“I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them.” While that poignant quote from Andy Bernard in ‘The Office’ probably wasn’t referring to social media platforms, it still rings true nonetheless: don’t we all miss the good ol’ days of social media, when X was Twitter and Instagram had eight filters and Tom was your friend on Myspace?
We’ve come a long way, and while the years have brought many improvements to the way we interface in the digital space, it’s also brought along a lot of competing platforms to wade through. With the changes to X (formerly Twitter) in recent years, many have yearned for an alternative. One platform looking to come to the rescue is Bluesky.
Not sure where to start? We’re here to help you dive deeper into Bluesky so you can determine if it’s right for you.
What is Bluesky?
Similar in nature to the previous iterations of Twitter, Bluesky is a microblogging social media platform that allows users to share up to 300-character posts, with optional photo and video features. Users familiar with Twitter will feel at home with engagement tools like replies, reposts and likes.
The platform recently gained 1,000,000 users in a single day, but it’s still small, with its current user count hovering around 25 million. Instagram’s Threads platform—another X alternative—recently reported 275 million monthly active users.
What sets Bluesky apart from Twitter/X and other social media platforms is its unique user-centric algorithm structure. Rather than a master algorithm controlled from the top down—a common complaint about X these days—Bluesky allows users to have a say in the content delivered. By utilizing what they call a “marketplace of algorithms,” users are able to choose from multiple feeds to curate the type of content they see.
Does Bluesky offer ads?
Not at this time. Monetization may one day come to the platform, through in-feed ads or affiliate marketing via content creators, though the user-driven nature of the platform may make that tricky.
The lack of paid marketing opportunities can be a drawback for those looking to find a captive audience on the app, as users will have to rely on organic growth and engagement to push out content. That means authentic engagement and creative, shareable content are key ingredients to Bluesky success.
Should you join Bluesky?
As a consumer, Bluesky may be right for you if you’re looking for an alternative to X that offers more customization when it comes to your feed. From a business perspective, even if you have no plans of posting yet, it’s smart to go ahead and secure a company account on Bluesky to ensure you secure the user handle of your choice.
Our take? Bluesky is a growing platform with great potential. We suggest downloading the app, registering for your preferred user name and giving it a test run. If you like what you find and feel your target audience might find you there, consider posting along with your regularly-scheduled social media content. Just remember: Bluesky is still in the early adopters phase, which means this should not be your primary or even secondary form of communication with your audience.
If all of this still seems a bit hazy, we’re here to help clear things up. Our team of social media experts is happy to counsel you on social media strategies and assist with crafting meaningful content. Let’s chat.