Spooling Up New Role Models for Girls on Threads
When Threads exploded onto the social media scene July 5th, celebratory fireworks were in order. Amassing 100M users in the first five days and augmenting its offerings with quick rounds of updates in response to user feedback, the app hit the summer ground running with one simple message: Say more.
We did. Whether with posts up to 500 characters long, links, photos and videos up to five minutes in length, or brand new Following tabs or Activity filters, users seeking a fresh way to communicate said more in record numbers.
And girls looking for new role models were listening.
Être's research told us that girls are increasingly comfortable seeking out professional role models on social media; indeed, in our national confidence study commissioned with YPulse more than 3 in 4 girls said they would follow someone on social media to get help finding a mentor, and nearly 3 in 4 would send a mentor a DM on social. With Threads' focus on tuning out the noise and sharing public conversations with positivity, this new app may well be a new springboard for mentor and role model connections.
Experts agree.
In her excellent Forbes article breaking down how to use Threads to build a personal brand, Rachel Wells outlined smart ways to "establish a strong following and thought leadership that can boost career prospects and opportunities via the app." When I asked Wells how she thought girls in tomorrow's workforce might find role models and mentors on Threads today, she offered this:
"Women are largely under-represented in senior leadership positions in major corporations, accounting for little more than 30% of these roles across industries in the US. The less representation we have at the top, the less young girls have to aspire to, which results in a never-ending cycle of under-representation in the corporate world. While supporting and campaigning for more women in executive and traditionally male-dominated positions is important, in the meantime, it's crucial to utilize what is already available and maximize current opportunities for creating your own role models as young girls."
“Locate influencers and creators that align with your values and your sense of purpose; it’s especially important to find role models who look like you (i.e. if you’re Latinx or Black, find Latinx or Black role models) and follow them across social media platforms so you’re regularly exposed to their content, ideas, and lifestyle. Threads is a great platform to follow them because it provides a more intimate space to view their inspirational thoughts and ideas, and directly engage with them. You will become the copy of those you watch and follow every day, if you adopt their principles as your own.”
Others chimed in.
Teresha Aird recommended in the same Forbes piece that users jump in while Threads is in early stages, because "[t]he platform is gaining momentum and now is the time to establish your presence."
Speaking separately to the next generation, Aird added:
“In regards to tomorrow’s female workforce and role models, I’d say that it takes connection and dialogue to find mentors and role models and the dynamic environment of a platform like Threads can help...”
"The lingering gender disparity in business and entrepreneurship, highlighted by Guidant Financial’s ‘2023 Women in Business Report’, showing that only 25% of small business owners are women," she explained, "emphasizes the need to pursue all available methods to close it. Young girls' interactions with successful women help address structural inequalities -- instilling in them an early feeling of attainable ambition. In addition to helping level the playing field currently, by acting as role models and providing mentorship, we are empowering the next generation -- encouraging girls to have high aspirations and providing them with the guidance and support to get there.
“Having a platform to follow the career trajectories of relatable role models — and actually have the opportunity to engage with them — helps shape girls’ understanding of what success could look like for them, providing the motivation to dream big and the belief that they can achieve.”
Louder for the girls in the back, I thought as I read Aird's email. Yes, all of this.
Because while next gen users must, of course, be of age to use the app (13, like Instagram) and remain vigilant about privacy protection, Threads may be the new way to find and follow new role models who help them dream big.
Who should they follow?
Think FIFA Women's World Cup this month. Or orgs like MAKERS Women, The Female Quotient or The Li.st for end of summer inspo. Need back to school resources? Try topic-driven TED Talks, goal-setting with Girlboss or collegiate advice at Her Campus. Eyeing future internships and workplace entry? Follow Generation Hired, TheSkimm and Forbes Women, to start.
The list of role models is long.
The spool of topics is even longer.
So, while the explosive early growth of Threads will necessarily taper, the world of mentors chatting there remains expansive. "Everyone is an expert in something," says Jenny Huang to Wells in Forbes, "and the Threads app is a place for you to share your voice."
Join Être in the conversation on Threads (as well as over on Insta, LinkedIn and our site) and let's work together to connect tomorrow's workforce with today's leaders.
They're ready to hear more.
Looking forward,
Illana
ÊXTRAS: For those already on Threads looking for updates, here are three of the latest features you won't want to miss: a new chronological Following tab, Translations (although note that Threads is not yet available in the EU) and Subscribe.
