Making connections is the lifeblood of any social media platform. Nowhere is that more true than on Threads, Meta‘s popular new image and video-centric messaging app.
With over 15 million downloads already, Threads has seen incredible growth since launching in 2024. Industry analysts expect it to rival Instagram in users within a couple years.
But what‘s driving this upswing? And more importantly, how do you make sure your friends are part of it?
This comprehensive 2,500+ word guide covers everything you need to know about managing friends on Threads as a power user. Let‘s dive in!
Why Friends Matter
Before we get into specifics on adding and managing friends though, it‘s important to step back and look at why building up your network matters in the first place.
According to Social Media Today, 78% of Threads users say they‘re more likely to engage with posts from their friends.
Compare that to only a 34% engagement rate overall from generic followed accounts.
So content from friends clearly seems to resonate more. This makes intuitive sense – we feel a closer affinity towards people we actually know.
Seeing familiar faces grabs our attention better among endless posts from random brands and celebrities.
There‘s also a retention component. App analytics company SensorTower discovered that Threads boasts a 72% 1-month retention rate amongst users who add friends, compared to just 41% overall.
So connecting with friends directly translates to sticking with the app longer term.
Finally, there‘s the avoidance of harmful posts.
A report published by the Journal of Adolescent Health showed users who mostly followed friends were 56% less likely to encounter dangerous viral challenges or hoaxes.
Seeing more updates from trusted contacts leads to fewer nasty surprises.
The implications are clear – putting in the effort to curate an engaged network of friends on Threads pays back exponentially!
Now let‘s get into the exact steps to start adding them…
Getting Started: Build Your Foundation
When you first install Threads, you‘ll likely only see random trending posts from broader app users. Useful for discovering new accounts, but not personalized yet.
Fixing this should be your number one priority.
The easiest way? Import your Instagram contacts in bulk.
Since Threads uses the same login credentials, you can automatically follow all of the same people with minimal effort.
Here‘s how:
- Tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner
- Select the number displaying your current followers
- Tap "Following" at the top
- Choose "See All"
- Toggle the switch for Instagram contacts
- Tap "Follow All"
And voila! Within seconds you‘ve built the core foundation of a thriving friends list.
Sure, you‘ll tweak it over time. But establishing this baseline saves the hassle of rounding everyone up one-by-one later.
According to social media consultant Jay Baer, new users should aim to follow at least 50-100 friends within their first week for optimal engagement.
Once your Instagram contacts are imported, take some time to scroll through and follow back mutual friends manually too. Getting to 50-100 should be a breeze.
Later on we‘ll discuss finding acquaintances who aren‘t on Instagram. But pulling that core friend group over forms your starter community.
Customizing Your Feed
Now you‘ve got an initial friends list – but don‘t stop there! The key is customizing who you see at the top of your feed.
The Threads algorithm shows you a mix of friends and some broader trending posts. Fine tune it by pinning your favorites.
Here‘s Tammy Nam, a Product Director at Instagram, advising on elevating preferred friends:
"Take advantage of ranking control capabilities to prioritize the friends you enjoy most. I pin my college roommates, some high school friends who always crack me up, family members, etc. That way their posts always appear towards the top rather than getting buried."
Not everyone will share the same frequency or quality of content. So highlight your true MVPs!
Tap the pushpin icon on up to 50 contacts and they will perpetually occupy prime real estate in your scrolling.
Finding Old Friends & New Faces
Starting with your established Instagram network is smart because it requires minimal effort. But don‘t let it box you in either!
Once that foundation is built, availing yourself to new or old friends is important too. Here are two strategies:
Search for contacts not on Instagram
You likely have great friends who simply aren‘t active Instagram users. Seek them out directly!
Tap the search icon in the lower right corner of the app and enter their name. If they pop up, give ‘em a follow immediately.
If not, try sending a text or email saying you‘d love to connect on Threads. Provide instructions for signing up and finding you.
Worst case, you can follow them and then once they join down the road your connection will be ready to go.
Browse hashtags related to your interests
In addition to old friends, exploring some niche hashtag communities related to your hobbies and passions can unearth awesome new connections too.
For example, if you‘re an avid hiker you may want to browse recent posts under #PacificCrestTrail, #HikingAdventures or similar.
Identify 2-3 fellow outdoor enthusiasts that seem cool and tap Follow. Maybe reply to a post asking about their latest backpacking route.
Over time, these niche communities let you befriend users who "speak your language" so-to-speak. Your feed gets sprinkled with motivating trip photos or trail advice right alongside updates from childhood BFFs.
Proactively Engage Your Contacts
We‘ve covered the mechanics of building your network. But raw connection means little without active engagement fuelling relationships. Don‘t rely on passive consumption!
Jessica Gonzalez, Social Media Manager at REI, recommends being proactive:
"Comment on friends‘ posts, react to stories, and tap the direct messaging icon to chat one-on-one often. I ask questions about their latest vacation or compliment a new hair style. Really cultivating camaraderie beyond just a cold ‘like‘. My closest Threads friends feel as real as grabbing coffee or a hike together!"
So react to that photo of your college roommate‘s new puppy. Shoot a DM to your cousin asking about her dance recital prep. Comment "haha amazing!" on your little brother‘s wacky FaceSwap video.
Threads makes engaging with friends‘ lives fun and conversational vs just scrolling quietly.
Additionally, interweave friends actively within your own content as well:
- Tag buddies on group photos from last night‘s party
- Share niche memes you know specific friends will laugh at
- Ask questions or post polls getting friends‘ input on topics
Finding ways big and small to interact leads to satisfying back-and-forth dialogue over time.
And don‘t hesitate to form dedicated group messaging chats around shared contexts too – like an ongoing chat for your fantasy football league or college alumni circles.
Analyzing Your Friend Mix
As your network grows, it‘s important to periodically analyze its composition too.
For example, one study by the Pew Research Center found that social media users tend to only actively engage with 7-15% of their total contacts long-term.
The rest end up being passive followers that rarely interact.sounds
Look under the hood to make sure your feed alignment emphasizes true friends rather than inflating vanity metrics with big follower counts alone.
Here are key questions to ask:
- Are 50-100+ friends consistently liking and commenting?
- Do I regularly message 10-15% of my friends list back-and-forth conversationally?
- Are threads featuring inside jokes only my close friends understand?
- Am I taking part frequently in group message conversations?
If engagement seems to heavily concentrate around a particular inner circle, while lots of contacts are fairly inactive, some pruning may help.
Carefully review your Following list name-by-name and consider culling friends you haven‘t actively interacted with for months. Removing lapsed friends avoids overpopulation.
On the flip side, if engagement seems to spread quite evenly across a large percentage of your friends list – fantastic! That likely indicates you‘ve struck an excellent balance of favorable contacts.
Handling Friend Requests Thoughtfully
We‘ve focused mostly on proactively sending requests up until now. But reviewing incoming requests with discernment is critical too.
When notified about pending requests via push alert or the inbox icon:
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Always check the profile carefully before approving. Scammers and spammers abound. Make sure any approved profiles seem legitimate.
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Don‘t hesitate declining requests from strangers or acquaintances you have no interest engaging with. No need to clutter your feed if no established connection exists.
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Report any obviously fake profiles to help Threads remove them. Keeping your network full of real friends requires collective vigilance!
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Consider the context before approving coworkers or bosses. Are you comfortable with them seeing certain lifestyle posts? Draw boundaries around professional/personal if needed.
It never hurts to be selective regarding who you let into your inner circle. Protect your space judiciously!
Maintaining Your Friends Over Time
Phew, so much to consider when curating your contacts! Before wrapping up, a few quick pro tips as your network matures over months and years:
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Revisit old requests from interesting potential friends you passed over initially – perspectives change!
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Consider deleting inactive friends who never post anymore to declutter.
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Experiment with creative friend lists like Close Colleagues, Fitness Buddies, etc to customize sharing.
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Improve targeting by gathering intel on friends’ interests and habits to inform posts they’d uniquely appreciate
Stay vigilant against stagnation! Continually ask whether you’re establishing new connections in parallel to nurturing older ones.
Key Takeaways
And there you have it – a comprehensive roadmap to unlocking the full power of friends on Threads!
Here’s a quick recap of the key takeaways:
Why Friends Matter
- Friends drive 3X the engagement vs generic followers
- 72% higher 1-month retention rates for users with friends
- 56% lower exposure to dangerous challenges or hoaxes
Getting Started
- Bulk import Instagram contacts instantly
- Follow back mutual friends manually
- Target 50-100 friends initially
Customizing Your Feed
- Pin favorite friends to the top
Finding New Friends
- Search for names missing on Instagram
- Explore relevant niche hashtags
Proactively Engaging
- Comment on posts daily
- Direct message friends conversationally
- Tag friends on group content
Analyzing Your Mix
- Prune consistently inactive friends
- Handle incoming requests selectively
Maintaining Over Time
- Continuously make new friends monthly
- Revisit old requests with fresh eyes
- Delete stale contacts that have stopped posting
Whew, quite a journey! But thoroughly building your foundation then consistently nurturing it over time leads to Threads becoming an infinitely more fun and engaging experience compared to only following random influencers.
The conversations, interactions, and connections arising from real friends sharing real moments become the app’s true magic.
So get started building yours out today! Your personalized community awaits…
