How Bluesky hopes to win over publishers (and users)

“Having publishers helps to make your platform a go-to place for news,” said Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at Omdia. “Having authoritative news means when people want to see what is going on, they come to your platform first.”

That logic seems to be driving Bluesky’s latest moves. Execs like chief operating officer Rose Wang and CEO Jay Graber are positioning the platform as the antidote to fraught relationships between publishers and other platforms. They’ve promised not to de-prioritize publisher content and have emphasized the traffic it can drive — particularly since the platform saw a surge in users following the U.S. presidential election.

But Bluesky isn’t stopping at charm. It’s rolling out the red carpet making it easier and more enticing for publishers to sign up and start posting.

Unlike platforms that tightly control publisher verification, Bluesky takes a hands-off approach. Publishers can self-verify by linking their site directly to their username, and organizations can manage verification for their journalists independently. As Bluesky puts it, control goes back where it belongs: in the hands of the publishers. While it is still unclear how many publishers exactly are now on Bluesky, the likes of The Economist, The Week, Politico, Semafor, Pink News and Tortoise Media have already set up camp there.

If publishers were a cornerstone of Bluesky’s 2024, they’ll be even more pivotal in 2025. The audiences  they draw could be a critical factor as the platform navigates its growth story. While Threads and X dominate with 275 million and 550 million users respectively, Bluesky remains the scrappy underdog at 25 million. Yet, with a daily growth rate of a million users, its rapid ascent makes it a platform to watch closely. Which isn’t bad going since it was only officially launched to the public in February 2024, after 12 months of an invite-only beta version of the app.

More publishers also means more journalists — and with them, more users. If journalists bring their own followers into the fold, Bluesky could transform its scrappy reputation into a force to be reckoned with. The ripple effect has already started, now it’s just a question of how far it will go. 

As Jamie MacEwan, senior research analyst at Enders Analysis pointed out, at a critical mass, this could foster a news network on Bluesky that becomes self-sustaining over time.

“Overall, traffic is going to be more about news personalities than [just] news publishers,” MacEwan continued. “The ability to have healthy two-way dialogue with public figures is something Twitter used to promote before losing its way, so the more controlled environment of Bluesky is a real selling point. Journalists are a big part of that, especially those connected into breaking events. You might get an outlet with a lot of followers, but just as many if not more will be following their star journalists and columnists.” 

Simply put, it’s a win-win for Bluesky. They get content for free from a growing number of journalists, and their user base continues to increase.

A pivotal moment 

While publishers are central to Bluesky’s strategy to establish itself as a major platform, no single element can carry the weight of that ambition. Diversification is crucial. To reach true platform status, Bluesky must balance its appeal to publishers with a broader ecosystem that includes creators, public figures, and everyday users. Success lies in building a platform that feels indispensable to many, not just one segment. 

“We are in a new era of news where people are getting less of their news content from traditional news sources and publishers, and more so from creators, news influencers, independent journalists,” said Jasmine Enberg, vp and principal analyst, social media and creator economy at eMarketer. “So as important as publishers are to, Bluesky having media personalities, independent creators and other news sources, less traditional news sources on the platform is just as crucial.”

Bluesky did not respond to Digiday’s request for comment.