Bluesky’s Meteoric Rise Slows Down: What It Means for the Social Network
After a whirlwind surge in growth, social network Bluesky experienced a noticeable slowdown in the U.S. during December 2024. Once touted as a formidable competitor to X, formerly known as Twitter, Bluesky had previously seen its user base skyrocket from over 9 million in September to more than 20 million by November. However, according to analytics firm Similarweb, December’s growth tapered to under 10%, a stark contrast to the impressive 189% increase observed the previous month.
- December growth: less than 10% month-over-month
- November growth: 189% month-over-month
- Current user base: 26.44 million
The slowdown didn’t just affect web traffic; daily active users on Bluesky’s mobile app in the U.S. only increased by 12% in December, down from a remarkable 284% growth in November. Despite this deceleration, Bluesky remains a growing platform, having recently adopted features akin to X’s Trending Topics.
“Bluesky capitalized on a significant shift from X post-U.S. presidential election results, bolstered by Elon Musk’s alignment with President Trump,” reported Similarweb.
{Similarweb Analysis}
This political landscape shift prompted many disenchanted X users to flock to Bluesky, propelling it to the top of the U.S. App Store charts in November. During this time, the platform attracted attention from mainstream audiences, including Hollywood celebrities and journalists looking for new digital spaces.
While growth has moderated, Bluesky is still outpacing other competitors like Instagram Threads in the U.S., achieving a desktop and mobile web visit increase of 9.6% in December versus Threads’ decline of 1.6%. Globally, Bluesky’s visits grew by 9.5%, surpassing Threads’ 5.7% and X’s modest 2.4% growth.
As Bluesky expands its reach, it faces new challenges such as user protests over moderation policies and issues with bots and impersonation — areas it aims to address through recent app updates.
“Despite the December slowdown, Bluesky’s overall performance in 2024 was monumental, achieving an extraordinary year-over-year growth of 930% worldwide,” stated Similarweb.
{Similarweb Data}
It’s clear that while Bluesky’s explosive growth may have entered a more sustainable phase, its influence and potential within the social media landscape remain significant. As it continues to evolve and adapt amidst challenges, only time will tell how it will shape up against its rivals in the long run.
