Keir Taylor, PR and Marketing Executive:

• Why brands crave an alternative to X
• What brands can expect on Bluesky
• Why now may not be the right time to make the move

The slow death of X (or Twitter if you’re like me and can’t get behind the “new” brand) is becoming more apparent as time goes on. And with the sharp rise of Bluesky’s popularity, we’re seeing users’ demand for an alternative that is more inclusive and offers more of the open, free-flowing conversations that X used to offer increase. While many have tried (and mostly failed) to replicate the glory days of Twitter, the desire for something new has been bubbling away for years.

Since Elon Musk’s politically motivated purchase of X, and his not so subtle rebrand of the platform (it really is bad, isn’t it?), many users have found themselves morally at odds with the platform. Since then, both individuals and companies are seeking out new platforms that can act as the new digital public square. In my opinion, this is where Bluesky comes in. For anyone who hasn’t used Bluesky before, it’s basically X before it degenerated. Conversations occur, ideas are exchanged, differing opinions are expressed, and the trolling is virtually non-existent. From a user perspective, the peace and quiet is actually quite nice! But for brands, this same peace and quiet poses more questions than it answers; should my business use Bluesky? Is Bluesky actually different to X?

While in many ways Bluesky seems to be a genuine alternative, unlike platforms such as Threads and Mastodon, it’s also different to X in key areas that may make it harder for businesses to reach key audiences. So, what should organisations be aware of if they’re thinking about adding Bluesky to their social media strategies?

Don’t expect a boom in engagement

While quite a few prominent voices have left X for Bluesky, such as actor Mark Hamill, popstar Lizzo, and author Stephen King, the number of businesses making the same leap is significantly less. One of the main reasons for this, from a brand perspective, is the lack of users compared to X. As it stands, Bluesky has just 25 million users compared to X’s 415 million – 17 times more than Bluesky. For brands, this signals more potential customers and a better use of resources.

However, from a personal user perspective, the lack of brand presence on Bluesky is actually a welcome change. It feels like a change in culture, and I think the way businesses operated on X has been rejected by enough people that, if Bluesky were to follow the same direction — favouring paid content — users would have little patience for an abundance of adverts and sponsored content. For a brand to adapt to Bluesky successfully, it needs to be organic without forcing visibility; and while this can seem challenging on the face of it, it could lead to a much more engaged audience base in the long run. 

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

I understand why Bluesky is so appealing to brands and individuals; it’s an opportunity to be part of a new, kinder community. What business wouldn’t want its brand associated with that? As mentioned above, the smaller audience base means there’s an increased risk in shifting marketing efforts to Bluesky compared to X due to the smaller organic reach. However, it’s not impossible. Brands such as football clubs, that already have a dedicated following, are able to make the move and not feel as through they’re starting from scratch. For example, Werder Bremen in Germany has amassed 10,000 followers on Bluesky, yet its following on X remains at 538,000.

So, while Bluesky is still in its infancy, I would hold off before treating it like X 2.0. No two platforms are the same, even if appearances can be deceiving; who’s to say that a business’ approach on X should be the same on Bluesky?

By all means, join the Bluesky revolution! But before you incorporate it into your organisation’s social strategy, be mindful that the approach needed to be successful on Bluesky compared to X is likely to  be completely different. As an active user Bluesky, learning more about how users are behaving on the platform, I can understand how this might be used to benefit clients in the future.

Expect a change in approach

Already, Bluesky presents itself differently to X. While, yes, the user interface and functionalities are essentially the same, hashtags are no longer key to engagement and reaching new users. 

For example, let’s say your business is a fashion retailer using the #Shoes hashtag. On X, if this hashtag is popular, it’ll show up on X’s trending page, making it easy for potential consumers to see your brand as it reacts to a trend that they might not typically see on their timeline. This allows brands to adapt content based on trends as they happen, and be more agile in its approach to reaching potential consumers. 

However, on Bluesky, this agility is limited I Instead of being able to use the #Shoes hashtag to react to a trend as it happens, users create topics where they manually add accounts, and the topic provides an overview from the accounts the platform sees as relevant. So, if you’re a brand who wants to be involved in the conversation about shoes and grow your consumer-base as a result, unless a user is aware of your brand and added your account to that topic, those following the shoes topic won’t see your content. This is what has created the peace and quiet that I like so much; brands are disincentivised to put out anything as content, and are now encouraged to grow a following organically and share what is directly relevant to its consumers, rather than trying to capture an audience by any means necessary. 

I have no doubt that Bluesky will adapt to welcome more brands in the future as it continues to grow at a rapid rate. But for now, if you already have a presence on X, continue to use it for media engagement and breaking news updates as it still holds influence among journalists and potential consumers alike. However, monitor platform developments and audience sentiment closely, and wait to see what Bluesky has planned for 2025!