How to Grow Followers on Bluesky

Jumping into Bluesky feels a bit like finding a secret, creative gathering that's buzzing with new energy. But how do you go from being a newcomer to a familiar face people want to follow? This guide breaks down the actionable steps to grow your follower count on Bluesky by focusing on genuine connection, smart content strategy, and mastering the platform's unique features.

Optimize Your Profile to Make a Great First Impression

Your profile is your digital handshake. Before anyone reads a single post, they'll see your profile picture, bio, and handle. A sloppy, incomplete profile is a missed opportunity. Think of it as your personal landing page, you want visitors to understand who you are and why they should stick around in just a few seconds.

Choose Your Names Wisely

You have two names on Bluesky:

• Your Handle (@username.bsky.social): This is your unique identifier. Choose something short, memorable, and easy to spell. If possible, keep it consistent with your handles on other social media platforms to help people find you.
• Your Display Name: This is the name displayed prominently on your profile. You can use your real name, your business name, or a creative brand name. You can also add relevant keywords or emojis here to show a bit of personality or expertise (e.g., "Jenna Avery | Food Blogger 🥑").

Craft a Compelling Bio

You have 256 characters to tell the world what you're all about. Don't waste them. A great bio clearly states who you are, what you do, and what you post about. It sets expectations for potential followers.

A simple formula you can follow is:

[Who You Are/What You Do] + [What You Post About/Your Niche] + [A Touch of Personality/Call to Action]

Example for a freelance writer: "Freelance Tech Writer. I break down complex gadgets and software into simple, fun posts. Obsessed with mechanical keyboards and good coffee. Check out my work! 👇"

Add a High-Quality Profile Picture and Header

Visuals matter. Your profile picture and header/banner image work together to create a brand aesthetic.

• Profile Picture: Use a clear headshot if it's a personal account, or a clean logo for a brand account. Make sure it's high-resolution and that your face is easily recognizable, even as a small thumbnail.
• Header Image: The header is your billboard. Use this space creatively. It could be a photo of you "in action" (speaking at a conference, working in your studio), a graphic showcasing your brand's colors and tagline, or a simple, beautiful photo that reflects your niche.

Create Content That Connects and Resonates

Growing a following is impossible without good content. Shouting into the void won't get you far. The goal is to create posts that make people stop scrolling, think, laugh, or learn something. That's what earns a repost and a follow.

Find Your Niche and Stick With It

What are you the go-to person for? Your niche is your area of focus. It could be anything: vintage synthesizers, indie game development, sustainable fashion, vegan baking, local politics - the more specific, the better. When you specialize, people know exactly what to expect from you. If one of your posts goes viral, people who visit your profile will see a feed full of similar, high-quality content and will be far more likely to follow.

If you post about your dog one minute, crypto the next, and marathon training after that, people will be confused about why they should follow you. The niche provides clarity.

The Three Pillars of Great Content: Educate, Entertain, or Inspire

Every post you make should ideally fall into one of these categories:

• Educate: Teach your audience something new. This could be a "how-to" thread, a breakdown of a complex topic, a quick tip, or a 'little-known fact' from your industry. Share your expertise freely.
  Example: A thread explaining the basics of composting for beginners.
• Entertain: Make people laugh or stop to look. Memes, funny personal anecdotes, beautiful photography, GIFs, and witty commentary all fall under this category. This is where you can let your personality shine.
  Example: A sarcastic observation about the struggles of working from home.
• Inspire: Share success stories, thoughtful personal reflections, or motivational ideas. This kind of content builds deep connections because it's built on emotion and authenticity.
  Example: A post about overcoming a creative block, sharing the steps that helped.

Your best strategy is to blend these three pillars. A single creator can share an educational thread one day, a hilarious meme the next, and an inspiring story the day after - as long as it all relates back to their core niche.

Mastering Engagement is Non-Negotiable

Social media is a conversation, not a monologue. The secret to organic growth is to spend as much time - if not more - engaging with others as you do creating your own content. Being an active, generous member of the community is the fastest way to get noticed.

Go Beyond the "Like" Button

Liking posts is passive. Meaningful engagement involves adding to the conversation. Find influential or interesting accounts in your niche and leave thoughtful, insightful replies on their posts. Don't just say "Great post!" Add your own perspective, ask a follow-up question, or build upon their idea. A great reply can get as much attention as a great original post, driving a steady stream of curious profile visitors.

Post Questions That Invite a Response

Instead of making statements, ask questions. Open-ended questions are great for sparking conversations and boosting your post in the algorithm. Don't just post your morning coffee photo - ask, "What's the one thing you can't start your workday without? Mine is this oat milk latte." This simple switch turns a declaration into an invitation.

Repost and Quote Post Generously

Promoting other people's great content is one of the best ways to build relationships and show your value as a curator. When you find a post that your own followers would love, repost it. For an even bigger impact, use the "Quote Post" feature to add your own comments or insights. This shows engagement, provides context, and positions you as a knowledgeable voice in your niche.

Leverage Bluesky’s Unique Features for Growth

Bluesky isn't just a clone of an older platform, it has its own tools and culture. Learning how they work can give you a major advantage.

Get Discovered with Custom Feeds

Hands down, Custom Feeds are Bluesky's most powerful feature for discovery. They are specialized timelines curated by users, often around a specific topic, community, or keyword. Someone might create a feed for "Artists," "Cat Photos," or "#SciFi."

How to use them for growth:

• Find & Join Feeds: On the "Feeds" tab, explore popular feeds related to your niche. Look for posts that are performing well and see what they have in common. Engage with the content in those feeds to become visible to others interested in that topic.
• Get Your Content Into Feeds: Many feeds are algorithmic, pulling in posts that contain certain keywords or hashtags. Identify which keywords are popular in the feeds you want to appear in and start incorporating them naturally into your relevant posts. You'll suddenly start showing up for hundreds or thousands of people subscribed to that feed - people who don't follow you yet!

Think of Custom Feeds as constantly running, highly-targeted searches that you can instantly "subscribe" to. Getting your content there is like having your post shown to a pre-qualified audience.

Consistency and Promotion: The Final Pieces of the Puzzle

All the strategies above only work if you apply them consistently over time. Growth on any social platform is a marathon, not a sprint.

Show Up Regularly

You don't need to post 10 times a day, but you do need to be present. Aim for a manageable and consistent posting schedule. One great post per day is far better than five mediocre posts one day and then silence for a week. The algorithm - and your followers - reward consistency.

More importantly, try to log in daily to reply to comments and engage with others. Just 15-20 minutes of focused engagement per day can make a massive difference in building momentum.

Promote Your Bluesky Profile Everywhere

Don't expect people to just find you by chance. Tell them where you are!

• Announce on other social media platforms (X, Instagram, Threads, etc.) that you've joined Bluesky and give people a reason to follow you there (e.g., "I'll be sharing more behind-the-scenes thoughts on Bluesky!").
• Add your Bluesky profile link to your website, email signature, and Linktree or other link-in-bio services.
• Mention your Bluesky handle in newsletters, on podcasts, or during any public appearances.

Make it as easy as possible for your existing audience from other platforms to find and follow you in this new space.

Final Thoughts

Growing on Bluesky comes down to a simple loop: provide clear value through a well-crafted profile and niche content, engage genuinely to build community, and use the platform's unique tools like custom feeds to get discovered. Being consistent with these efforts is how you transform from a face in the crowd into a must-follow account.

Of course, being consistent across multiple social media platforms is tough. At Postbase, we designed our visual calendar to solve this exact problem. By seeing all our content in one place, we could easily plan what goes on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok, ensuring each platform gets the attention it deserves without feeling scattered. Planning out posts a week or a month ahead eliminates the daily "what do I post?" stress and helps you focus on what really drives growth: creating better content.