Social networking platform Bluesky has experienced a significant surge in user activity after Elon Musk, owner of the newly rebranded X (formerly known as Twitter), announced plans to charge a monthly subscription fee to all X users. Musk’s decision, aimed at combatting spam accounts on the platform, resulted in a mass exodus of X users who flocked to rival Bluesky.
Key Takeaway
Bluesky’s daily active user record soared following Elon Musk’s announcement of a subscription payment for X users. The platform witnessed a surge in new sign-ups and an unprecedented increase in both mobile and web traffic.
The Effect of Elon Musk’s Announcement
Musk revealed his plans to implement a monthly subscription fee during a livestreamed event on September 18. In response to the news, Bluesky saw a dramatic increase in user activity, with record-breaking sign-up numbers and a surge in both mobile app and web traffic. The shift in user behavior demonstrated the dissatisfaction of X users with the decision to introduce mandatory fees.
Record Sign-ups and Increased User Activity
Bluesky experienced a remarkable influx of new users after Musk’s announcement. According to a report from Mashable, the platform recorded 53,585 new sign-ups on September 19 alone, amounting to approximately 5% of its entire user base of around 1.13 million accounts.
Analytics firm Similarweb analyzed Bluesky’s Android app usage and reported that it reached half a million daily active users on the day of Musk’s announcement. Web traffic also surged, with over 775,000 daily visitors to the Bluesky web app, representing a 30% increase from the previous day.
Bluesky Outperforms Other Twitter Rivals
Unlike other platforms such as Instagram Threads or Mastodon, Bluesky consistently benefits from X’s setbacks. While Meta’s new Twitter clone, Threads, maintained stable daily active user figures, Bluesky witnessed a significant boost in popularity, reinforcing its status as a serious competitor to X.
Missed Opportunities for Bluesky’s Growth
Bluesky, which remains invite-only, temporarily halted new user sign-ups due to the overwhelming traffic generated by the surge in demand. If the platform had been open for public registration, its user growth could have been even more substantial. Despite missed opportunities in the past, including Musk’s Twitter takeover and X’s various controversies, Bluesky seems less concerned with capitalizing on these moments and more focused on providing a high-quality user experience.
X’s Growing User Base and Rising Competitors
Musk announced that X now boasts a staggering 550 million monthly active users, overshadowing Bluesky and other rival platforms such as Threads and Mastodon. However, recent market trends indicate a decline in X’s weekly active users and increased adoption of Twitter Lite, potentially due to confusion among users regarding the rebranding. To enhance its rankings in the App Store search, X even adjusted its App Store description by adding the phrase “formerly Twitter” instead of the less effective tagline “Blaze your glory.”
Updated, 9/22/23 3:30 PM ET with more recent data provided by Similarweb.
