What You Need to Know About Bluesky

Bluesky is emerging as a player in the social media world because of dissatisfaction with X, particularly tied to its political associations and controversies surrounding election results. Many users have moved to Bluesky in search of a more transparent and neutral platform. This political backdrop has fueled the growth of the platform, but could lead to a plateau, as most people who are willing to change for that reason already have. Unlike other social media platforms, it is decentralized. But why should this be on PR professionals’ radar? Let’s break it down:

What is Bluesky?

Bluesky is closest to Twitter in how it runs and is used, but instead of being owned by one company, different servers connect to make up the platform. Each server has its own rules, and users can choose or change servers or apps at any time.

Users own all of their data, so if they choose to move servers or apps, they can take their posts and connections with them. It’s like keeping your phone number when switching providers—no loss of contacts or information.

Why it Matters for PR Professionals

With control over their data and choice of servers, users may trust Bluesky more than the alternative choices. Bluesky has over 20 million users, compared to Threads with over 275 million and X with over 500 million. While the numbers have not caught up to the competition at this point, Bluesky encourages niche groups, ideal for targeted, engaged audiences and perfect for PR campaigns and building loyal communities.

Bluesky’s algorithm doesn’t push content quite like other social media apps, meaning people need to form real connections in order for their content to be seen. It requires better knowledge of your audience and posts need to be tailored more to the specific audiences.

Is It Worth Paying Attention To?

Bluesky is still new, and it is hard to say whether or not it is here to stay, but the concept of decentralized social media is something to keep your eye on regardless. Whether or not Bluesky takes off, the principles behind it—like data ownership and decentralization—are trends that could shape the future of social media.