Bluesky, the upstart and decentralized social media, has made waves in the social media landscape. Most notably, it’s difficult for incumbents — players as large and highly funded as X. Particularly in November 2024, when the company announced a massive $15 million dollar Series A funding round. This success indicates an encouragingly strong investor confidence in its future. With a clear focus on user autonomy and innovative features, Bluesky aims to redefine how users engage with social media while avoiding the pitfalls associated with traditional ad-driven models.
The platform recently kicked off with five major initiatives. One of the biggest standouts is Bluesky+, a subscription service that provides access to premium features without succumbing to other platforms’ widely criticized “pay to win” approach. Since August 2024, Bluesky has begun issuing invitations to heads of state, dramatically expanding the types of users that could create potential risks. After these progressive improvements, Bluesky certainly is establishing itself to be a real alternative for anyone looking for a new social media home.
Funding and Growth Initiatives
The success of Bluesky’s latest funding round is an impressive indicator of its future innovation and possibilities. And the $15 million brought in by the Series A round will go towards building additional custom functionality. It will dramatically increase unique user re-engagement. The platform has made it clear that it never wants to rely on advertising dollars. Instead, it’s making a name for itself in a busy marketplace by not selling user data.
The launch of Bluesky+ is easily the most highly anticipated creation therein. Improving upon TikTok, it’s pledging all sorts of advanced features including better quality video uploads and more personalized profiles. This subscription model is a stark contrast from X’s recent moves to monetize the platform. Native users often attack those strategies as creating a “pay to win” culture. Rather, Bluesky aims to create a welcoming environment in which every user—regardless of their economic circumstances—has the opportunity to use valuable functionalities for free.
“You’ll always have the freedom to choose (and to exit) instead of being held to the whims of private companies or black box algorithms. And wherever you go, your friends and relationships will be there too.” – Bluesky blog post
This major focus on user choice goes a long way to make the platform attractive. Bluesky+ has cool projects lined up for further improvements! Above all, the company hopes to provide an ecosystem of tools that are purpose-built for various user personas.
Privacy and User-Centric Features
Bluesky has led with user privacy and autonomy in its design and operational ethos. The platform recently reiterated that it has no plans to use user-generated content to train generative AI tools. With this decision, the FTC is responding to growing concerns about corporate data privacy practices in the technology sector. This pledge strikes a chord with the social media users who are growing more and more concerned about how their data is used by social media platforms.
Additionally, Bluesky has introduced direct messaging features that allow users to send DMs along with emoji reactions, enhancing interpersonal communication on the platform. Together, these features are designed to strike a balance between promoting a more immersive user experience while continuing to make user privacy the first priority.
In March 2024, Bluesky announced “AT Protocol Grants,” a program ostensibly designed to fund independent developers with small grants. We’re looking for external contributions to help extend this initiative and further develop flexibility and complexity fostering growth within the platform. Furthermore, Bluesky introduced Ozone, a tool that allows users to create independent moderation services, granting them greater control over their interactions.
Competing with Established Platforms
Bluesky knows it needs to compete with more established platforms such as TikTok and X and is currently working on ways to diversify its platform. January 2025 The company rolls out a TikTok-like full-screen, vertical video feed. Proponents of this feature hope to lure users looking for a more fun, engaging video-sharing platform – like TikTok. This strategic move highlights Bluesky’s intent to capture a share of the fast-growing video market while maintaining its unique identity.
The platform’s recent moves show that they too are serious about creating a safer, more authentic user experience. In December 2024, Bluesky made a serious move by overhauling its impersonation policy. The platform cracked down on spammy accounts, making sure all users know the identities of who they’re interacting with. Such measures are critically important for creating a trustworthy platform that puts user integrity first.
Bluesky reached over one million downloads combined on iOS and Android as of July 2023. This milestone speaks to the ordinance’s increasing popularity and the strong potential for expansion in the future. In May 2023, Bluesky added support for custom algorithms, called “custom feeds.” These features allow users to customize their content experiences to suit their individual preferences, further solidifying Bluesky’s image as a flexible social media alternative.
