A new invite-only social app is promising to upend social media norms, but could it all be just hot air? Katrina Bell discovers she has to do a lot of digging to find anything out about Bluesky.
If I told you about a man who claims not to use a computer, who is a certified masseur, and spends chunks of his life on yoga retreats and has a passion for Bitcoin, would you be in a hurry to sign up for his new social media app? No? Well you might if the public face of Bluesky was also billionaire Jack Dorsey, who has previously had some success with a certain platform called Twitter.
So while his credentials are solid, what we know about his new project, which began life as a Twitter offshoot, is a little sketchy. All the description on the Google Play App Store says is that it’s 'a new social network for microblogging', which doesn't give much away. The FAQ on Bluesky’s own website is a triumph in engineer-friendly word salad, so it turns out that most of what we know is from those who have already signed up.
As of June 2023, an estimated 100,000+ have received the coveted invite app code, however, it has been reported that the app has been downloaded over 375,000 times. So the first wave are poised to sign up, sort of.
No information is available currently as to how business accounts might interact with the app, or whether brands will have to pay for the service to subsidise individual accounts. In fact, no public pronouncements have been made about the business model and how it intends to create revenue.
The buzz within the industry and press is visibly high since its February launch – how this translates to users prepared to ditch Twitter for the cool new app, or even those who are early adopters that like to own their digital personalities on every platform, is yet to be seen. Mass take-up is not guaranteed.
For businesses one thing is certain. Once the platform is open to all, there will be a gold rush period. In that time whether or not Bluesky ultimately proves a success, this will be the moment to claim your real estate. That will mean that you should sign up your company handle at the first opportunity, and any derivations including individuals in your business that post on your behalf with their own name.
Here’s what we do know…
1. There is no roll-out date set and Bluesky doesn’t appear to be offering terms of service or privacy information yet. Should you get an invite to the beta version, you have the option to invite one other person or business every two weeks, a powerful tool while the app is closed to the masses.
2. The interface is similar to Twitter, however there is currently no direct messaging feature. Posts are 256 characters and can include photos. That message can be liked, reposted and replied to. You can also search and follow other individuals.
3. Once invited, users create a handle which is then represented as @username.bsky.social as well as a display name that appears more prominent in bold text.
4. You can also create a user name from any domain (web address) you own. So that would appear as @websiteaddress for instance.
5. Bluesky rolled out to Android users on 20th April and was initially launched to iOS users in late February this year. This change is probably a sign that the testing period is coming to an end.
6. Not got an invite? You can join the waitlist by adding your email. Visit https://bsky.app/, and there is a Twitter account (@bluesky) to keep up with news.
