A 3-Minute Guide to Getting Started with BlueSky

I was thinking about creating an SNS account for this blog site and eventually decided on BlueSky. Since Elon Musk bought X, it has become heavily political, and things that used to be free are becoming paid one after another. Honestly, I didn't want to use X, so I'm glad I found BlueSky this time. That being said, I encourage everyone to use BlueSky too lol

■ Start Here! Steps to Begin with Bluesky

Well, first is the account. The easiest way is to download the BlueSky app on your smartphone. BlueSky used to be a bit like a secret society SNS where you couldn't enter without an "invite code," but now everyone is welcome! The invite system has been abolished, so you can start as soon as you think of it.

The account creation process is very simple. After downloading the app on your smartphone, open it and tap "Create a new account." Enter your email address, decide on a password, enter your date of birth, and you're ready to go.

The most important thing here is setting your "handle name." By default, it will be in the format "@name.bsky.social". This will be your ID, so you want to give it a name that suits you. You can change it later, but let's decide firmly here first. By the way, there's even an advanced technique called "custom domain setting" where you use a domain you own as your name.

■ What are the Features of BlueSky?

Rivals to BlueSky include Meta's Threads, in addition to X. I'll briefly explain the features of each app.

For better or worse, Elon Musk changed everything, and X went from an app with a peaceful feel in the past to having strong political colors and serving as a tool for Musk. Because of this, many around the world flowed to Threads, but perhaps because there is less hostility towards Musk in Japan, X remains unshakeably the most popular.

However, both X and Threads are ultimately driven by for-profit corporations. In contrast, BlueSky is a highly free SNS that is open source, where you can even set up your own server. By the way, this BlueSky was launched by Jack Dorsey, the former co-founder of Twitter (now X). Because it lacks the advertising and budget of major corporate SNS, the numbers aren't increasing rapidly, but it's growing little by little through word of mouth among people who value peace and freedom.

■ Mastering Hashtags: Basics and Techniques

Now, enough with the introduction to BlueSky. Since you've created an account, let's post something right away. I think something like "I created an account!" is fine for now. And what's indispensable here is the "hashtag." Technically speaking, this hashtag is an excellent tool that allows high-speed searching even with a billion users.

1. How to Write a Hashtag

This is the same as other SNS; just put a keyword after "#" (half-width sharp). For example, "#BlueskyBeginner" or "#TodaysLunch". The thing to note is to always put a "space" before and after the tag! If you forget this, it will just be recognized as a string of text and won't function as a tag, so be careful. That's basically it lol

2. Searching and Finding

If you tap a hashtag, posts with the same tag will line up. This is interesting; you can feel the current excitement in real time, and it's a shortcut to finding friends with similar hobbies. However, Bluesky's "trend function" isn't that powerful yet, so I recommend constantly searching for words you're interested in yourself.

3. "Utilization Techniques" for Hashtags

This is where it gets a little advanced, but Bluesky has an interesting mechanism called "Feeds." Anyone can create and publish a timeline that collects only posts containing specific hashtags or keywords. "I just want to see cat pictures!" or "I only want to read about programming!"—this feed function grants those selfish desires. If tags you often use are adopted in a feed, it becomes easier for people outside your followers to find you, so let's actively use tags.

■ 'Operation Tips' and Tricks You Should Know

It's fine to just post aimlessly, but if you're going to do it, you want to operate smartly, right? I'll introduce a few handy techniques.

・Utilizing Tree Posts (Self-Replies)

Bluesky doesn't have a function for posting long texts, but you can connect your thoughts by using "self-replies" to reply to your own post. This is called a "thread (tree)." Let's convey passionate thoughts that won't fit in one post by making them into a tree. By the way, the maximum character count for one post is 300 characters. For X, it's 140 characters.

・Image 'ALT Text' is Good Manners

When uploading an image, you can add an explanatory text called "ALT" (alternative text) below the image. This is for reading aloud for those with visual impairments, and also to make it easier to catch in searches. In Bluesky, the culture of "it's good manners to post with ALT" has taken root, so please be conscious of it.

・'Identity Verification' with a Custom Domain

This is a super cool trick? You can use the URL of your own site (e.g., kuro.boo) exactly as your handle name. If you set this up, it serves as proof that "Ah, this person is the authentic site operator." The amazing thing about Bluesky is that you can obtain something resembling the "official mark" on other SNS by your own power.

■ 'Precautions' You Must Follow

Bluesky is free and fun, but there are a few things you need to be careful about.

1. Posts are Basically 'Public to the World'!

Currently, Bluesky doesn't have a "private account (locked account)" feature. Posted content can be viewed from a browser even by people who haven't registered. Furthermore, due to the decentralized mechanism, once data is posted, it may be copied to other servers, making complete deletion difficult in some cases. Be more cautious than on other SNS regarding the handling of personal information and posts you wouldn't want others to see.

2. DM (Direct Message) Settings

The DM feature was added recently, but if left at the default settings, you might receive messages from anyone. To prevent spam and the like, I strongly recommend restricting it to "Only people you follow" from the settings screen.

3. Control Moderation Yourself

When you think, "I don't want to see unpleasant words," you can finely set filters yourself. Also, you can "subscribe" to blocklists created by other users. Protect the peace of your own timeline yourself! This is the Bluesky way of enjoying it.

■ Conclusion: Experience a New SNS with Bluesky!

Bluesky is a very free SNS where users can take the initiative in creating the space while retaining the good points of traditional SNS. Compared to the leading X and major corporations' Threads, its functions are still lacking, and the article display algorithms are still sweet—for example, even though I'm Japanese, a lot of English tweets are shown in recommendations instead of Japanese articles.

However, the freedom and peace of mind stemming from open source, unbound by corporate convenience, are unique to BlueSky. Also, precisely because it is open source, it will continue as a long-lasting service, and I feel there is a very high possibility that BlueSky itself will become the mainstream in the future.

■ Sources

• Bluesky Official Site (https://bsky.social)
• AT Protocol Documentation (https://atproto.com)
• Impress Watch (Bluesky-related news articles)