Should Your Business Be on Bluesky? An Industry-by-Industry Breakdown

Bluesky is one of the most talked-about new platforms in the social media space. With over 35.5 million registered users and more than 1.4 billion posts, it has quickly evolved from an invite-only curiosity to a serious alternative to X (formerly Twitter).

Yet despite its explosive growth—including 15 million new users since November 2024 alone—many businesses are still unsure: Is it worth the effort to build a presence on Bluesky?

The answer depends on your industry, audience, and willingness to embrace a decentralised, still-developing platform. In this guide, we break down which industries are poised to benefit most from an early Bluesky strategy, the platform’s key challenges, and how tools like Sendible's upcoming Bluesky Scheduler can help brands test the waters without burning time or budget.

Table of contents

• Why aren't more businesses using Bluesky? Key obstacles
• Which industries should use Bluesky for marketing and audience engagement?
• When to hold off: Industries and reasns to delay your Bluesky marketing strategy
• Benefits of early adoption: Why your business should test Bluesky now
• Sendible's upcoming Bluesky scheduler

Why aren't more businesses using Bluesky? Key obstacles

Before we get into industry opportunities, it's important to address the hesitations many marketers have:

• No native scheduling tool

• Occasional bugs and post visibility issues

• Image handling limitations

• Discoverability is still evolving

• Lack of paid advertising options

• Decentralisation creates a learning curve for some users

Sendible’s new Bluesky Scheduler directly addresses the #1 blocker: posting consistently and strategically.

Which industries should use Bluesky for marketing and audience engagement?

News and media

Bluesky has become a haven for journalists and independent media outlets seeking a less algorithm-heavy, link-friendly environment. With 3.2 million daily active users in the US and UK combined, there’s a strong base for real-time news sharing.

Why it works:

• No suppression of outbound links

• Higher engagement per follower (up to 10x more than X, per SocialPilot)

• Direct, transparent conversation with audiences

How the Scheduler helps:

• Schedule headlines and story threads in advance

• Automate post timing for time-sensitive news drops

Source: @nytimes.com

Education and research

Academics and educators are using Bluesky to share research, discuss findings, and connect with peers. The decentralised model appeals to users seeking transparency and information without algorithmic interference.

Why it works:

• Bluesky supports long-form posting and outbound links to papers

• Young adult demographics (63% under 34) align well with education-focused content

How the Scheduler helps:

• Share a consistent stream of publications, student spotlights, and event recaps

• Repurpose Threads or X content across platforms

Tech startups and SaaS

Bluesky’s decentralised model, open-source appeal, and tech-savvy audience make it fertile ground for startups looking to build in public or join decentralised conversations.

Why it works:

• Strong overlap with early adopters and privacy-conscious users

• Ideal space for open-source, privacy-first, and Web3 projects

How the Scheduler helps:

• Run thought leadership threads and feature updates regularly

• Maintain a consistent voice without daily manual posts

Source: @sendible.bsky.social

 

Ethical and sustainability-focused brands

With rising consumer demand for transparency and authenticity, Bluesky aligns well with ethical and sustainable brands. Its decentralised framework reinforces the value of trust and openness.

Why it works:

• Audience values authenticity, community, and data transparency

• Low-pressure space for mission-led storytelling

How the Scheduler helps:

• Plan story arcs and awareness campaigns in advance

• Post consistently without manual lift

Entertainment, gaming and consumer brands

Brands like Xbox, Netflix, Red Bull and others have already established a presence on Bluesky. With over 7.5 billion total likes and 2.5 billion followers platform-wide, engagement is robust—even without ads.

Why it works:

• High user engagement (average of 10.5 minutes per session, 8 pages per visit)

• Room for playful, experimental content

How the Scheduler helps:

• Pre-schedule meme drops, trailers, or fan content campaigns

• Coordinate launch posts with product or show releases

Source: @netflix.com

 

Healthcare and Wellness

Although early in adoption, Bluesky offers opportunities for transparent health communication, especially in mental health, holistic wellness, and public awareness campaigns.

Why it works:

• Less noise, more room for genuine dialogue

• Interest in expert voices, especially around health transparency

How the Scheduler helps:

• Time awareness days and campaign posts

• Share stories and tips regularly without day-to-day management

Real estate and local services

Still a quiet segment on Bluesky, but with future potential for community-driven content. Especially suited to real estate agents, home services, and regional businesses testing long-form or conversational marketing.

Why it works:

• Local updates and Q&As can build trust

• Early mover advantage for location-specific content

How the Scheduler helps:

• Schedule open house alerts, homebuyer tips, and seasonal updates

• Maintain brand presence in a consistent, low-lift way

When to hold off: Industries and reasons to delay your Bluesky marketing strategy

While Bluesky presents exciting opportunities, particularly for early adopters and specific niches, certain industries and businesses might find it prudent to adopt a "wait-and-see" approach before fully integrating it into their marketing strategy.

Here are some key considerations:

Retail eCommerce (general): Limited visual merchandising and shoppability

For businesses heavily reliant on high-quality visual content and direct product promotion, Bluesky currently presents limitations. The platform's focus on text-based updates and the lack of robust features like product tagging, carousels with direct links, and visually rich storefronts make it less effective for traditional eCommerce marketing compared to platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, or even evolving features on X.

Beauty and fashion (visually driven brands): Prioritising visual platforms for broad reach

Unless your beauty or fashion brand focuses on highly niche, conversational content, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or fostering a strong community through dialogue, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, with their emphasis on visual media, short-form video, and influencer marketing, are likely to yield a higher immediate ROI.

Enterprise B2B SaaS (non-tech focused): Uncertain short-term ROI and niche alignment

Justifying a significant short-term investment in Bluesky might be challenging for B2B SaaS companies whose target audience isn't particularly focused on open-source technology, decentralisation, or thought leadership in emerging social media spaces.

While building a presence for long-term brand building and industry conversations is possible, the immediate lead generation and ROI might be lower than established B2B platforms like LinkedIn or industry-specific forums.

Businesses heavily reliant on paid advertising

Bluesky currently lacks a mature or publicly available advertising platform. If your primary marketing strategy hinges on paid social media campaigns for reach and conversions, Bluesky won't be a viable primary channel in the short term.

Local businesses dependent on location-based features

Bluesky doesn't currently have robust location-based features that are crucial for many local businesses (e.g., local search, check-ins, and location tagging prominently). Platforms like Google Business, Facebook, and even Instagram offer more developed tools for reaching local customers.

Businesses with limited resources

As a newer platform, building a meaningful presence on Bluesky requires time, effort, and potentially new content strategies. Businesses with already stretched marketing teams might need to prioritise established platforms where their audience is already concentrated before allocating resources to Bluesky.

Brands with strict brand guidelines and control

While Bluesky fosters a more open and conversational environment, brands with extremely strict control over their messaging and visual presentation might find the less curated nature of the platform challenging. The decentralised aspect could also raise concerns about brand consistency across different servers.

Businesses targeting a predominantly older demographic

Current data suggests that Bluesky's user base skews younger. If your target audience is primarily in an older demographic, your efforts might be better focused on platforms where they are more active.

Here are some demographics to take into consideration:

• Gender: Approximately 62.04% male and 37.96% female users.
• Age: The largest age group is 18 to 24 years old (around 35.02%), followed by 25 to 34 years old (around 27.67%).
• Location: The United States has the largest share of users (around 42-55.7%), followed by Brazil (around 11-37.7%) and Japan (around 6.75-8.7%).

By considering these factors, you can make a more informed decision about when and how to incorporate Bluesky into your overall social media strategy. It's often wise to monitor the platform's growth and feature development to assess its future relevance for your specific industry and target audience.

Benefits of early adoption: Why your business should test Bluesky now

The landscape of social media is constantly evolving, and being an early adopter on a promising platform like Bluesky can yield significant advantages for your business. Here's why testing the waters now could be a strategic move:

Riding the growth wave: Tap into a rapidly expansing user base

With Bluesky adding approximately one new user every second and boasting a community of over 35 million and counting, the platform is experiencing significant momentum. Getting in early allows you to establish a presence and grow alongside this burgeoning audience, potentially capturing mindshare before the space becomes saturated.

Cultivate meaningful connections: Leverage high engagement in niche communities

Bluesky is currently characterised by strong engagement, particularly within niche communities and around non-promotional, authentic content. This presents a unique opportunity to foster genuine connections with your target audience, participate in relevant conversations, and build a loyal following based on shared interests rather than solely on transactional interactions.

Establish authority and community leadership

For businesses aiming to position themselves as thought leaders or cultivate strong community ties within their industry, being an early mover on Bluesky offers a significant advantage. You have the runway to shape conversations, build a dedicated following, and become a recognized voice in your niche before the competitive landscape intensifies.

Strategic experimentation made easier with scheduling

The upcoming launch of our Bluesky scheduler directly addresses a key barrier to consistent engagement. With the ability to plan and schedule content in advance, your business can more easily experiment with different content formats, posting frequencies, and engagement strategies on Bluesky without the burden of constant manual posting. 

Potential for higher organic reach in the early stages

As with many emerging platforms, early adopters on Bluesky may experience higher organic reach compared to more established and algorithmically dense networks. By establishing a presence now, you can capitalise on this potential for greater visibility and organic growth before the platform's algorithms become more restrictive.

Learning and adapting ahead of the curve

By testing Bluesky now, your business gains valuable insights into how the platform functions, what types of content resonate with its users, and how it fits into your broader marketing ecosystem. This early learning allows you to adapt your strategies and build expertise before Bluesky becomes a mainstream platform, giving you a competitive edge.

Sendible’s new Bluesky scheduler

Launching soon, our scheduler helps you:

• Post consistently without manual effort

• Collaborate with your team on content planning

• Use AI Assist to tailor messages for Bluesky’s tone and audience

• Manage Bluesky alongside Threads, X, LinkedIn, and more

Conclusion

Bluesky isn’t a must-use for every brand—yet. But if you’re in the right industry, willing to experiment, and want to engage authentically, it’s a space worth exploring.

With Sendible’s upcoming scheduler, the biggest challenge—consistent posting—is finally solved. That means you can test the waters with confidence, build a community early, and find your voice before the crowd catches up.