A lot of people asked for Threads tips — I listened. When I started my writing journey, I actually bought 2 online writing courses. But honestly, that’s not where I learned the most. The real knowledge came from all the mistakes I made along the way.

I don’t want you to make the same mistakes, so I’m just gonna show you everything that ended up working for me (and others). Am I giving away these valuable lessons for free? Of course not. I’m charging 1 scoop of pistachio ice cream — payment due the moment we meet in person😌

(I live in Germany, so the best way to avoid me is to pack up your things and move to the furthest country: New Zealand — could be worse right?)

Anyway, here’s my strategy for writing on Threads:

1. Provide Value

Your highest goal should be to actually help people and solve real problems. Don’t write with the mindset: “How can I get people to like my posts?” Instead, think: “How can I provide as much value as possible?”

It’s kinda like karma — if you genuinely care about helping others and putting out good energy, that positivity will find its way back to you. Instead of fighting the darkness, bring the light 💡

2. Longforms (LF)

Over 95% of my growth comes from writing LFs. FYI, an LF is a series of connected posts — basically a mini blog post broken into bite-sized chunks. Same idea as on Twitter (X). I write 5–7 LFs per week. Most people write 0–3. I’d say 3 should be the absolute minimum.

Why do they work so well?

Because they take up a lot of time (especially the research) and effort. Some of my LFs took me whole days to write. And that’s exactly where the honey is. You spending more time means your post has valuable information that takes hours of work to find out. And by posting that in a compact format you save people tons of time. Time is the currency. When people engage with your LFs they basically reward you for saving them time. And the more time you save them the higher the engagement.

That’s the theory at least. In reality, 9 out of 10 LFs will flop (maybe even 19 out of 20). But I guarantee you: That 1 hit makes up for ALL the flops. A good LF is as valuable as 10 or more short posts.

3. Hooks

The first sentence of your post determines 90% of engagement. I like to say that writing online is less about writing — and more about psychology. There are tons of great ways to start a post. Here are a few that have worked like a charm for me:

• The authority starter:

  • I have a [DEGREE] in [SUBJECT] and I need you to hear this:

  • I’ve spend X+ hours studying [TOPIC]

  • I worked in [FIELD] for X years

  • I’ve read X+ books about [TOPIC]

• Personal transformations: You lost weight? Build muscle? Helped a client reach their goals? Had a crazy psychedelic trip that changed the way you see life? You beat your addiction? People love transformations. They are a perfect combination of showing personality and giving inspiration.

• Call out people or an industry if you think it needs to improve. EG:

  I spent X years in [FIELD/PROFESSION/INSTITUTION] and I’m breaking the silence:

• Share controversial truths that shouldn’t be controversial (I get so much hate for saying alcohol is poison for example). EG:
  I’m [PROFESSION]

  Here are X controversial truths about [TOPIC RELATED TO YOUR PROFESSION] you need to hear:
  

4. Clarity & Specificity

A lot of people give vague statements because they’re afraid to offend anyone. The problem? If you try to please everyone, you lose authenticity. Nobody in this world has only opinions that everyone agrees on — it’s just impossible. Be honest. Speak your truth.

Also, be specific. Don’t just say ”sleep 8h a day”. Give the exact steps people should follow. If I have to use google after I read your text it wasn’t specific enough.

5. Bonus tips

• Don’t complain without offering solutions. Be a positive source in this negative online world.

• Consistency is key: Post 2-3x every day — NO EXCEPTIONS. They don’t have to be all LFs. Aim for at least 3 LFs per week and the rest can be short posts.

• Don’t lose yourself in the pursuit of perfection. If you need hours to improve a 90% post to 100%, then post the 90% version.

• Write insightful comments. Think of it like a post on its own.

• Be constructive. If you don’t like something explain why and give room for improvement. Destructive criticism doesn’t help anyone.

That’s it for now. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out on Instagram @husseinnaji_ or email — my door (aka inbox) is always open. Just reply to this mail☺️

Much love,

Your kiwi-with-the-skin-on-eating friend

Hussein

PS: If you want to see more content, check out my other channels:

• Threads

• Medium

• Bluesky

• LinkedIn