Analysis of Influencers Joining Bluesky: A Pew Research Center Update
The trend of big, left-leaning social media accounts migrating to Bluesky continues to gain momentum, as highlighted in a recent analysis by the Pew Research Center.
This latest study serves as an addendum to Pew’s previous news influencer report from November 2024, which did not account for Bluesky in its findings. The focus remains on a select group of 500 influencers with substantial followings and a penchant for discussing current events across various platforms.
In this updated examination, Pew revisited the same influencers to observe the impact of Bluesky on their social media presence. The data revealed that 43% of these influencers had ventured onto Bluesky by February/March, with more than half (51%) of these accounts being established post the 2024 presidential election.
A noticeable disparity emerged between left-leaning and right-leaning influencers, with 69% of liberal accounts embracing Bluesky compared to a mere 15% of conservative counterparts. This shift was not necessarily at the expense of X (formerly Twitter), as 82% of influencers maintained an active presence on the platform, albeit slightly down from 85% in the preceding summer.
Despite the migration to Bluesky, a vast majority (87%) of influencers have not completely abandoned X, with most still favoring the latter for regular posting. However, the Pew report indicates a rise in Bluesky activity, with the percentage of influencers actively posting on the platform increasing from 54% in early January to 66% by late March.
