A thread is a series of connected posts, each replying to the one before, that together read as a single longer piece.
How threads work
On X, Bluesky, and Mastodon, a thread is built as a reply chain: post two replies to post one, post three replies to post two, and so on. Readers see them grouped and can read top to bottom. Each post still has the network's own length limit.
LinkedIn has no native thread. A long LinkedIn post is written as one piece instead.
Tips for a readable thread:
- Make the first post stand alone; many people read only that one.
- One idea per post.
- Number posts if the thread is long.
- Put links near the end, after you have given the context.
An example
A 1,100-character release summary becomes a five-post thread on Bluesky, each under 300 graphemes, with the first post naming the release and its main change.
Why it matters for AI-agent publishing
Agents tend to split text at arbitrary points, mid-sentence or mid-list. Threads also fail partway if one post in the chain is rejected, leaving half a thread live.
SocialHandoff publishes reply-chain threads on X, Bluesky, and Mastodon. On LinkedIn, a thread is joined into one post, since LinkedIn allows one post per publish. Retries and duplicate protection help avoid half-posted or doubled threads. Try splitting text yourself with the thread splitter or start from the how-to thread template.