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Women are supporting women on Threads these days, in a trend that originated on the sort-of Twitter (currently known as X) replacement app from Meta. The trend has become so popular that it’s spilling onto other platforms like Instagram.
So what is it?
It’s pretty simple: Women are posting about themselves so other women with similar interests and values can find them, and they can follow and support one another.
Why women?
As the Barbie movie showed us earlier this year, women are embracing community with each other. It’s a trend that’s been ongoing and seems to be on the rise. Women are out-earning their husbands, hold more college degrees than men and are making progress when it comes to finding a seat at the leadership table.
However, things like the gender pay gap still exist. There’s a lot of work to be done, and it seems women are banding together to close the gender pay gap and more.
Is it like the Dear Algorithm trend?
The Women Supporting Women trend is very similar to the Dear Algorithm trend, which started earlier (and is still going strong), but it’s a more niched-down version of it, so it’s even more targeted and intentional. However, if you aren’t a woman or don’t want to bring gender into things but still want to use this trend, Dear Algorithm is a great substitute.
In fact, many are using these trends interchangeably. Some are simply doing an introduction of themselves with a list of characteristics and short facts about them. The point is to showcase yourself to attract others to you.
Is this just a more sophisticated version of the Follow-for-Follow trends? (And will the Meta powers that be crack down on it?)
Who remembers Follow-for-Follow trends? Well, they are still around but aren’t as popular thanks to Instagram restrictions on how many accounts you can follow and how quickly you can follow them. Follow-for-follow trends were exactly that: Users would publish posts asking others to follow them, and they would return the favor to help boost follower counts.
This created many third-party software options that would use automation to do following automatically for you, and that of course, was abused by spam bots, leading to Instagram’s restrictions and making the trend fizzle.
This is likely why the Women Supporting Women and Dear Algorithm trends are much more popular on Threads right now, though they have spilled over to Instagram because the trend isn’t about numbers. It’s about making meaningful connections. Any efforts to slow down following on Threads likely won’t be too harmful for anyone who isn’t a spam bot.
Why you should care about big trends on social media
Some people want to know what is trendy both online and offline, while others don’t care, and some want nothing to do with what the public is making popular at the moment. When you’re in business, though, you don’t have the luxury of choosing usually.
Every social media user is touched by what’s trending. Demographics will change the timeline of when a trend might reach someone, but eventually, big trends touch us all.
When brands participate in a trend, the sooner they do so, the better. Jumping on a trend right away shows that a business is engaged with its following and paying attention to what it cares about; waiting can give the appearance of trying to pander and often feels inauthentic.
Being part of a trend early can mean a lot of exposure for a brand, since a post that understands the nature of a trend and uses it in an authentic way can gain a lot of engagement and be shared widely. This takes the brand from the position of selling to an audience to having a conversation with them.
One of the best examples of a brand jumping on a trending topic quickly and having great success is Oreo with its 2013 Super Bowl tweet. Not all trendy posts need to be that fast, but Oreo is a great reminder that the quicker you are, the better.
Should real estate agents participate in this Threads trend?
Women Supporting Women and Dear Algorithm trends are excellent opportunities for real estate agents to engage with their audience in an authentic way. And this trend is working for those participating in it.
Always choose which trends to participate in based on what feels authentic to you and your brand. If you find yourself rolling your eyes at this trend, then it’s not for you, and that’s OK. However, if you love this, don’t be afraid to jump in.
How can you participate?
Think of who your ideal client is and what characteristics and values they share with you, and use those traits in a post for this trend. The key to success here is to be completely authentic.
Choose values and traits you actually embody, and don’t be afraid to get specific. This is a situation where the entire point is to cut through the generic noise and speak directly to the people you are looking for. The more detailed, the better.
Don’t worry about alienating some people; you won’t, but you will attract like-minded people with whom you can network and build community.
Some basic guidelines to remember when crafting a post to follow this trend:
- Include the trend, so say something about wanting to be part of Women Supporting Women, or start with Dear Algorithm
- Include a (recent) selfie
- Don’t make it sales-y, be authentic and even vulnerable about who you are
- Don’t say something about follow for follow
- Use keywords for your brand and ideal client
- Use emojis if that’s in alignment with your branding
- Be real. Don’t make anything up
Real estate agents know the power of genuine connections and relationships. If you’re using social media as part of your marketing strategy, don’t miss out on great opportunities like this one.
Jessi Healey is a freelance writer and social media manager specializing in real estate. Find her on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Threads.
