• by Christophe Jammet , May 16, 2025

As journalists, government officials, and influential voices migrate to BlueSky in unprecedented numbers, brands face a critical inflection point in their digital strategy. The platform has experienced remarkable growth, expanding from 10 million users in September 2024 to over 27 million by January, with particularly strong engagement among users under 35, according to sociallyin.com.

This shift isn't merely Musk-related platform fatigue, but also represents a fundamental desire for an authentic and democratized platform free from billionaire influence and algorithmic manipulation. In doing so, Bluesky is creating a distinctive opportunity for both individuals and brands to communicate in authentic and meaningful ways.

BlueSky's latest verification system, launched in April, demonstrates why the platform is gaining such momentum. By implementing a multilayered approach that includes both domain verification and a "Trusted Verifiers" model, BlueSky tackles social media's trust crisis head-on. Unlike X's "pay-to-play" verification that destroyed the credibility of its checkmark, BlueSky has created a modular solution that distributes verification authority to established institutions like The New York Times, which can directly verify their journalists, as reported by TechCrunch earlier this year.

The decentralized approach to verification speaks to BlueSky's entire core philosophy. The platform believes that trust shouldn't be monopolized by platforms – but, instead, emerge from communities, relationships, and shared context.

But what does this mean for companies looking to establish a presence? While not all brands have embraced BlueSky yet, notable early adopters include Netflix, Hulu, and NPR, all of which have been actively engaging with the platform. Even Alaska Airlines has recognized the platform's potential, sponsoring content through traditional media partnerships.

The companies thriving in this new landscape are those embracing transparency and genuine connection rather than algorithm gaming. As Matias Rodsevich, founder of PRLab, notes in his blog on Hootsuite, BlueSky offers a "close-knit community" with opportunities for "more direct conversation" where engagement feels "more authentic and intimate."

With over 30 million users and growing, BlueSky's welcoming approach to outbound links and user-owned feeds creates the ideal environment for thought leadership. Posts with links on BlueSky tend to generate significantly higher engagement than on X, where algorithms often limit reach in an attempt to entice brands to pay for more eyeballs -- which it doesn’t, by the way.

The quality of discourse on BlueSky presents some distinct advantages:

First, recent analysis suggests that approximately 64% of accounts on X may be bots when analyzed by 5th Column, an AI that detects bots on social media, while BlueSky's growing ecosystem is predominantly human users actively seeking meaningful interactions. The difference in engagement quality is substantial.

Second, the absence of manipulative algorithms means users see a chronological feed based on their own choices. When someone follows specific topics or communities, they'll see 100% of relevant posts, creating unprecedented visibility for specialized content.

Third, the platform's smaller but rapidly growing user base presents a rare window of opportunity for brands to establish subject matter authority. As engagement experts recommend, brands can "use BlueSky for building deep, authentic connections within niche communities," creating relationships that algorithms can't disrupt

BlueSky gives brands a unique opportunity to establish an authentic presence on a platform where verification creates a foundation for genuine authority. This breakthrough only accelerates the inevitable migration to decentralized platforms where community-building trumps virality -- and where verification becomes a meaningful signal of authenticity rather than merely a status symbol for purchase.