Bluesky: A New Hope for Social Media?

Friends, 

I hope our American subscribers had a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. I spent the week with my wife’s family in beautiful San Diego, California and we had an amazing time. We spent a lot of time on the water as the San Diego weather did not disappoint. For most of the week, we had…yep, you guessed it, blue skies

(Say it with me 😄) Speaking of blue skies, a new social media site is making headlines and we are fielding questions on whether it’s time to pay attention or patiently wait and see. 

I know, I know. Another new social media platform. But hear me out, this one might actually be worth checking out.

Who knew the 2024 election would spark a social media revolution? While the political landscape shifted, so did the digital one. Enter Bluesky, a decentralized platform that’s catching a lot of attention.

Bluesky, backed by Twitter’s co-founder, Jack Dorsey,  is emerging as a potential alternative to traditional social media, and specifically, X (or Twitter). Dorsey is attempting to pull market share away from the dominant platforms by offering a decentralized microblogging app that lets users curate their own algorithms with custom feeds. In other words, he’s trying to address (and fix) some of the most common concerns with X, Instagram and others.

Why Should You Care?

  • A Breath of Fresh Air: For those tired of the toxic online culture, Bluesky hopes to offer a more positive and respectful environment.
  • The Good ‘ol Days: Those who miss the ‘old’ Twitter are getting basically that – the old Twitter. It looks and feels very similar to the pre-Elon version.
  • Less Biased Algorithms: One of the biggest issues people have with the current social media is the biased content being served up to us. BlueSky is hoping that if they keep our feeds mostly to the stuff we want, people will continue to leave for greener pastures. Again, only time will tell.
  • User Control: You have more control over your feed and the content you consume.

Bluesky Basics*

  • Bluesky is available on iOS, Android and desktop
  • It’s a decentralized microblogging site
  • As of December 2nd, it has over 22 million users
  • Posts have a 300-character count limit
  • You can attach images, videos or GIFs to posts
  • Bluesky posts and likes are public
  • It has custom feeds that allow you to follow specific topics
  • Starter packs” refers to curated lists or groups of people to follow

While Bluesky shows promise, it’s still early days. Here’s our advice:

  • Secure Your Handle: Claim your username on Bluesky to be ready for future growth.
  • Monitor the Platform: Keep an eye on its development and user adoption.
  • Experiment with Content: Start sharing your thoughts and ideas on Bluesky to build an audience.
  • Don’t Abandon Your Existing Platforms: Maintain your presence on established platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

My Take:

The future of social media is uncertain, but one thing is clear: users crave better social spaces. Authenticity and community will continue to be key in creating meaningful connections with our audiences in 2025.

Is it enough to justify making Bluesky a part of your platform strategy? I’m not there yet, but I will certainly keep you posted as the weeks and months unfold. At this point, I suggest securing your handle and spending some time playing on the platform. See if you like it better than the competition and if your target audience jumps onboard as well.

Check out my thoughts on Bluesky at The Big Biz Show:

Want to go deeper? Here’s the full episode.

 

*Sources: ​​Trendwatching, BlueSkyFAQ, ICYMI by Lia Haberman

AUTHENTICALLY SOCIAL

by COREY PERLMAN

In a world cluttered with curated content and polished posts, Authentically Social is your ticket to breaking free from the facade and building a real connection with your digital audience.