Some social media sites come and go quickly (hello, Friendster, Vine, and Myspace) while others thrive. Adding a new one, or leaving one, requires effort: You’ll need to build a new audience and hopefully port over your old audience before leaving. So it’s good to give some consideration.

For a number of reasons, we think Bluesky is worthy of your consideration.

Decentralized and privacy-focused: Bluesky is built on a decentralized network, which may align with nonprofit values of transparency, privacy, and trust. It gives users more control over their data, which can be an attractive aspect for organizations focused on privacy, human rights, or advocacy.

Less noise, more focus: Bluesky, being newer and still growing, is not yet as saturated as platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. This can create a more focused and engaged community, which may be valuable for nonprofits looking to connect with specific niche groups or more thoughtful conversations.

Engagement with activism and causes: Given the decentralized nature of Bluesky, it may attract more users who are interested in decentralization, open-source technology, or social justice. Nonprofits focused on advocacy, activism, or social change could find a receptive and like-minded audience here.

Relationships with thought leaders: Since Bluesky is still emerging, there’s an opportunity for nonprofits to build relationships with early adopters, thought leaders, and influencers who may be interested in supporting social causes or using the platform for activism. We’ve seen this ourselves, as it’s been easier to interact with well-known, big-name thought leaders.

Fewer commercial distractions: Bluesky’s focus is on user-driven content and community building, rather than algorithmically driven, attention-seeking content designed to generate ad revenue. Nonprofits may find a more authentic space to engage with their audience, away from the distraction of overly commercial or algorithmic content.

Sizing it up

Yes, Bluesky has a much smaller user base compared to Facebook or the platform formerly known as Twitter (which many are leaving — for Bluesky). And Bluesky doesn’t yet offer the tools that other platforms do for nonprofits, like donation integrations, advocacy tools, or detailed analytics. But: Since its meteoric rise over the past two months, it’s safe to say more features are on the way.

What about Twitter/X?

If you’re currently on X (Twitter), and have a robust following there, we recommend staying at least while the next chapter of that app is being written. But you should seriously consider building a following on Bluesky now, in its early days, so you can be prepared to leap if you feel you should.

Social media remains one of the best ways to spread the word about what you do, so you don’t want to miss the opportunity to build a large and lasting audience on this new platform.

If you need help or just want to talk it over, we’re here.