Everything You Should Know About Threads for Law Firms and Meta’s Latest Platform Updates

It is no secret that the digital world is continuing to evolve faster each day. Staying informed about the latest advancements is crucial for law firms aiming to maintain a competitive edge. There has been a lot going on at Meta, including the launch of their latest platform, Threads, as well as ongoing updates to their other platforms, Facebook and Instagram. While everyone is quick to take part in the latest hot thing (Threads) it is important to have a solid understanding of the platform, before investing too much time into it.

What is Threads?

Meta recently launched Threads, a new social media platform designed to share text updates and engage in public conversations. In less than a week of being launched, Threads acquired over 100 million subscribers, making it the fastest-growing digital platform in history. While some may draw similarities to Twitter, Threads offers unique features and opportunities that set it apart. 

• Unprecedented Growth: Fastest Subscriber Acquisition Ever: Threads has taken the social media world by storm, acquiring over 100 million subscribers in a mere 5 days. This remarkable feat solidifies Threads as the platform with the highest number of subscribers in the shortest period, surpassing any other digital platform. The rapid uptake demonstrates the immense appeal and potential of Threads in connecting users through real-time updates and engaging public conversations.
• Threads and Instagram: An Interconnected Experience: As an extension of Instagram, Threads requires users to have an Instagram account to log in. By building upon the existing Instagram infrastructure, Threads seamlessly integrates with the parent platform, offering a familiar interface and access to a vast user base. Users can leverage their Instagram account to transfer profile information or customize their Threads profile specifically for this separate platform, providing flexibility and personalization.
• Unique Features and Privacy Settings: Threads introduces a distinct space for users to share real-time updates, with posts capable of including up to 500 characters, videos up to 5 minutes in length, and links and photos. Notably, the Threads feed aggregates posts from all users, expanding the content beyond the accounts you follow. Furthermore, privacy settings on Threads can be independently adjusted, allowing users to define whether their posts are public or private, regardless of their Instagram privacy settings.
• Meta’s Vision for Compatibility: Meta envisions Threads to become compatible with ActivityPub, an open social networking protocol established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This compatibility will enable Threads to interact seamlessly with other ActivityPub-supported apps like Mastodon and WordPress, fostering new connections and expanding the possibilities of social networking. The integration holds tremendous potential for users seeking to explore diverse platforms while maintaining interoperability and content transferability.
• Safety Measures and User Control: Meta is committed to promoting positive and productive conversations on Threads. The platform provides users with tools to control mentions and replies, enabling them to filter out specific words or block, restrict, and report profiles. Leveraging the safety features and integrity efforts developed for Instagram, Threads aims to create a secure and respectful environment for its growing community.

Does Threads for Law Firms Make Sense?

While it is important to be active on social media and stay up to date on the latest trends it’s just as important to ask yourself “does this make sense for my law firm’s goals?”. We always ask ourselves the same question before following through with any new marketing initiative. While it doesn’t make the most sense for us to be as active on Threads as we are on some of our other social media platforms, we do think it makes sense to acquire the appropriate Threads handles for each of our law firms and we would encourage you to do the same for your law firm. As Threads evolves it could make more sense for your law firm to become more active on the platform, especially if they roll out paid advertising in the future. Securing your Threads handle will save you hassle in the future.

Additional Meta Updates That Could Affect Your Law Firm

Meta is continuously evolving and making updates to their social platforms. In addition to launching Threads, Meta has made significant updates to their existing platforms over the past two years. Particularly in relation to their advertising practices. Law firms running ads on Facebook and Instagram need to stay informed about these updates to ensure their campaigns are optimized and running in an efficient manner. Here’s some of the significant changes we’ve seen Meta make to their platforms:

• Enhanced Ads Transparency: In February, Meta took a significant step toward transparency by increasing visibility into the factors that determine why users see certain ads. The company recognized the need to improve understanding around how their machine learning models contribute to ad targeting on their services. This update provides users with greater insights into the ad delivery process, helping them understand why specific ads are shown to them.
• Adjustments to Targeting Options: Meta has been progressively removing detailed targeting options from their advertising platforms. Notably, they silently removed several location targeting options, such as targeting people living in or recently in specific locations, as well as those traveling in certain areas. Presently, the only available location targeting option is “Living in or recently in this location.” Law firms running geo-specific campaigns should adjust their targeting strategies accordingly. Additionally, many options we used to use for our detailed targeting have been removed, forcing us and many other divorce and family law firms to think outside of the box.
• Content Limitations and Boosting Restrictions: During the first half of 2023, Meta introduced changes in what and how to target, which included limitations on the type of content that can be boosted. As an example, some divorce and family law video content may be flagged and deemed ineligible for boosting. Law firms specializing in these areas should ensure their content comply with Meta’s guidelines to maximize visibility and reach on the platform.
• Meta Performance 5: Best Practices for Advertising: In June 2023, Meta announced “Meta Performance 5,” a set of best practices to follow when using their advertising platform. Law firms looking to optimize their Facebook and Instagram campaigns should take note of the following key recommendations:
  • 1. Account simplification: Keep everything in one campaign and minimize ad sets to streamline campaign management and performance analysis.
  • 2. Automation: Leverage Meta’s automated tools, specifically the advantage + options, to enhance campaign efficiency and maximize results.
  • 3. Creative differentiation: Tailor ad creative based on specific target audiences to ensure relevance and improve engagement.
  • 4. Use Conversions API: Utilize the Conversions API to enhance data quality and track conversions more accurately.
  • 5. Utilize tools: Take advantage of tools such as A/B testing, conversions lift analysis, and marketing mix modeling to measure campaign performance and optimize strategies.

As Meta continues to evolve its platforms, it is important for law firms to stay informed about their latest updates and the impact they can have on any current advertising strategies on Facebook and Instagram. Over the past 2 years we’ve seen a solid amount of significant changes to Meta’s platforms, this is just the start. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Meta continue making changes even more often as the digital world continues to grow and become more relevant in every one’s day to day life. At Cardinal Concepts we keep up to date with the latest trends and updates for Meta and all other digital platforms, so you don’t have to. Contact us today to see how we can help your law firm outrank the competition.