Twitter, Bluesky, and Threads — Oh My!

Issue #1

Hello everyone and welcome to the July edition of my newsletter (and my first newsletter over here!).

I have been publishing my newsletter forever over on LinkedIn and have decided to move it to Substack and will be publishing on both platforms, at least initially until I figure this place out!

That newsletter will be going through some changes as I find my way around a new platform, but it will still be the same kind of content you find here. I wanted to move to a platform where I had more ability to interact with my subscribers and also provide recommendations for other authors on Substack that I find useful. I hope that you'll join me there as the adventure continues!

For now, this first one will be practically identical to my LinkedIn newsletter, but I will be adding some new sections to the Substack version as I go.

So, let’s get to it!

___________________

It's been a crazy few weeks with all the changes on Twitter leading to a mini-exodus to alternative platforms like Bluesky, Spill, and the new social media darling - Threads (from Meta).

I think it's safe to say at this point that you should grab your handles on the various platforms (if it makes sense for your brand or company) and put out a welcome message.

Play around, observe what other people are doing, have some fun, take some notes. Nobody has a solid strategy for any of these platforms that are growing and changing daily, but you can be part of the action with those simple steps.

To recap:

1. Grab your handle

2. Welcome message

3. Play around

4. Start to develop a strategy

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4.

You can find me on Bluesky and Threads now (links below in my signature) and I'm doing just that — playing around and easing into it.

There's a lot of good stuff going on in the social media world, so let's get to it!

Bluesky User Numbers Surge to over 325K

While all the talk has been about Threads lately, Bluesky is quietly gaining users. Its growth is slow on purpose, being an invite only platform for the moment while they build out features and slowly grow the community. It will be interesting to see how they compare to Threads, which is not an invite-only situation and also tied in to people's existing Instagram accounts.

Check the chart HERE!

Social Media Managers Feel Burnout over Twitter Alternatives

After Twitter instituted a cap on number of tweets you could read in a day, many people took to Twitter alternatives, including Threads, Bluesky, and Spill.

And for social media managers, the urgency to get on all those platforms and secure brand handles (as well as their own) led to some pretty stressful days.

I know I felt the need to get on Bluesky and Threads to lock down my handle and put out a welcome post.

Thankfully, it's early days enough that we don't have to have an extensive strategy in place for Threads, just get on and get familiar. Maybe even toss up some golden oldies while you develop a platform specific strategy.

Read the article HERE!

Unlock the Secrets to Breaking Through on the LinkedIn Feed

There are plenty of places to find information on how to succeed on LinkedIn, but this article comes directly from the source. It's worth checking out their 10 ways to stand out in the LinkedIn feed.

Read the article HERE!

The Psychology of Severance's Costumes: How They Reveal the Characters' Duality

While we impatiently wait for a second season of Apple TV+'s hit show Severance, check out my chat with costume designer Sarah Edwards about creating the looks for the characters who lead two lives - one at work and one at home, while never knowing what the other version is doing.

Read the article HERE!

Video Corner — Exclusive Interview: Sarah Edwards, Costume Designer for 'Severance'

Costume designer Sarah Edwards has collaborated with some of the most talented actors, directors and craftsmen in the industry.

She’s worked on everything from small independent films to Oscar winners to big budget action flicks.

Some of her most notable credits include Ocean’s 8, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Salt, and The Devil’s Advocate.

Sarah’s most recent work can be seen on the Apple TV+ series, Severance. 

I chatted with her about the first season of Severance as well as trying to tease some hints about what we can expect in the second season.

You can watch the entire 18 minute interview below on my YouTube Channel.

Watch other entertainment interviews on my YouTube Channel and subscribe so that you don't miss any new videos!

If you enjoyed this newsletter, subscribe, drop a comment below, and share with your network!

I value everyone's input and feedback as I work to make this newsletter better, so please do reach out either in messages, comments or via one of the ways below.

Tai Freligh is the Chief Social Media Strategist for Life Happens In Between, a marketing agency based in Huntington Beach, California. LHIB provides consulting services for social media, marketing, branding, and content creation.

Give us a follow on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.

You can connect with, like and follow Tai on his social media accounts: LinkedIn, Twitter, Bluesky, Threads, and TikTok.