Bluesky, the alternative to Twitter, continues to grow

Bluesky has been a serious alternative to Twitter/X since 2024 and has been growing steadily since its launch, with no fewer than 40.2 million users since the last report in September of this year. So is it worth investing time and effort in this alternative? Or is it not a good fit for your target audience? In this blog post, let’s take a look at the latest developments at Bluesky.

Social media has become an integral part of daily life for almost everyone with a smartphone—and that’s pretty much everyone. Especially in the Western world. It often takes considerable effort and determination to break free from it, especially once you’ve been caught up in the dopamine rush of “doomscrolling.” As the webmaster or digital marketing expert behind your company, the question is no longer whether you should use social media to promote your website and your business, but rather which platforms you should use to do so. Bluesky is a platform that’s currently popular among users who value privacy more and want to be less at the mercy of tech giants.

Bluesky’s Target Audience

Although Bluesky has made rapid progress internationally, the United States still accounts for the largest user base. Nevertheless, we’re also seeing a significant shift among certain niche target groups in the European and Dutch markets:

Tech, IT, and cybersecurity professionals: Many developers, system administrators, and cybersecurity experts have switched from X to Bluesky or are actively present there.

Journalists, academics, and government agencies: The search for a more reliable and less polarized platform has led to an influx of media professionals.

Privacy and open-source enthusiasts: Users who value transparent algorithms and open protocols feel more at home on Bluesky.

Tweakers

The platform’s growing traction in the Dutch IT sector is evident, among other things, in decisions made by leading tech platforms. For example, the popular Dutch tech website Tweakers has largely shifted its social media presence and communication to Bluesky.

For companies in the IT, hosting, and SaaS sectors, this is an important signal. If the core of the Dutch tech community is moving to a new platform, it’s advisable for IT service providers or webmasters to at least establish a presence there and secure their brand names now.

Social media can be a political statement

Choosing a social media platform today is more than just a marketing channel; it is increasingly an ethical or political statement.

Since the acquisition and changes in direction at X, many companies and individuals have consciously chosen Bluesky for the following reasons:

Decentralized structure (AT Protocol): Users and organizations are less dependent on a central company that sets the rules.

No aggressive or opaque algorithms: Users have more control over what they see in their feed.

Your own domain name as a username: A unique feature of Bluesky is that you can link your own domain name to your account (for example, @mijndemopartner.nl instead of @gebruiker.bsky.social).

At MijnHostingPartner.nl, we’re always exploring how new technologies fit into your online identity and your control over your data. Bluesky offers a unique advantage over traditional platforms in this regard: verification via your own domain name.

Instead of relying on an expensive blue checkmark, you can link your Bluesky profile directly to the DNS settings of your domain name at MijnHostingPartner.nl. This offers immediate benefits:

1. Immediate Authenticity: Your followers can be sure that your profile actually belongs to your website or brand.

2. Full control: Your brand’s reputation remains tied to your own domain name.

By simply adding a DNS record to your domain, you’ll be verified in no time.

Should your company join or not?

Whether Bluesky is the right choice for your business depends on your target audience: Go for it if: your target audience consists of tech enthusiasts, developers, IT professionals, B2B service providers, or privacy-conscious consumers. In this case, securing your brand name and linking it to your domain is a smart strategic move.

Hold off for now if: you’re targeting a general B2C audience that’s primarily active on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook.

Need help setting up your DNS records to link your domain name to your Bluesky profile? Our help desk and knowledge base are always here to assist you!