the engagement is calculated on an account level (similar to Facebook pages but without the ability to narrow down analytics to a specific post). 

So, if you were to set engagement analytics to show your engagement over the ‘last 7 days’, it will not just account for engagement on posts you published within the last seven days but rather show you all of the activity in those seven days.

This would include engagement on posts you might have posted months prior, but that were interacted with in the past seven days. 

While this might look good on paper when creating reports for clients, you cannot easily narrow down your tracking to specific dates when creating reports that you might want to have more accuracy on (for example, a weekly or monthly report).

How to Use Instagram Threads for Your Business

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Follower Growth From Threads Activity

Follower growth is another metric to keep your eyes on. Engagement is significant, but it should translate to clicks or follows (or, in the best-case scenario, both). 

How many followers are you gaining from your posts a week? Or a month?  You can see up to 90 days.

Click-throughs (when using links or bio CTAs)

Click-throughs are probably the most critical metric to really focus on. It is limited in Threads, but you can use a third-party analytics platform to analyse the numbers.

Impressions

Let's say you're a shoe brand with an online collection. Followers are great because that means exposure, but what good are followers if they don't click and buy off your link? This is why CTAs (call to actions) are so important. Direct your followers and viewers to the link in your bio for sales.

Workarounds for Measuring Threads’ Performance

As we've established, Threads' insights are pretty limited. This doesn't mean you have to stick your head in the sand and give up. There are other options.

Third-Party Tools

More than half of all marketers still use third-party tools. But what other options are there?

Google Analytics is a popular tool for brands to track their performance. It still doesn't show everything, though.

For marketers with time and a good eye, manual tracking with spreadsheets is an option, although it is time-consuming. You can plug in the numbers and compare them weekly or monthly.

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UTM Codes

What about UTM codes? These sneaky little links are very useful for comparing analytics and data, especially if you use multiple social media websites to promote your brand.

How do you know where someone came from when they click on your link and you're reviewing your website's views?

UTM snippets/codes at the end of a link tell analytics websites how to sort your code with parameters like source, medium, and campaign. Although code may seem intimidating, there are numerous free code generators available online.

Content Pillars Testing

Not all data needs to be number-related, such as views. It's also essential that your brand's message stands strong and consistent.

This is a bit more challenging to track, but it can be done with content pillars. 

Content pillars are categories you can use to categorise the content you create for your brand. Some popular categories include interactive, promotional, and educational. 

Once you have your pillars and content organised, the testing begins. Compare data like views, interactions, and conversions. Which pillar/category sees more bio-link clicks or sales?

Why Threads Insights Matter for Brands

Just because Threads' insights aren't very detailed doesn't mean they aren't important. The little bit of data given to you is important.

When comparing your top posts to the ones that don't rank as high, you can figure out why. Is there a CTA missing? Is the post long or short? 

Reviewing Threads insights can also help you strengthen your brand's overall tone and vision. During analysis, a lot of questions are asked to help guide you to understand why the post didn't do well. Did it fit your brand's overall vibe? Or was it too out there?

Threads' insights may also help with your brand's overall goals through increased engagement. 

For instance, if your goal is to boost brand awareness within your sales funnel, then you need to examine your post's engagement and analyse what posts are performing the best with your audience.

Are people commenting and clicking your link? What posts have higher conversion rates? 

Knowing your engagement and conversation rates, you can plan content for the future. It's easier to go viral and grow when you use what's already working for your brand.

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What Brands Should Focus On Until Full Analytics Roll Out

Threads is working on providing better and more detailed insights and analysis, but it's unclear when this will be available. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to continue growing your brand on Threads.

The first thing you can do is test different types of posts by analyzing views and engagement. Try out different formats like text posts, videos, photos, polls, and quote threads.

Qualitative data is just as important as quantitative data. Read through your replies. What are your viewers and followers saying? Are they vocal about their dislike or likes on specific posts?

Other than reviewing your replies, staying consistent is enough. Posting frequently can increase your chances of going viral and finding your target audience. It's easier to reach 100 people with 10 posts vs just 1.

Creating a schedule for yourself can make this easier. Sendible, a social media management software, aids in bulk posting and creating content. This is perfect if you're looking to stay consistent and post frequently.

Sendible works with multiple social media sites, not just Threads, which means you can work on your social media strategy across various platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn from the same dashboard.

This does not mean copying and pasting the same content across all your social platforms. You know your audiences best, and they differ depending on where you interact with them. However, you could use Sendible’s AI Assist feature to tailor Threads content and make it suitable for another platform, ensuring the right tone and message.

For high engagement and strong scheduling capabilities, check out Sendible. Start your 14-day free trial now to begin growing your presence and brand awareness on Threads.

Keeping Track of Changes With Threads Insights

Threads Insights is still constantly changing, so following their own page on Threads is a good way to stay updated. 

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The team often posts information on new features as soon as they are rolled out, along with helpful screenshots that show followers what they should be looking at when trying out a feature for themselves.

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FAQ Section

Does Threads have native analytics for business accounts?

Directly in the app, you can find native analytics for business accounts. It launched in October 2024. For non-business users, the same data is available after reaching 100 followers.

How can I tell if my Threads posts are performing well?

You can tell if your Threads posts are performing well by using Threads insights and other data analytics services. If your post has a lot of views and engagement, this likely means it's doing well. 

Can I use third-party tools to track Threads insights?

You can use third-party tools to track Threads insights and data. Google Analytics is a popular option, although there are hundreds more online.