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Social media professionals face the challenge of staying up-to-date with new and emerging channels as part of their ongoing education. Many new channels emerge that either fail to secure adequate funding or fail to gain significant traction among users. Since its debut in 2019, Bluesky has surpassed concerns about its viability as an alternative to Twitter, gaining over 30 million users as of February 2025. Although it shares a similar interface and user experience, Bluesky also has distinct qualities that make it a unique opportunity for social media marketing. 

 

Describing Bluesky and Its Features

Bluesky initially began as a side project at Twitter in 2019 as a way to create a social platform designed for open and decentralized public conversation. Unlike Twitter and other social media channels, Bluesky does not currently offer paid advertising options. (Despite having alternative sources of funding, Bluesky does not rule out paid advertising options in the future) 

Bluesky shares many features with Twitter, including direct messages, reposting, shared video and graphics, as well as lists. Yet Bluesky has several key features which give it an advantage over Bluesky, including

• A robust platform to curate feeds, focusing less on algorithmically-assigned posts and more on selecting.
• Specific tools for filtering and content moderation;
• The ability to create “starter packs” focused on specific topics to encourage user following; and
• Creation of user-defined “lists” of Bluesky users. 

Bluesky’s most critical feature is its open-source philosophy and its stance as a “decentralized social network.”

 

Just What Is A “Decentralized Social Network”?

Unlike most social media networks run by a business on a single server, decentralized social networks operate on independently run servers, allowing for greater user control, autonomy, and privacy. Similar to networks like Mastodon and Steem, Bluesky aims to move social media away from the “digital walled garden” approach of corporate social media into a more “federated” user experience.

Built on the AT Protocol, Bluesky adopts an open-source framework for app interoperability. Rather than focus on data collection and algorithmic dominance, Bluesky allows users to define their experience, feeds, and content curation.

Although this is a highly technical process, Bluesky has some advantages and disadvantages for social media marketing professionals. 

 

Social Media Marketing Advantages and Disadvantages

Although the Bluesky platform does not currently have a paid advertising feature, it does not rule it out in the future. However, there are multiple advantages to brand engagement via Bluesky, including

• Focusing on well-developed content that drives organic reach;
• More direct engagement with users and the ability to drive greater reach through lists and starter packs;  
• Greater ability to experiment with different content types; and
• Adopting a custom domain for your Bluesky account name.

Several Bluesky-specific engagement and analytics platforms allow professionals to schedule social media outreach, track social media analytics, and provide appropriate responses. These include

• Platforms like Buffer and Sprout Social;
• Clearsky, which provides detailed follower and blocking information for specific users; and
• Free-to-use platforms like Bluesky Meter, Blueview, and Bsky Analytics.

Despite the lack of paid advertising, Bluesky provides marketing professionals a unique opportunity to modify their current social media strategy through engagement on a user-driven platform while adopting tools that simplify engagement and analytics processes. 

 

Integrating Bluesky Into Your Outreach

The social media landscape is constantly moving, and the most successful marketers are those who commit to continual learning. Bluesky is more than just a new platform; it’s a critical opportunity to expand your skill set, test new engagement theories, and understand the dynamics of a platform built on a different foundation. 

Take action and move forward:

• Create an account not just for your brand, but for yourself as a professional. Immerse yourself in the culture and learn the language of this growing community.
• Use the platform to master social listening in a new environment, build curated feeds to track emerging trends, and develop starter packs that showcase your strategic thinking.
• Without the familiar metrics of paid ads, you have the chance to create and track new, more authentic KPIs. This is your opportunity to write the playbook for a new era of digital marketing.

Amongst relatively new channels like Threads and Mastodon, Bluesky has gained significant traction due to its open-source user-first philosophy and curation features. Brands have an opportunity for more direct, organic engagement through Bluesky with greater potential for brand expansion.

 

Author: Gordon Dymowski

B2B Social Media Marketing Consultant/Copywriter

Gordon Dymowski is a B2B social media consultant and copywriter working with small to medium-sized businesses around audience engagement, lead generation, and driving revenues. Gordon has assisted various organizations in social media strategy, engagement, and analytics with a specific focus on healthcare, technology, and mission-driven ventures. He is also a fiction writer who has written for various independent publishers.