How to Promote on Bluesky

Jumping into a new social platform like Bluesky can feel like navigating an unfamiliar city, but promoting your brand there is simpler than you might think. This guide will give you a clear roadmap, covering everything from setting the right tone to building a community that cares about what you do. We'll show you actionable strategies to grow your presence and make a real impact on this refreshing new network.

Understanding the Bluesky Vibe: More Conversation, Less Broadcast

Before jumping into promotion, you have to get the feel of the place. Bluesky's culture is noticeably different from other platforms. It's more casual, driven by text, and prizes authentic interaction over polished advertisement. The general attitude is collaborative and curious, born from its early days as an invite-only app for people who were looking for a different kind of social experience.

Think of it less as a stage and more as a community hall. People aren't there to be shouted at, they're there to talk. Overtly salesy or corporate-speak posts tend to fall flat. Success on Bluesky comes from participating in the culture, not just dropping links and leaving. If your entire strategy is to auto-post your latest promotions, you'll likely be ignored. The goal is to become a recognized and valued member of the communities you serve.

Step 1: Set Up and Optimize Your Bluesky Profile

Your profile is your digital handshake. It’s the first thing people see when they discover you, so make it count. A complete and well-thought-out profile makes you look legitimate and helps the right people find you.

Your Handle and Display Name

Your handle (@yourname.bsky.social) is your unique identifier. If possible, keep it consistent with your other social media handles to make it easy for your existing audience to find you. Your display name is more flexible and is what people will see most often. This is a great place to put your name or brand name. You can even add a keyword or emoji that reflects what you do, like "Sarah F. | Fantasy Author" or "Apex Coffee Roasters ☕".

Your Bio and Link

Your bio is your 160-character elevator pitch. Clearly and concisely state who you are, what you do, and who you do it for. This is not the place for vague mission statements. Be direct and human.

• Good Example: "Helping small businesses build beautiful websites. I also talk a lot about coffee and vintage sci-fi novels. Founder of WebWeavers."
• Bad Example: "Synergizing go-to-market strategies to leverage core competencies and drive disruptive innovation in the digital paradigm."

And don't forget the link! Bluesky gives you one precious link in your profile. Use it wisely. Link to your website, your latest project, your newsletter sign-up - whatever your most important call-to-action is at the moment.

Profile Picture and Header

Your profile picture should be a clear, high-quality image - either your headshot or your company logo. A good header image gives you more real estate to show off your brand's personality, a product shot, or a visual tagline. It completes your profile and makes it look like you’ve put thought into your presence.

Step 2: Master Bluesky's Unique Features for Growth

To truly promote yourself on Bluesky, you need to use the tools that make it unique. The platform's most powerful feature for discovery and community-building is Custom Feeds.

An Introduction to Custom Feeds

Imagine a timeline curated by a user around a specific topic, like "Sci-Fi Books," "Indie Gaming Updates," or "Positivity." That's a Custom Feed. Anyone can create one, and you can subscribe to as many as you like. Instead of relying solely on the main "Following" timeline, you can browse these curated feeds to find content and conversations focused on your interests.

How to Use Feeds for Promotion

Finding your audience on Bluesky means finding the right feeds. Promoting yourself is less about pushing a message and more about becoming an active voice in these niche communities.

1. Discover Relevant Feeds: Use the "Feeds" tab to search for topics related to your expertise or industry. If you’re a photographer, search for "photography" and find feeds like "Street Photography" or "Film Photography." Subscribe to a few that seem active and relevant.
2. Participate Genuinely: Spend some time browsing these feeds to get a feel for the conversation. Then, start participating. Reply to other people's posts (skeets), reskeet interesting content, and share your own relevant thoughts. This is the most important step. For example, if you sell handmade pottery, join a "Pottery & Ceramics" feed. Instead of just posting product pics, share a video of your process, ask other potters about their favorite glazes, or comment on a beautifully crafted piece.
3. Use Keywords in Your Posts: When you post, use keywords that feed algorithms are likely to pick up. If a feed is built to show posts containing the word "baking," including that word in your post about your latest sourdough experiment will get you included. It's a natural way to become discoverable without relying on a dozen hashtags.

Step 3: Craft Content That Naturally Connects and Promotes

Your content strategy on Bluesky should be 80% conversation and value, and 20% promotion. People will become receptive to what you offer once they know, like, and trust you.

Lead with Text, Support with Visuals

Bluesky is a very text-forward platform. Compelling thoughts, witty one-liners, helpful knowledge, and interesting stories perform well. Structure your text posts for easy reading with line breaks, bullet points, and emojis.

Visuals should support your text, not replace it. Use images, GIFs, and simple videos to:

• Show a behind-the-scenes look at your work.
• Illustrate a point you're making in a thread.
• Add personality and humor with relevant memes or GIFs.

Share Your Knowledge with Threads

Threads (multi-part posts) are fantastic for long-form content. Use them to break down a complex topic into digestible pieces. You can create a mini-tutorial, tell a story about your founder's journey, or share a list of resources.

At the end of a value-packed thread, you have a natural opening for a soft promotion. For example, after a thread explaining five ways to improve your SEO, the last post could say: "If you found this helpful, I dive much deeper in my weekly newsletter. You can sign up here [link]." You've earned the right to ask.

The Art of the Soft Sell

Aggressive marketing tactics don't work here. Instead, integrate promotion naturally by talking about your work.

• Don't say: "BUY MY NEW EBOOK ON DIGITAL MARKETING! 50% OFF TODAY ONLY!"
• Do say: "Just spent the morning wrestling with the final chapter of my book on social media marketing. It’s all about building community in a way that doesn't feel gross. Feeling pretty proud of it!"

This second approach invites conversation and makes people curious. They can ask questions, share their own struggles, and will be far more likely to check out your book when you finally announce its launch.

Step 4: Nurture Your Community by Being Human

All your promotional efforts will go to waste if you don't engage with the people who respond. Social media is a two-way street.

• Reply to comments: Thank people for their insights and add to the conversation to help build strong bonds.
• Ask questions: Get conversations rolling and show that you value other people's opinions.
• Follow interesting people: If someone leaves a thoughtful review or comment, follow them back to build a network of quality connections.

This type of regular interaction has a huge effect. A follower who received a thoughtful answer from you is more likely to pay attention the next time you post.

Final Thoughts

Promotion on Bluesky, at its most basic level, is about participating, being useful, and being a good digital neighbor. Build your audience by focusing on joining discussions, contributing to community feeds, and having real conversations. By providing value first, promotion becomes a natural next step.

As you add a new platform like Bluesky to your social media arsenal, keeping everything organized can become challenging. Postbase offers a solution by giving you a complete visual overview of your content across every network. Whether you are creating a short video for TikTok or a detailed blog post for LinkedIn, you can handle it all from one user-friendly interface. This clarity ensures you stay on track with your posting schedule and don't neglect any one platform.