Bluesky has been top of mind for social media professionals recently. The text-based, open-source social media platform has been seeing rapid growth, adding a million users a day for several days in November 2024.
So what is Bluesky all about? Should your brand be exploring this new-ish social network? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky is a decentralized, text-based social media app created by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. It’s now led by CEO Jay Graber.
“Decentralized” means that Bluesky runs on a system (the AT protocol) that is not controlled by any one person or organization. Instead, developers and individuals have more control over the user experience, and the network’s workings are more transparent.
That means Bluesky is highly customizable. There are currently more than 50,000 algorithmic feeds available, and anyone can create a new feed. This is a significant difference from social platforms where a master algorithm controls what users see.
Bluesky started as an invite-only app, but it has been open to anyone who wants to join since February 2024.
Why is Bluesky becoming more popular?
First, let’s confirm that Bluesky is indeed becoming more popular with a couple of quick stats.
- As of February 2025, the platform has more than 33 million users.
- Its user base grew by 13 million people in the last six weeks of 2024 in the wake of the U.S. presidential election.
Google searches for Bluesky peaked the week of November 17-23, 2024, but attention remains strong heading into 2025.
The Bluesky app is also seeing significant downloads on both iOS and Android. In fact, it became the top free app in the Apple App Store in mid-November. (Followed by Threads, Meta’s X alternative.)
Bluesky’s unique U.S. visitors have more than doubled in the last year. However, as you can see in the chart below, they are still just a fraction of the visitors seen by X.
So, what’s behind the growth in popularity?
An alternative to X
X has seen a lot of change since Elon Musk rebranded it from Twitter. Users have expressed concerns about content moderation policies, misinformation, and the overall tone of discourse.
X has become increasingly political, partly because it’s the platform where people are most likely to specifically seek out political information. Pew Research Center found that 59% of X’s U.S. users say they use it to keep up with politics or political issues, compared to just 36% of TikTok users and 26% of those on Facebook and Instagram.
For brands in particular, this can create a challenge. Political policies are the top cultural area consumers say brands should stay away from on social media. Some view Bluesky as an alternative with a less political slant, where things are more light and fun. (Others would say it has an equally political slant, just a more left-leaning one.)
Bluesky began its development back in 2019 as a Twitter project to “develop an open and decentralized standard for social media,” partially because “existing social media incentives frequently lead to attention being focused on content and conversation that sparks controversy and outrage, rather than conversation which informs and promotes health.”
Higher (and more authentic) engagement
We checked in with several social marketers to see why they’re using Bluesky. Those using the platform almost universally highlighted engagement on the platform as a key reason to use it. Most said they are still using X as well.
“What’s particularly notable about Bluesky are the genuine engagement levels, with an audience that shows far more meaningful interaction than what I’ve experienced on X recently,” says Dana Ditomaso, founder & lead instructor at Kick Point Playbook.
“The platform currently has a higher proportion of real, engaged users who are genuinely interested in meaningful discussions and content sharing. This translates to better quality interactions and more substantive engagement with your posts.”
Matias Rodsevich, founder & CEO of PRLab, says that Bluesky’s “close-knit community” offers the opportunity for “a more direct conversation.”
Likewise, Niclas Schlopsna, managing consultant and CEO of spectup, says Bluesky today is reminiscent of Twitter’s early days, calling it a “raw, unpolished space where engagement feels more authentic and intimate.”
Who’s using Bluesky?
So who’s using Bluesky now? With more than 32 million Bluesky users, the short answer is lots of people.
And, as the comments from marketers above show, they’re highly engaged people taking advantage of Bluesky’s customizable feeds to find relevant communities. That said, let’s look at a few key groups on the platform.
First, the United States makes up the platform’s largest user base, followed by Japan, the UK and Brazil. The large number of Brazilian users is likely influenced by a ban on X in that country between late August and early October. More than 85% of new users at the beginning of September came from Brazil.
In terms of industry, journalists and publications have made a significant move to Bluesky. This may be partly because Bluesky makes it very easy for journalists and publications to get verified. It’s also because Bluesky does not demote links, which many other social algorithms do.
That said, sports journalists and sports publications are notably missing from the platform for now.
Researchers and academics are another group using Bluesky in relatively large numbers. As of December 2024, Digital Science found that “over 22% of researchers were using Bluesky over any other social media channel.” Altmetric reports that since October 25, they have found 395,000 Bluesky posts linking to research papers or research objects.
How can you use Bluesky for business?
So, how should your strategy for Bluesky differ from your plans on other social platforms? Here are a few ideas to maximize your business success on this budding social platform.
Thought leadership
As with any new platform, there are benefits to being an early adopter. One of those is being able to set the tone or standard for other brands to follow.
You have the opportunity to use Bluesky to establish a strong POV and position yourself as a thought leader or go-to resource in your industry before anyone else does.
Source: Dana DiTomaso on Bluesky
As an early user, you can set the tone for how other brands end up sharing and engaging.
Bluesky’s welcoming attitude toward outbound links is a major plus here, as it allows you to link out to longer thought leadership content like blog posts, rather than trying to condense everything down into a few hundred characters.
Connect with the press
X has long been a source for real-time updates or breaking news. Journalists, in particular, have relied on the platform to share these updates, source information, or connect with potential subjects.
As the Twitter environment has shifted, many journalists and media companies have flocked to both Bluesky and Mastodon as alternatives.
For businesses, this means you can use Bluesky to connect with the media for PR or brand-building purposes. You can also stay on top of industry news.
Bluesky makes it easy to find and curate people you want to see content from. You can create custom feeds and add users to them to start seeing their content. You can also add feeds that people have already created, like Journalists on Bluesky.
Publications and media organizations can also create their own starter packs of team members, which you can follow if there’s a particular publication you’re interested in, or use to find the most relevant reporter or editor for your pitch.
For example, check out the starter packs from TechCrunch and the Travel Media Association of Canada.
Reach (or create) niche communities
Those starter packs and feeds we just mentioned are specifically designed to foster community.
They help people find and connect with communities based on a specific topic, interest, or industry. People can get very creative with their starter packs, so they’re highly valuable for brands to explore for insights into group formation and community bonds.
Here’s a very niche community that may not be of much use to brands (but is too charming not to mention):
Yes, it’s a starter pack of all the folks named Dan Smith who have PhDs on Bluesky.
Tailoring your content to a niche audience can help you reach people who are more likely to engage with and be interested in what your brand has to say.
“We’ve incorporated Bluesky into our strategy because it provides a fresh and growing space where we can reach more niche communities and experiment with a slightly different tone and style of content,” says Jakob Kapus, CMO of NewsAPI.ai.
“We use X for broader, more mainstream engagement and use Bluesky to build deeper, more authentic relationships with specific groups.”
Be less promotional
So far, largely due to the ad-free environment, Bluesky feels a lot less promotional than other platforms. It’s a good idea for businesses using Bluesky to focus less on promoting their brand and more on starting conversations with their audience.
“I’ve woven Bluesky into my marketing strategy by sharing more thought-provoking content, inviting open feedback sessions, and experimenting with new approaches,” says Matias Rodsevich, founder & CEO of PRLab.
“It’s like a creative workshop where I gather ideas before taking them to the larger stage on X. On Bluesky, I also feel more comfortable asking my followers what they want, which helps guide future campaigns.”
Use Bluesky as a testing ground
Bluesky is still relatively new, so there isn’t really a proven formula for creating engaging content yet. Many of the marketers we spoke with said they’re still experimenting with the platform, or using it to test marketing ideas before launching a campaign on a larger platform.
“I’ve been using Bluesky to test out new content concepts and assess audience reactions,” says Evgeni Asenov, SEO & content lead at Resume Mentor. “This feedback cycle helps improve what is subsequently shared on X, where the audience is larger.”
“I’ve used it to share behind-the-scenes content, engage in conversations with followers, and test more organic, unpolished messaging,” says Wes Wakefield, founder of Pro Coffee Gear. “The smaller community allows for direct feedback, which helps refine our approach.”
Before you start sharing content, spend some time exploring relevant communities to see how users are interacting and what types of conversations are being started. Use your research to create a unique brand position that meets those needs and behaviors.
Track audience sentiment (and more)
As it gains more and more new users, Bluesky is becoming a great destination for social listening.
The platform’s 32+ million user base and decentralized, transparent environment offer brands a new valuable source for tracking brand awareness, audience sentiment, competitive insights, and industry trends.
Wondering how you would go about collecting these insights? Hootsuite Listening now integrates with Bluesky as a data source, allowing you to easily track:
- Public conversation insights: Posts and audience replies
- Key engagement metrics: Likes, shares, and quotes
These powerful Bluesky analytics capabilities empower businesses with actionable insights to better understand emerging trends, identify brand sentiment, and foster authentic engagement
Bluesky has over 33 million accounts, with over one million daily posters and more than one billion posts created since its launch.
We want Bluesky to be a place where users can both find the latest news and stay in touch with their friends, and we’re excited to partner with Hootsuite to make it easier to tap into the Bluesky network.
Claim your handle for the future
Not ready to add Bluesky to your social media strategy yet? We hear you: You’ve already got a lot on your plate!
We still recommend you open an account to reserve your handle on the platform now. That way you’ll be ready to go if you decide to dive in later. Plus, creating an account allows you to explore the platform in detail and see how people are using it, so you can get a sense of where your brand could fit in.
Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads: How are the X alternatives different?
Bluesky is not the only X alternative in town. Mastodon and Threads are also significant players in this field.
Here’s a quick overview of how these platforms compare for key features.
| Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Users | 33+ million | 9.1 million | 275 million | 415.3 million |
| Ads | No | No | Coming soon | Yes |
| Decentralized | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Character count | 300 | 500 | 500 | 280 |
| Videos | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Verification | Yes (through your website) | Yes (through your website) | Yes (through Instagram) | Yes (paid program) |
| Trending topics | Yes (in Beta) | Yes | U.S. only | Yes |
| Direct messaging | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Hashtags | Yes | Yes | Yes (but without the # symbol) | Yes |
For more details, check out our posts on Mastodon, Threads, and X.
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