Following the US presidential elections, social media platform Bluesky experienced a dramatic increase in the number of users. Bluesky, which recently reached 15 million users, confirmed this growth by disclosing user statistics through its official API. Behind this rapid increase lies the intense interest of users, especially from the USA, in the platform.
The AT Protocol, which forms the basis of the platform, stands out as an important element that distinguishes Bluesky from other social media networks. Thanks to its decentralized structure, users can have a personal social media experience with more control over the algorithms. In parallel with the increasing interest after the election in the USA, Bluesky gained nearly one million new users last week, ranking first among free applications in the iOS application store. While the platform’s main competitors include Meta-owned Threads, ChatGPT and the Google app, Bluesky’s different approach makes it a platform that appeals to a more specific audience.
Differences in AT protocol and user experience
The user-oriented structure of the AT Protocol has a large share behind Bluesky’s growth. This platform, launched by Twitter’s former CEO Jack Dorsey, gives its users more control over their posts and interactions. Users can shape their content by creating their own algorithms other than the standard algorithms encountered in mainstream social media. Additionally, offering an ad-free environment makes Bluesky a more organic and user-friendly platform.
Bluesky COO Rose Wang stated that most of the new users joining the platform come from the USA. While issues such as misinformation and polarization were frequently discussed on social media during the election process in the USA, the independence and user control features offered by Bluesky triggered many people’s search for an alternative platform. As a result, Bluesky managed to attract attention by rapidly increasing the number of users during this period.
Bluesky continues to regularly introduce new features to improve the platform experience. The platform, which has recently added innovations such as sending videos, pinned posts and special fonts, also prioritizes user safety with the features it has developed to prevent toxicity. In particular, options such as making other people’s posts independent of their own sharing make it easier for users to avoid toxic interactions.
Recently, interest in decentralized platforms has been increasing in the social media world. While giant social networks such as Meta’s Threads are experiencing large increases in the number of users, smaller but original platforms such as Bluesky continue to attract an alternative user base with their independent structures. Although Threads has a user base well above Bluesky, reaching 275 million monthly users, the user-friendly and autonomous experience Bluesky offers sets it apart.
In countries with high social media usage rates, such as the United States, users’ quest for independence appears to be driving interest in platforms like Bluesky. Especially during social events such as election periods, such platforms attract attention with their potential to provide reliable information flow and user control. The search for such different experiences on social media may enable Bluesky and similar platforms to attract even more attention in the future.
Bluesky continues to gain a place in the social media world thanks to its decentralized and user-oriented structure. With its structure built on the AT Protocol and the free environment it offers to its users, Bluesky is expected to further increase its number of users in the coming period.