What is Bluesky, and should your business be on it in 2026?

Bluesky isn’t the new kid anymore. It’s grown into a platform with 44 million users with real communities and staying power.

So should your brand be there in 2026? Here’s everything you need to know.

What is Bluesky?

Bluesky is a decentralized, text-based social media app created by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

“Decentralized” means Bluesky runs on a system (the AT Protocol) that isn’t owned or controlled by any one person or company. That’s why Bluesky describes itself as a social app “designed to not be controlled by a single company.”

It feels a lot like Twitter (now X): people post short updates, reply, repost, and follow accounts. The difference is that you get more control over your feed, your moderation settings, and your identity.

The platform offers two main feeds:

• Following: Displays posts from accounts you follow, in reverse chronological order. Users can also subscribe to any of the 50,000+ community-built feeds.
• Discover: Displays trending and recommended content from across the network.

Bluesky started as an invite-only app but has been open to anyone since February 2024.

Bluesky started as an invite-only app, but it has been open to anyone who wants to join since February 2024.

#1 Social Media Tool

Create. Schedule. Publish. Engage. Measure. Win.

Start your free trial

What makes Bluesky different?

Bluesky stands out from other social platforms because it gives users more control over what they see, how they’re moderated, and who owns their account. Here are five features that set it apart:

• Custom feeds. Users can choose their own timelines, whether that’s an algorithmic For You-style feed or a topic-specific feed.
• More moderation options. On top of Bluesky’s built-in moderation, users can subscribe to extra moderation layers (called “labelers“). For example, a labeler can flag AI images, hate speech, or bots.
• No ads. Bluesky doesn’t have in-feed ads, which makes for a cleaner user experience.
• Built on an open protocol, not just one app. Other developers can build their own apps on the same network.
• Easy verification. Users can verify their identity by linking their handle to a website domain name, like @nytimes.com. 

Together, these features give users a level of control you won’t find on X, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn.

Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads: How are the X alternatives different?

Bluesky isn’t the only game in town when it comes to X alternatives. Mastodon and Threads are both serious contenders too, and each one brings its own functionality to the table.

Here’s how the three stack up:

For more details, check out our posts on Mastodon, Threads, and X.

Why is Bluesky becoming more popular?

Bluesky is growing in popularity because users are looking for an alternative to X that feels less political and ad-heavy. 

Here’s a quick look at Bluesky’s growth:

The Bluesky app also briefly became the #1 free iOS app in Apple’s App Store in November 2024, peaking at 7.85 million app downloads that month. Android downloads spiked, too.

Source: Root

Here are the three biggest reasons users are switching to Bluesky:

It’s an alternative to X

Many people are switching to Bluesky because they’re unhappy with X. Since Elon Musk took over, users have flagged everything from rising misinformation to a general tone shift on the platform.

X has also gotten noticeably more political. Pew Research Center found that 12% of U.S. adults regularly get news on X, compared to just 2% on Bluesky.

Source: Pew Research Center

That’s a tricky spot for brands. Political content is the top cultural area consumers say brands should stay away from on social media. Some people see Bluesky as a lighter, more fun alternative. (Others would say it has its own political slant, just a more left-leaning one.)

Engagement feels more authentic

Marketers say Bluesky engagement feels more real than what they’re seeing on X right now. We talked to a few social marketers about why they’re posting there, and engagement came up almost every time.

“What’s particularly notable about Bluesky are the genuine engagement levels, with an audience that shows far more meaningful interaction than what I’ve experienced on X recently,” says Dana Ditomaso, Founder and Lead Instructor at Kick Point Playbook.

“The platform currently has a higher proportion of real, engaged users who are genuinely interested in meaningful discussions and content sharing. This translates to better quality interactions and more substantive engagement with your posts,” she adds.

Likewise, Niclas Schlopsna, managing consultant and CEO of spectup, says Bluesky today is reminiscent of Twitter’s early days, calling it a “raw, unpolished space where engagement feels more authentic and intimate.”

It has active niche communities

Bluesky makes it easy to find communities around specific topics, industries, and interests. Whether you’re into tech, knitting, or coffee gear, there’s probably a feed for it. And if there isn’t, you can build one.

Some critics argue this can lead to echo chambers, but it also means brands can reach audiences who are genuinely interested in their niche. 

For example, Matias Rodsevich, Founder & CEO of PRLab, says that Bluesky’s “close-knit community” offers the opportunity for “a more direct conversation.”

Who’s using Bluesky?

In 2026, Bluesky’s user base skews young, male, and concentrated in the U.S. Here’s a quick breakdown of the platform’s demographics:

In terms of industry, journalists and publications have made a big move to Bluesky. Part of the reason is because Bluesky makes it easy for journalists and publications to get verified. 

Plus, Bluesky doesn’t demote external links the way other social algorithms do, which means news outlets can actually send traffic to their content.

How can you use Bluesky for business?

Brands can use Bluesky for thought leadership, press outreach, niche community-building, message testing, and social listening. 

Because Bluesky is ad-free, the strategy looks different from X or Instagram. Here are seven ways to use Bluesky for business:

Thought leadership

Bluesky is one of the best places to build thought leadership right now, and the reason is pretty simple: it’s still early. 

The voices that show up now are the ones setting the tone for what the platform sounds like. In other words, there’s room to become a go-to resource in your industry before everyone else gets there.

Bluesky’s welcoming attitude toward outbound links is a major plus too, since it lets you link out to longer thought leadership content like blog posts. That’s a big advantage over platforms that bury links to keep users on-app.

Connect with the press

Bluesky has quietly become a top destination for journalists and media outlets, which makes it a hotspot for businesses looking to source media contacts, pitch stories, or just stay on top of what’s happening in their industry.

For example, you can build your own feed of journalists worth following, or grab one someone’s already made (like Journalists on Bluesky).

Publications and media organizations also share starter packs, which are pre-built lists of team members you can follow in one tap. Check out the starter packs from TechCrunch and the Travel Media Association of Canada to see what they look like in practice.

Reach (or create) niche communities

Bluesky is built around niche communities in a way most major platforms aren’t. Users curate their own experience through custom feeds, starter packs, and moderation controls.

For brands, that’s a big shift. You’re showing up in highly specific corners where people are actively engaged in a topic.

To seize the moment, tailor your content to a specific audience, not the whole platform.

Jakob Kapus, CMO of NewsAPI.ai, agrees: “We’ve incorporated Bluesky into our strategy because it provides a fresh and growing space where we can reach more niche communities and experiment with a slightly different tone and style of content.

“We use X for broader, more mainstream engagement and Bluesky to build deeper, more authentic relationships with specific groups.”

Be less promotional

Bluesky feels a lot less promotional than other platforms, largely due to its ad-free environment. It’s a good idea for businesses using Bluesky to focus more on starting genuine conversations with their audience.

“I’ve woven Bluesky into my marketing strategy by sharing more thought-provoking content, inviting open feedback sessions, and experimenting with new approaches,” says Matias Rodsevich, Founder & CEO of PRLab.

“It’s like a creative workshop where I gather ideas before taking them to the larger stage on X. On Bluesky, I also feel more comfortable asking my followers what they want, which helps guide future campaigns.”

Use Bluesky as a testing ground

Bluesky is still a relatively new social media platform, so there isn’t really a proven formula for creating engaging content yet. That’s why many marketers are using it to test messaging before launching a campaign on a larger platform.

“I’ve been using Bluesky to test out new content concepts and assess audience reactions,” says Evgeni Asenov, SEO & Content Lead at Resume Mentor. “This feedback cycle helps improve what is subsequently shared on X, where the audience is larger.”

Wes Wakefield, founder of Pro Coffee Gear, follows a similar approach. “I’ve used it to share behind-the-scenes content, engage in conversations with followers, and test more organic, unpolished messaging,” he shares. “The smaller community allows for direct feedback, which helps refine our approach.”

Before you start posting, spend a little time exploring the communities you want to reach. Watch how people interact, what kinds of conversations come up, and what the tone feels like. Then build your approach around what you find, not what works on every other platform.

Track audience sentiment

Bluesky is one of the best new surfaces for social listening. With a user base of 44 million (plus a steady stream of new users), brands can source brand mentions, competitive intel, audience sentiment, and industry trends, all in one place.

Wondering how you would go about collecting these insights? Hootsuite Listening integrates with Bluesky, so you can track public conversations, mentions, and engagement metrics (replies, likes, shares, and more) from one dashboard.

These powerful Bluesky analytics empower businesses with actionable insights to better understand emerging trends, identify brand sentiment, and foster authentic engagement.

Claim your handle for the future

Even if you’re not ready to start posting, we still recommend heading over to bsky.social and creating an account to reserve your brand handle.

That way you’ll be ready to go if you decide to dive in later, and creating an account lets you explore the platform and figure out where your brand might fit in.

Want to manage your social strategy across multiple platforms? Hootsuite can help. Monitor your competitors, grow your followers, schedule posts, and analyze your performance — all from one simple dashboard.