By Jonathan Baker If you are on one or more of the popular social media platforms, you may have noticed that some of your contacts are posting their individual Bluesky handles as their statuses. Interestingly, this has been happening more since the new year began. Coincidence? Symbolic? Or will Bluesky emerge as the “next big thing” in social media? Momentum Grows—by Millions Once Bluesky fully launched in 2023, there were reports of users who flocked to the site—especially those who’d become disappointed in Twitter. Since then, the platform has been relatively under the radar. Then, shortly after the 2024 election, one million new users joined in a single day. As of this month, as posted in CNET, there are 31 million Bluesky users. This influx of social media users who are making their Bluesky presences known may well inspire the curiosity of their contacts to connect with them by registering. If an even greater migration should happen, will Bluesky become another social marketing venue for brands? Difficulties of Marketing on Bluesky As reported in e-Marketer, since Bluesky is comparatively new in contrast to more well-known sites like Facebook and Instagram, it is has yet to receive widespread adoption by brands. Additionally, with no well-defined monetization plans as well as no paid options for advertising, the potential for brand promotion of Bluesky is unclear. Lastly, one distinct operation of this platform is a decentralized shared space where subscribers can connect content across multiple platforms—known as the “fediverse”—which would make the implementation of in-feed ads complicated. So, Bluesky has the proverbial “three strikes” against it where branding is concerned. (Or does it?) Patience May Pay Off The description listed above etches a discouraging picture of Bluesky as a social media marketing tool. On the other hand, Jasmine Enberg, an analyst at e-Marketer, believes that marketers should not rule this site out right away, as she states: “It can’t really be a major investment area for brands yet, but it is something they should be keeping an eye on.” How so? Early Opportunities for Creators For starters, opportunities for social listening may prove valuable in the future. Relatively new social media platforms have proven to be effective “sounding boards” where candid conversations about any number of topics—including brands—might take place. Creators may therefore find out the likes (and dislikes) of users. This would therefore be beneficial to both creators and users who join Bluesky. Smaller User Base Equals Greater Interactions Because Bluesky is not as congested as Facebook or Instagram, there is greater opportunity for creators to interact with their respective audiences in a more direct and efficient manner. From these early interactions, a strong foundation will already be in place if greater advertising possibilities develop on Bluesky. (The operative word of the last sentence, however, is “if.”) Takeaway As mentioned earlier, patience will indeed be a virtue to creators and brands willing to wait and see the future possibilities of advertising on Bluesky. One trend in this platform’s favor is the growing trust that consumers place in creators. The e-Marketer report points out how approximately 50 percent of the nation purchased products or services based on endorsement from creators they followed. (For more in-depth information, read “Growing Your Influencer and Creator Network.”) Is your brand’s social media presence set and strong for 2025? If you’re having trouble answering this question, get in touch with The EGC Group. Our team of social media experts, complemented by the crew at our in-house creator studio will design and execute attention-getting campaigns on one or more social platforms.
