by Brittany McSorley
When you’re in the social media marketing business on Cape Cod, you see a lot of up-and-coming platforms up and come, then up and go. Last summer’s new kid on the block was Threads, the Meta version of Twitter, which is still going strong, probably thanks to how often my Instagram feed tries to lure me into trying out Threads. Stop pestering me! I’m only here to look at one-pan recipes and dogs who protect toddlers from danger!
Some of these hot new platforms take off, like Threads and TikTok, and some fade into relative obscurity, like Keek, or Friendster, or Yik Yak (yes, that’s real). The latest platform to take the digital landscape by storm is Bluesky, which was created in 2019 by Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, which is now X. (Yes, this is a lot to keep up with. Remember before any of this mattered? Remember that? You could just sit outside on a bench and think your thoughts. Incredible.)
Bluesky is experiencing a boost in popularity as more and more X users seek an alternative online space with similar features. Since becoming X, the platform has lost users and faced harsh criticism surrounding owner Elon Musk’s policies since purchasing the platform in April 2022. According to NBC News, “Numerous studies and analyses have found that after Musk took over the platform, use of hate speech increased. Over time, the platform became a bastion of the right-wing internet.” Recently, Musk confirmed that X has been giving posts with links lower priority, which has been particularly difficult on journalists facing decreased engagement. The Hill reports that “Journalists have flocked to [Bluesky] in recent weeks due to its connectivity and audience-friendly model.”
Bluesky has reached a record number of users, surpassing 22 million in the weeks since the 2024 election. (Remember when elections were routine and kind of boring, even? Remember that? You could just go to bed while they counted votes. Remember?!) It looks like journalists are already noticing the benefits of joining Bluesky. NBC News reports, “Platform and audience editors at The Guardian and The Boston Globe have publicly noted higher traffic to their news websites from Bluesky than from competitors including Threads, Meta’s X alternative.”
If you’re interested in jumping on the social media bandwagon, joining Bluesky is quick, easy, and free (the October 2023 launch of X Premium, a paid membership tier on former-Twitter, being one of the changes that not all users embraced).
For social media marketers, the important question is this: Is Bluesky a viable marketing platform? Our verdict: not quite yet. But you never know what the next big thing will be. We’ll keep an eye on it.
