How Does Bluesky’s Algorithm Work?
Think of the Bluesky algorithm is yours to build – like a perfect playlist.
There is 3 kinds of Feeds: Dicscover Feed, Following feed, and Custom Feeds you follow.
The Discover Feed is designed to show content that matches with your interests and likes. Then you have Following Feed of a chronological list of recent posts of those you follow, then finally a list of Custom feeds based on topics, like Memes or Filmsky that you can also follow.
Bluesky is proposing a new approach to social media where users have more control over what they see. Instead of a single company controlling the algorithm, Bluesky wants to create a “marketplace of algorithms.”
The Bluesky Algorithm: Simple Breakdown
Key Differences between Following Feed and Discover Feed, the two Bluesky Algorithms.
| Feature | Following Feed | Discover Feed |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Posts from people you follow | Posts suggested by the algorithm |
| Order | Chronological | Algorithmic |
| Control | High | Medium |
| Purpose | Personalized experience | Explore the wider community |
Does Bluesky Have an Algorithm?
Yes, with Discover and Following Feeds. Discover is an algorithm off the stuff you like, and Following is a linear timeline of posts from accounts you follow.
How to Use Both Effectively:
- Follow Feed
Stay connected with followers, and people you admire. Posts appear in real-time, just like a news ticker, chronologically. - Discover Feed
Find new interests, discover trending topics, and engage with a broader community. This feed sorts posts based on your interests. Key factors include:
The Twist: Custom Feeds
- Add Custom Feeds
Click on the “Feeds” tab in the menu, and add other topics that display chronologically and use a speicifc keyword to be added to that feed. In your home page, the feeds you “add” are there too. To post to a feed, use the keyword they tell you they look for to automatically get added to that feed, like “filmsky” keyword to the Filmsky Feed.
Bluesky lets you create custom feeds based on specific topics, hashtags, or user lists. This gives you more control over your content, allowing you to tailor your experience.
While the algorithm plays a role in the Discover Feed, the chronological feed and custom feeds give you additional ways to organize what you see.
Your Interests
The Discover algorithm monitors the people you follow, your interactions (likes, comments), and the subjects you investigate. This aids in understanding your preferences and tendencies. For example, if you “Like” a Feed, then you get similar content. If you “Add” the Feed, then you can browse that feed in your home page separate from your main algorithm curated from interests and likes.
Popular content
It also keeps track of what other users are finding interesting and sharing. If many of the people you follow discover something interesting, it will probably show up on your discover feed.
Your Network
It takes into account your relationships. If content is being posted by your followers or following, it is more likely to be brought to your attention.
That’s the promise of the Fediverse – more control over your content, algorithms, and community.
How to Grow on Bluesky
Create Custom Feeds
Curate feeds around specific interests or hashtags to streamline your experience. Add posts to those feeds by using their keywords. Like “memes” added in Alt-Text of a media type to get the post added to the Memes Feed.
Engage with Topics You Like
Follow feeds that interest you and interact with others discussing those topics. Using the Feed keywords as they specify in each feed gets your content seen. Also reply to other people’s content meaningfully (key and rarely done by lurkers).
Be Active
Like, comment, and boost posts to increase your visibility and connection with others.
How to Grow Your Bluesky Account Faster:
Consistent posting, diverse content creation, and leveraging scheduling tools like Fedica are critical to grow your Bluesky presence. Scheduling Bluesky videos and posts will keep you active and let you organize your content to experiment with what your community likes.
You can schedule Bluesky posts for free using Fedica, which also offers unlimited drafts and new features being added, like scheduling Bluesky threads that post over time, and scheduling Bluesky content warnings.
You can still manage your other social media networks because we support crossposting to many platforms. With features like custom Alt-text, scheduling with automatic link cards added, customized posts for each network, and a color-coded content calendar with separate timings.
Engaging with like-minded users and embracing Bluesky’s unique community culture further enhances your outreach efforts.
Why is Bluesky Different?
Bluesky is not just another social media platform; it’s a gateway to giving you more control over your online life. They’re working on something called the AT Protocol, which lets you use the same profile across different social apps without losing connections or content.
Similar to how updates are decided in the Bitcoin community, Bluesky operates on users agreeing with each other instead of a company controlling its evolution.
(Tech rant incoming)
The Fediverse:
Understanding the Fediverse, the interconnected network of social apps, tells us why Bluesky is a thing. ActivityPub, the underlying technology, forms the backbone of platforms like Mastodon. However, Bluesky’s AT Protocol’s main thing is that it makes it easier and less risky to switch platforms, reinforcing user control and mitigating risks associated with centralized platforms.
The idea of the fediverse is to let you post anything from anywhere, and move your data and followers between apps easier. And that’s the future-focussed vision we share at Fedica, giving you innovative tools first, controlling your growth, and safeguarding your data.
(Tech rant over.)
Here’s how to get up to speed with Bluesky today:
Who’s on Bluesky?
Welcome, newskies! Bluesky has a diverse user base, including notable figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Neil Gaiman. Initially dominated by artists, politically liberal voices, and marginalized communities, Bluesky has evolved into a vibrant community where individuals freely express themselves without fear of persecution.
What’s Bluesky’s Vibe?
Bluesky cultivates a relaxed and informal atmosphere reminiscent of Twitter’s early days. While users share their passions and anecdotes, the community maintains a supportive environment, fostering creativity and encouragement.
Does Bluesky Work like Twitter?
Bluesky offers a familiar user experience to Twitter with notable differences. The absence of advertisements, coupled with a more forum-like structure, distinguishes Bluesky from its counterparts. Additionally, the platform prioritizes user-generated content dissemination over algorithm-driven visibility.
How to Get Noticed on Bluesky:
Interacting with fellow users and sharing engaging content are pivotal to getting attention on Bluesky. Because there’s no algorithms feeding you content, users have to act like a community and share things, follow people and reply!
Building connections, getting your posts in custom feeds by using the right keywords, and fostering meaningful engagement to amplify visibility and facilitate organic growth is the big difference – but that’s real isn’t it?
How do People Find Posts on Bluesky?
Bluesky’s discovery mechanism now has hashtags! Previously, Bluesky relies on crafting posts with relevant keywords and emojis to increase visibility and facilitate engagement within thematic feeds who take in those keywords.
Do Hashtags Work on Bluesky?
Bluesky now has hashtag support as of late February 2024. Users can discover content based on keywords and thematic feeds and now hashtags.
Does Bluesky Have Trending Topics?
Although Bluesky doesn’t feature official trending topics, users can access feeds curated by third-party accounts to stay up to speed with popular discussions and trends.
Can People on Bluesky See Your Likes?
Likes on Bluesky are private on the app and desktop but are still accessible only through third-party apps. So, while they are not shown on your profile, all your likes are public data that can be found as of February 2024.
Can You Make Lists on Bluesky?
Bluesky has public, shareable lists which can become feeds and moderation lists to enhance user experience. These features empower people to curate personalized feeds and mitigate disruptive behavior effectively, but as of now, there are no private lists.
Is Bluesky Worth It?
Despite its benefits and even downsides, joining Bluesky is a great investment for your social media strategy because people are genuently acting like a community there, so there is an opportunity to really get to know your community as a brand or small business, and especially as a creator of any kind.
Also, it doesn’t cost you more work because you can already schedule posts easily to other platforms with Fedica. So even though its still in its infancy and needs time to evolve, the opportunity of building your audience in a platform that you control means the growth you put time into is not a risk compared to older centralized, legacy social media platforms that change and are at the whim of other sociopolitical factors.
Bluesky Tips:
- Customize your home feed preferences to customize your Bluesky experience.
- Explore thematic feeds and lists to discover relevant content.
- Follow users following the people you like, engage with them with replies and reposts because there is less algorithmic feeds doing that for you. Plus, your people will love that.
- Search for keywords you’re into to find specific content, or follow feeds that also use keywords to group posts.
- Embrace Bluesky’s unique culture and features while respecting community norms and guidelines.
- Do not interact with trolls and malicious actors. There’s no algorithm in place to promote or share their content. Engaging with them only amplifies their presence on everyone’s timelines. It’s best to block them and deny them any attention.
By embracing Bluesky’s ethos of decentralization and user empowerment, you contribute to a more vibrant and inclusive online community without the risks of older social media owners, algorithms, or other changes that can hurt the time you spent building your community in the first place. Your community in Bluesky can be taken to future Fediverse platforms. Finally, set up Bluesky scheduling with crossposting to major platforms to easily to expand reach and build a community no matter where they are!