Exploring Bluesky?

With a growing number of users adopting the new social media platform, how should public agencies consider their involvement in Bluesky?

Social media continues to evolve, and we are seeing growing interest in Bluesky, a decentralized platform positioned as a direct competitor to X (formerly Twitter). Companies and public agencies might be waiting to see if Bluesky will attract a substantial audience of key stakeholders and media entities. The new platform leaves us wondering will this be a short-lived social network, or will this one be a worthy competitor to X? 

What is Bluesky? 

Bluesky is a new social media platform built on a decentralized protocol, the AT Protocol. Its unique approach gives users more control over their data and content while fostering innovation and community-driven development. The platform has been gaining traction, with public agencies and organizations exploring its potential to supplement their digital engagement strategies. 

Is there an “X-odus” happening? 

While X has been a dominant player among social media platforms for well over a decade, in the last three years X’s user base has decreased from 368M to 335M (a 9.4% decrease). In the US, according to the Financial Times, the number of active users has decreased almost 20% over the past 16 months.  We’re also seeing a decrease in the amount of “Time Per Day” of people on the platform. According to a January 2025 article in The Wall Street Journal, X’s owner, Elon Musk, acknowledged in a staff email that “user growth is stagnant, revenue is unimpressive, and we’re barely breaking even.” This statement suggests challenges in maintaining user engagement during this period. 

X is certainly not dead, and many public agencies rely on the platform daily to distribute important messages to their stakeholders and community. Still, it’s prudent for communications teams to regularly consider alternative channels such as Bluesky if their audience shifts to new sources for information. 

Claiming Your Spot on Bluesky 

You may not be ready to start publishing on Bluesky, but that doesn’t stop you from claiming a handle for your agency. Acting quickly now ensures that the Bluesky handle you want is still available for you to register. Below is a summary of what you need to know and our recommendations for getting started on the platform. 

Secure your agency’s handle 

• We recommend creating a handle on Bluesky now to reserve your agency’s name and prevent others from claiming it. Reclaiming agency handles can be a challenging process, so acting early is critical. 

Verification is simple 

• Bluesky offers an easy verification process: using your agency website as your account handle. This ensures authenticity and builds trust with your audience. 

Consider secondary accounts 

• Agencies can also create verified accounts for specific purposes, such as alerts or operational updates. This can be more complex to set up but may serve niche communication needs. 

We’re monitoring development 

AlphaVu is actively tracking Bluesky’s growth and the evolution of its tools for data collection and integration. Our team is also taking note of early adopters, including public agency stakeholders, media, journalists, electeds, and board members, and we’re watching these accounts to learn what types of content are trending and garner the most engagement. We will notify our clients as soon as direct connections to the platform become publicly available for monitoring and reporting. 

Adoption and Content Strategy 

Waiting for critical mass: Many public agencies and APTA members are watching Bluesky’s adoption rate and engagement closely before fully committing to the platform. While Bluesky’s user base is smaller than X, it is steadily growing.

Platform APIs: There is not yet a Bluesky API to connect to external systems like DataVu. There is an API for X, but it is paywalled.

Cross-posting strategy: Agencies active on Bluesky have seen modest success by cross-posting the same content on both Bluesky and X. This minimizes additional workload while maintaining a presence on both platforms. For now, this approach strikes a balance between innovation and efficiency. 

Community Insights 

One agency shared their experience: “We created a Bluesky account last February. We only have a few dozen followers, but we saw the biggest increase in early November. While we haven’t found many local community partners yet, we’re excited to see other agencies joining the platform! For now, we’re posting the same content on both X and Bluesky, and it’s not creating much of an extra lift. We’ll continue this approach and see where it goes.” 

Next Steps 

Bluesky represents an exciting opportunity for public agencies to experiment with decentralized social media. By securing your handle and cross-posting content, you can position your agency to adapt as the platform matures. Stay tuned for updates from AlphaVu as we continue to monitor its growth and provide insights for maximizing its potential.