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Bluesky is Now Open to the Public. Should your business be there? [Expert Interview]
By [email protected] (Curt del Principe)
Like dozens of other “Twitter killers,” Bluesky has sat in limbo since its launch– thanks mostly to an invite-only policy.
But when the micro-blogging site went public last month, it skyrocketed to an estimated 4 Million users almost overnight.
That kind of growth can be chum in the water for marketers. But is the social media startup worth your time?
I sat down with HubSpot’s Manager of Brand Social Strategy and Analytics to find out.
But first, let’s jump back a bit for those who don’t know what Bluesky is.
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky is one of dozens of social media apps that have popped up in the hopes of X (formerly Twitter) dying off.
It joins the ranks of micro-blogging sites like Mastodon, Threads, Plurk, Cohost, Compost, Sparklefyre, and Snuffleupagus. (Admit it. You have no idea which of those I just made up. That’s how many X-alternatives there are.)
So, what sets Bluesky apart from the others?
Bluesky was designed as an open-source social media app built on a decentralized infrastructure (called the AT Protocol) and funded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.
That’s a mouthful. But what exactly does it mean?
- Open source means the code is available for anyone to see (or even tinker with).
- Decentralized means that anyone can host a version of Bluesky on their own server.
That combo gives users a lot more transparency into how the platform works. It also gives them a lot more agency when something goes wrong.
For example, if you don’t like what the Facebook algorithm serves you, there’s not much you can do.
But if you don’t like the Bluesky algo? You can just launch your own Bluesky. (Blackjack optional.)
When Bluesky was invite-only, it had gathered an estimated 3 Million monthly active users. Compare that to the 130 Million users claimed by Threads.
But when Bluesky opened up to the public in early February, it jumped by 800,000 users in a single day.
It’s even attracted celebs like Chrissy Teigen and Neil Gaiman, as well as major media outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post.
So, should your company be counted among those names?
Should your business be on Bluesky?
To get the scoop on all things social, I spoke with Erin McCool, HubSpot’s Manager of Strategy and Analytics, Brand Social.
Let’s start by putting our money where our mouse is…
Is HubSpot on Bluesky, or do we plan to be?
“Currently, we’re not on Bluesky, and there are no immediate plans to join,” McCool says. “When it began as invitation-only, it was less of a priority for us because, naturally, fewer individuals within our target audience will have access to join.”
But that may not be the case for every business. As a B2B SaaS, HubSpot may have a very different audience than yours.
It’s important to identify your audience and meet them where they are.
But don’t forget, the world of social …read more
Source:: HubSpot Blog
