Bluesky: What the Renewed Momentum Means for Pharma
December 4, 2024
This month, marketers have been abuzz with discussions surrounding the rapid rise of Bluesky. As of November 15, the platform has reportedly been gaining a remarkable one million new users daily. A significant portion of these users are investigating alternatives to X or planning to leave X entirely but we’ve heard this before. This mass migration (X-odus if you will), is widely attributed to several issues stemming from the Head of X, Elon Musk, potentially taking up a political post and most notably, the controversial new terms of service announced by X last week.
The primary source of discontent among users is a clause in the updated agreement, granting X the ability to sell user data to third-party AI developers without compensating the users themselves.
These changes have reignited long-standing concerns about the trustworthiness of social media platforms and the ownership of personal data. In contrast, Bluesky has emerged as an attractive alternative, positioning itself as a decentralized platform that prioritizes user autonomy, data, and safety controls.
Let’s take a closer look at Bluesky’s core features and explore how its unique value proposition is resonating with this growing user base and brands.
Platform Overview & History:
At first glance, Bluesky’s user interface closely resembles the core functionality of X—a similarity that makes sense given the platform’s origins. Bluesky was backed by Jack Dorsey, the original co-founder of Twitter. According to Forbes, the platform began in 2019 as a research initiative led by Dorsey with the goal of “decentralizing” Twitter. It then became an independent company in 2021 and entered a public beta phase in 2023.
Now operating as a stand-alone entity, Bluesky evokes a sense of nostalgia among users, many of whom describe the experience as “a breath of fresh air.” Its resemblance to X has made the transition between platforms seamless for new users. However, Bluesky distinguishes itself with several unique features that set it apart from its major competitors.
One of the most engaging features is “Starter Packs.” Bluesky defines this tool as a way to “recommend custom feeds and users to help your community find each other.” The concept is refreshingly straightforward—any user can create a starter pack, simplifying the process of discovering and connecting with communities. Bluesky integrates this data seamlessly into the top of users’ home feeds and leverages it to enhance the discover page experience.
Notably, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are already capitalizing on this feature to foster connections with like-minded individuals in their field, demonstrating its potential for professional networking and niche community building.
Another standout feature of Bluesky is its support for custom website domains as user handles. Bluesky operates as a protocol—a system that enables various social media platforms to interact while remaining independent of ownership by any single entity. One key benefit of this protocol is the ability for users, particularly brands, to use their website domains as handles.
This feature offers a streamlined way for brands to secure a unique, recognizable handle while reinforcing their identity and keeping their brand top of mind for users. For example, NPR’s Bluesky handle is @npr.org—a direct reflection of their domain ownership and content control. By aligning their handle with their website, brands can strengthen their digital presence and maintain consistency across platforms.
Like any emerging platform, Bluesky is not without its limitations, and users have been vocal about several missing features they hope to see expanded upon. Currently, the platform lacks:
- A bookmarking or save feature
- A trending feed
- The ability to edit posts
- Video lengths exceeding 60 seconds
- Video embedding capabilities
- Unlimited Posting (Posting Limits)
These issues echo the complaints raised during the launch of Threads, which ultimately drove many users away within weeks. For Bluesky to sustain its momentum, learning from competitors’ missteps will be crucial.
Observed User Adoption Trends:
Shortly after the election, individuals flocked to social channels, specifically X, to announce their move to Bluesky. As of November 14th, audience intelligence found that DTC community mentions of Bluesky ballooned to over 4708% higher than the usual daily average with many individuals mentioning the platform to share a link to their new account.
Of the patient community, some were stating that they are moving towards Bluesky for their ‘mental health’ and away from the general disinformation they have seen regarding health, their conditions, etc. on other popular social platforms, assuming that Bluesky will be a break from that disinformation.
About 6% of these Bluesky mentions were political in nature, referring mainly to inferred political ideations of the platform, however, 34% of all Bluesky mentions discussed both X and Bluesky with those individuals stating that they were moving away from X and towards Bluesky or those who were staying loyal to X.
HCPs conversations around Bluesky followed a similar pattern to non-HCPs with a significant spike around mid-November. Similar to the general social population, HCPs were announcing their move to Bluesky to experience “less toxicity” with some HCPs even stating Bluesky reminded them of “old-school Twitter” and sharing articles about Bluesky feeling like “old twitter”. Those HCPs we know as being active on X came to the platform to voice their opinions on Bluesky as well, with many of them asking the same question we have: if Bluesky will succeed as a Twitter alternative. Some feel that it won’t while others say this feels different than the exodus with Threads.
Considering all these points, looking at the release of Threads in comparison to the rise of Bluesky, there were significantly more mentions of Threads than Bluesky which would make sense due to the nature of the launches of each platform. Threads came quickly onto the scene, thus a huge spike in mentions, while Bluesky started slow as invite only. With this said, it will take time to determine if Bluesky has true staying power, or if like Threads, the conversation fizzles shortly after launch. As of right now, although mentions of Bluesky are not as significant as Threads was, we are seeing a longer duration of conversation around the platform (i.e. weeks instead of days). Audience Intelligence teams will continue to monitor this conversation and will provide updates to all emerging platforms as they continue to come in.
Pharma Brand Landscape:
Pharma brands have been slow to rejoin X, however, some brands continued on the platform or have taken a moments-based approach. Brands who are still considering their options typically note the desire for a platform that is accessible platform for engaging in HCP conversations. This raises a critical question: will HCPs adopt Bluesky in the same way they used X?
Due to API limitations, compiling a comprehensive view of HCP engagement on Bluesky remains inaccessible when using our current social listening tools. However, a manual search of the platform reveals a gradual shift, with HCPs beginning to migrate and interact on Bluesky in ways similar to their usage patterns on X. With conferences like ACCR and ASH beginning to establish a presence on the platform, this trend suggests the potential for Bluesky to provide another avenue for brands to reach HCPs in key moments. These conferences will provide a solid benchmark on whether Bluesky can become a new home for these conversations or if they end up back on X due to heavier conversation volume.
Bluesky, similar to Threads, does not support advertising on the platform. However, this doesn’t mean the brands are not active on the site. Many major news outlets like CNN, ABC News, NPR, & the New York Times are actively publishing. Many professional sports teams, celebrities and influencers are also active across the platform.
That being said, for brands with an always-on organic strategy, Bluesky is certainly worth considering. Since the platform currently does not support ads, it may not be ideal for brands relying heavily on paid strategies—at least for now. According to eMarketer and MarketVantage, discussions between users and developers about advertising on Bluesky are ongoing. While initially the platform suggested it may not support ads, it now seems more likely they will eventually be introduced.
Many brands may be questioning whether it’s the right time to join Bluesky. Based on the CMI Centered Team’s current outlook, our recommendation is to hold off for now. Much like the launch of Threads, we’re navigating uncharted waters with this platform.
As we continue to monitor Bluesky’s development and gain deeper insights into its functionality and user trends, we’ll provide updated guidance to help brands make informed decisions about their presence on the platform—and whether it’s worth marketing to both patients and HCPs in this emerging space.
Even though Bluesky looks like the old Twitter, it is unlike any social media platform we’ve encountered before. As a protocol rather than an algorithm-driven system, the possibilities for its evolution are virtually limitless. As the platform continues to gain traction, CMI’s Centered team will remain committed to monitoring its progress and deepening our understanding of its functionality.
For any questions about this exciting new platform and how it works, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Social Center of Excellence Team.
And most importantly, enjoy exploring Bluesky!