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The less a person says to communicate, the better.
Shakespeare said “Brevity is the soul of wit.” And in just six words, underlined why brevity impacts communication.
I appreciate brevity in all things. Iconic one-liners work for punny slogans, catchy choruses, witty retorts, and more.
But think about how true this is for social media.
A decade or so ago, I would take the time to write out three-paragraph diary entries, feature an “emo” pic, and get a lot of engagement or at least some reposts. In today’s fast-paced digital world, that doesn’t cut it anymore.
Today, I hardly use Facebook or even X (Twitter) – enter Threads.
Launched in July 2023, this text-based app built by the team behind Instagram is one of the newest social channels on the block.
With around 200 million monthly active users (MAU), Threads has woven its way into the top 10 social media platforms.
Whether you’re looking for a potential new customer, want to spread awareness about your latest innovation, or simply want to share what you’ve been up to as a creator, here’s why it’s working so well, in my opinion.
1. Short-Form Storytelling Is Captivating Audiences On Threads
While our screens load faster than ever, our attention spans are shorter.
According to the American Psychological Association’s Dr. Gloria Mark:
“So back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average. Throughout the years, it became shorter. So, around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds.
This is with logging techniques. This is an average. And then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds, and others have replicated this result within a few seconds. So it seems to be quite robust.
Now, another way to think about this result is the median. The median means the midpoint of observations. The median is 40 seconds.”
I don’t know how fast you can read, but 47 seconds is not enough for me to read a well-written photo essay online. The same goes for video.
The shorter the storytelling, the easier it is to catch someone’s attention.
This example was only 17 hours old at the time of writing. Yet it had already gained 109 likes and 51 likes, with three reposts. If you unravel their thread, it’s pretty engaging from start to finish.
There’s continuity as each “reply” to their own post builds on the first part of the post.
2. The Power Of Brevity On Topics
It’s not a hashtag. Threads’ vertically expansive, short-form style is further enhanced by the blue highlight feature called “Topic.”
Threads said you can only tag one topic per post, explaining “Why just one? Why just one? This makes it easier for others who care about that topic to find and read your post.”
And it does!
The principle of brevity applies. There was a post I inexplicably couldn’t get out of my mind, and it was in my native tongue (Filipino), but I lost it because I had closed the app.
When I searched for the words “Huling message ni bunso” (English translation: the last message from the youngest sibling), the first result was exactly the same post I was trying to find.
As someone who has exhausted all means to reverse search on other platforms, I was grateful the app narrowed down the search and is friendly to non-English speaking users, too.
The algorithm doesn’t just find your interests but lets your interests find you.
Case in point, even Stephen King is a fan of the platform. It’s amusing that a lot of users use the topic feature (whether highlighted blue or not), and with a stitch of luck, King will appear and reply.
Capturing Attention Through Concise, Impactful Stories
Limited character counts favor attention spans. So, if you decide to post five-liners, each sentence should build on the previous one. X (Twitter) has a 280-character limit, while Threads has a 500-character limit.
But for me, brevity isn’t about having the shortest sentence; it’s about expressing ideas concisely.
No distracting side-stories. Assume your audience is smart – they don’t need a backstory if it’s not aligned with your post’s purpose.
Here’s an example. The analogy this poster made about lemonade stands, drive-thrus, and jazz lounges is enticing.
Readers can relate, and each point was made concisely, with the first point only consisting of four short sentences.
The Art Of Continuous Storytelling
What’s cool is that the platform supports seamless updates to your post, should you wish to go back and update the ones who are invested in it – like this one.
This update is created in response to a post I initially read two days before, and while I didn’t save it, it popped back into my home feed again.
It’s easy to reference a previous post because of the intuitive user interface and minimalistic style.
Alternatively, you can also keep hitting the reply button on your own content to update it (my experience compared to TikTok and other platforms where your old content is stale content once it’s been published.)
Crafting Effective Short-Form Stories On Threads: Tips And Techniques
Opening With A Hook
I suggest starting with “unpopular opinion” or inviting people to unravel your Thread to find out why your thesis statement is true.
Or ask a sincere question or open a debate (address your target audience of Threads, ask what your No. 1 tip is for something, or ask them to choose between this and that, and chances are someone will get back to you).
Check this example out. The first line caught my attention, and intrigued, I quickly absorbed the rest of the carousel post.
If you’re dishing out good advice, the last part of your thread could feature your book or website.
Utilizing Carousels
If you’re running a small business or selling art, it’s quite useful to templates, such as sequential updates or thematic threads, that help create clear, engaging narratives.
Photo blogging by putting handwritten digital annotations can also help draw the eye.
This fun example grabs attention right away because the answers are visually present on the carousel.
I love these beautiful carousels, such as this example and this how-to guide.
Reading copy goes from top to bottom, and images go from left to right. How simple is that?
Seamless Fun
Try it yourself: According to Threads, if you pinch both photos, it automatically connects them (at least on mobile).
Screenshot from Threads, November 2024Staying Relatable And Real
I also noticed that people don’t even have to have followers to get engagement.
I’ve seen posts in German (like this one) and Spanish (this) show up on my home feed. Why? Because while I didn’t understand the language, they posted something related to my interest.
In this case, cozy gaming, upcoming travel to Japan, and related sub-genres like Japanese animation.
If you want to attract birds of the same feather to your Threads post, feature a short, heartfelt story that resonates.
More and more users now understand how authenticity on Threads captures attention and create posts that are vulnerable or raw – but honest.
This one was pretty clever and so was this one. You don’t have to be like Oscar Wilde to do well on Threads. Even if you’re not naturally witty, be clear and concise.
Why Short-Form Storytelling Matters For The Future Of Social Media
Threads is not the first platform to feature brevity and continuity. X (Twitter) and Reddit have done it first. But meaningful content shines on this platform in my experience.
For one, I don’t experience disruptive ads. The desktop version also lets you view various feeds vertically while scrolling through.
Screenshot from Threads by author, November 2024It’s faster than reading a newspaper, watching a documentary, or turning pages of a book.
While maybe not as suitable for deep dives, social media platforms allow for more personalized and interactive content.
The post that took you five seconds to make could make you go viral, too. Don’t forget emojis and abbreviations because, according to research:
These linguistic modifications included the removal of subjects and articles, the use of initialisms like LOL (“Laughing Out Loud”) and BRB (“Be right back”), as well as inventive spelling and punctuation like “CU l8tr” (“See you later”) (Tagg, 2015).
Instead of suggesting a lack of proficiency in more conventional literacy skills, researchers discovered that the brevity of the texts demanded greater syntactic analysis and metalinguistic awareness (Kemp, 2010).
Short-form storytelling is a game of give and take as with every post, comments now spur on ideas for creators, replies spawn more replies, and readers and creators alike stalk each other’s accounts for possible clues to unanswered questions.
Keeping it short caters to attention spans and drives users to act faster than ever.
Conclusion: Embrace Brevity To Build Connections
Threads is the platform that gives back. It’s a unique outlet for personal short-form content – and even long-form if you cut copy into digestible snippets.
Some friends also call it “wholesome Twitter,” and I can see why.
My opinion is that the people joining the platform migrated from toxic name-callers to other platforms. (My educated guess is that X/Twitter’s policies are less restrictive, which attracts more controversy.)
My tip is to keep this in mind: The spirit of community, the act of helping and being heard, seems to be stronger on Threads (at least for me). But don’t take my word for it; there are plenty of spirited debaters on this app, too.
When you embrace brevity, you keep people’s attention spans in mind. Strangers and lurkers feel more compelled to read and respond.
Whether it’s a new customer, client, or friend, new connections await you to make your point.
More resources:
Featured Image: Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Shutterstock