Bluesky Hit 40M Users: Complete Migration Guide from X/Twitter (2025)

What Exactly Is Bluesky?

The Basics

Bluesky is a decentralized social network that looks and feels like Twitter circa 2015—but with modern improvements.

Quick Facts:

• Founded: 2021 (originally a Twitter project)
• Created by: Jack Dorsey (Twitter co-founder) and Jay Graber (CEO)
• Went public: February 2024 (invite-only until then)
• Users: 40 million (November 2025), up from 9 million in September
• Cost: Free (no ads, no paid verification required)

Key Differences from Twitter/X

What "Decentralized" Actually Means

Think of it like email: Gmail, Outlook, and ProtonMail all use different servers, but you can email anyone regardless of their provider. This decentralized approach is gaining traction among content creators and freelancers seeking platform independence.

On Bluesky:

• Your data lives on a server (PDS - Personal Data Server)
• You can move your account between servers (like switching email providers)
• No single company controls the network
• Even if Bluesky the company disappeared, the protocol would survive

Translation: You own your social graph and content, not the platform.

Step-by-Step Migration Guide

Phase 1: Create Your Bluesky Account (5 minutes)

Step 1: Sign Up

1. Go to bsky.app (or download iOS/Android app)
2. Click "Create a new account"
3. Enter email or phone number
4. Choose a password (16+ characters recommended)
5. Verify via email/SMS code

Step 2: Customize Your Profile

• Profile picture: Upload square image (1000x1000px ideal)
• Banner image: 3:1 ratio (1500x500px recommended)
• Display name: Can include emojis, spaces (different from handle)
• Bio: 256 characters max (slightly shorter than Twitter's 280)

Step 3: Custom Domain Verification (Optional But Recommended)

This is Bluesky's answer to Twitter's blue check—but it's FREE.

How it works:

1. Go to Settings → Account → Handle
2. Click "I have my own domain"
3. Enter your domain (e.g., jessicatorres.com)
4. Add DNS TXT record (provided by Bluesky)
5. Wait 1-24 hours for verification

Result: Your handle becomes @jessicatorres.com instead of @jessicatorres.bsky.social

Why this matters:

• ✅ Proves you own the domain (real verification)
• ✅ Professional look
• ✅ Easier for people to find you
• ✅ No monthly fee (unlike Twitter)

Phase 2: Find Your Twitter Followers (10 minutes)

This is the #1 concern everyone has: "Will I find my people?"

Method 1: Sky Follower Bridge (Best Tool)

What it does: Automatically scans your Twitter followers/following, finds who's on Bluesky, lets you mass-follow them.

Setup (5 minutes):

1. Install Sky Follower Bridge extension (Chrome/Firefox/Edge)
   • Search "Sky Follower Bridge" in your browser's extension store
   • Install and grant Twitter + Bluesky permissions
2. Log into Twitter in one tab, Bluesky in another
3. Click extension icon → "Find Twitter users on Bluesky"
4. Let it scan (takes 2-5 minutes for 1,000 followers)
5. Review matches → Click "Follow all" or select individually

My results: 1,200 Twitter followers → found 340 on Bluesky (28%)

Method 2: Manual Search

For your closest 10-20 people:

1. Check their Twitter bio for Bluesky handle (many people list it)
2. Search their name in Bluesky app
3. Look for domain verification (proves it's really them)

Method 3: Directory Sites

• bluesky-users.com: Community-maintained directory by industry/interest
• clearsky.app: Shows migration trends and popular accounts

Phase 3: Announce Your Migration (Critical)

Post on Twitter Before You Leave

Why this matters:

• Gives stragglers time to find you
• Helps the ecosystem (more people = better network)
• Professional courtesy to your audience

Pin Your Bluesky Handle

• Update Twitter bio with Bluesky handle
• Pin a tweet with migration announcement
• Add link to Twitter profile (Settings → Profile)

Phase 4: Set Up Custom Feeds (Game-Changer)

This is where Bluesky gets REALLY good.

What Are Custom Feeds?

Instead of one algorithm (like Twitter's "For You"), you can subscribe to multiple algorithmic feeds created by anyone.

Popular Feeds to Subscribe To:

How to Add Feeds

1. Click the # (hashtag) icon in bottom menu
2. Browse "Discover Feeds"
3. Click any feed → "Add to My Feeds"
4. Swipe between feeds in main timeline

Pro strategy: Set up 4-6 feeds for different moods

• Following (your main timeline)
• What's Hot (discover viral content)
• Your interest niche (tech, sports, art, etc.)
• Quiet Posters (don't miss low-frequency accounts)

Phase 5: Master Moderation Tools

Bluesky's moderation is lightyears ahead of Twitter.

Content Filtering Options

• Block: They can't see you, you can't see them (same as Twitter)
• Mute: You don't see them, but they can still see you
• Mute words/tags: Filter specific terms from your timeline
• Subscribe to moderation lists: Block entire groups (e.g., known bots)

Labeling System (Unique to Bluesky)

You can subscribe to "labelers"—community moderators who tag content:

• NSFW content
• Misinformation
• Spam/bots
• Harassment

You decide: Hide labeled content, show with warning, or show everything.

Setup: Settings → Moderation → Subscribe to Labelers

Common Problems & Solutions

Issue #1: "My Username Is Taken"

Solutions:

• Add underscore: @name_real
• Add year: @name2024
• Use full name: @firstname.lastname
• Best: Use custom domain (@yourname.com) to bypass .bsky.social availability

Issue #2: "I Can't Find Anyone I Know"

Reality check: If you had 10K Twitter followers, maybe 1,500 (15%) are on Bluesky right now.

Solutions:

• Use Sky Follower Bridge daily (more people join every day)
• Search by real names, not just handles
• Check domain-verified accounts (more likely to be real)
• Join starter packs (curated lists by topic)

Issue #3: "The App Feels Empty"

This is normal in first 48 hours.

Quick fixes:

1. Subscribe to "What's Hot" feed (instant content)
2. Follow 100+ people (don't be stingy—you can unfollow later)
3. Post an introduction (#introduction hashtag)
4. Engage with others' posts (likes, replies, reposts)

Reality: By day 3-4, your timeline will feel alive.

Issue #4: "I'm Shadowbanned/Can't Post"

Likely cause: New account rate limits.

Solutions:

• Wait 24 hours (limits reset)
• Verify your email (Settings → Email)
• Add phone number (Settings → Account)
• Don't mass-follow 500 people in one hour (triggers spam filters)

Issue #5: "Where Are the DMs?"

Bad news: Bluesky doesn't have direct messages yet.

Workarounds:

• Post your email/Signal/Discord in bio
• Use "anyone can reply" posts for public conversations
• DMs are planned for Q1 2026 (according to roadmap)

Growing Your Bluesky Following

What Works on Bluesky (November 2025)

1. Post Consistently

Sweet spot: 3-5 posts per day (more than that = diminishing returns)

2. Timing Matters

Best times (ET):

• Morning: 7-9 AM (coffee scroll)
• Lunch: 12-1 PM (break time)
• Evening: 7-9 PM (post-dinner engagement)

3. Use ALT Text

Bluesky's community LOVES accessibility. Adding ALT text to images:

• ✅ Increases engagement
• ✅ Shows you care about accessibility
• ✅ Gets you in "Good Actor" lists

4. Engage First, Post Second

The 5-3-1 Rule:

• 5 replies to others' posts
• 3 likes/reposts
• 1 original post

Builds relationships faster than broadcasting.

5. Join "Starter Packs"

These are curated lists by topic. When you follow a starter pack, you follow everyone in it (typically 20-50 accounts).

Find them: Search "starter pack [your interest]" or check clearsky.app

What DOESN'T Work (Yet)

• ❌ Hashtag spam: Bluesky de-emphasizes hashtags (use 1-2 max)
• ❌ Follow/unfollow tactics: Community hates this
• ❌ Rage bait: Algorithm doesn't boost controversy like Twitter
• ❌ Posting 20x per day: Considered spammy, you'll get muted

Should You Delete Your Twitter Account?

The Honest Answer: Not Yet

Reasons to keep Twitter for now:

• Your audience is still there (even if shrinking)
• News breaks on Twitter first (still the journalist platform)
• Customer service companies monitor Twitter, not Bluesky
• Some communities haven't migrated yet

Smart strategy: Cross-post

• Post on Bluesky first (reward early adopters)
• Share same content to Twitter (maintain presence)
• Include "find me on Bluesky" in Twitter posts
• Monitor which platform drives better engagement

When to Delete Twitter

Delete if:

• Your mental health suffers from Twitter toxicity
• You're getting harassment/doxxing
• Your Bluesky engagement > Twitter engagement
• You morally object to supporting the platform

Before you delete:

1. Download your archive (Settings → Your Account → Download archive)
   • Takes 24 hours to generate
   • Includes all tweets, DMs, media
2. Delete tweets bulk (use TweetDelete.net or similar)
3. Change bio to Bluesky redirect ("I moved to Bluesky: @handle")
4. Deactivate (don't delete immediately)
   • Deactivation = 30-day grace period
   • Can reactivate if you change your mind
   • After 30 days, account is permanently deleted

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

The Twitter exodus of November 2025 is real. 40 million people didn't join Bluesky by accident.

They joined because they're tired of:

• Algorithmic manipulation
• Bot accounts overwhelming real conversation
• Paying $8/month for basic features
• Having their content train AI without consent
• A platform that feels more like a shopping mall than a town square

Bluesky isn't perfect. It's missing DMs. The mobile app has bugs. Discovery could be better. But it feels like the internet used to feel—smaller, weirder, more human.

Migration is scary. Change is hard. But sometimes the best thing you can do is jump.

The community is waiting. The algorithm isn't trying to enrage you. And for the first time in years, social media might actually feel social again.

See you on Bluesky. 🦋