Bluesky, the Twitter / X alternative, has just had another round of publicity in mainstream media, partly related to Elon Musk’s political involvement with the incoming Trump administration.
So, if you’re wondering what it is, whether you should be involved, or whether your brand should join Bluesky, here’s an overview of what brands need to know about Bluesky…
What is the social media channel Bluesky?
You can read how Bluesky describes itself here. It’s easier to describe the product as “like the old Twitter, but without all the users” (yet). Currently, they have about 15M very tech early adopting users.
Why do people use Bluesky?
As with all social apps, there are a range of reasons, but specifically:
It’s open source by design, addressing some people’s concerns around Musk’s ownership of Twitter
To control the algorithm- you can determine how it sorts and presents information
To network with other liberal-leaning tech early adopters disenfranchised with X
Can brands use Bluesky?
Yes.
Securing your preferred handle is both easy and technical at the same time. Read more here. Brand managers will typically need to engage their IT team.
There are no advertising options (and are unlikley to be), so it’s important to consider how you’d pursue an owned and earned approach, and how you’d build audience (it will require signposting from elsewhere) and how you’d engage beyond your own profile.
What brands are on Bluesky? Should my brand be on Bluesky?
Currently, few mainstream brands are meaningfully active. Capturing your basic Bluesky handle is a sensible step.
Is Bluesky the next Twitter? What about Threads?
Well, Threads has surged in users but has struggled to come close to the cultural impact.
Network effects amongst the public chattering class, the bedrock of Twitter’s success, are one major component in whether Bluesky could replicate Twitter. The other factor is beyond their control - Twitter/ X itself. How they hang on to power users and public influencers may be as big a factor as any other platform’s functionality.
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