Bluesky Attracts News Influencers, But X Remains Their Primary Platform

A new analysis from Pew Research Center reveals that while Bluesky, the decentralized social platform, is rapidly gaining traction with news influencers—particularly left-leaning ones—X (formerly Twitter) continues to be the dominant platform for this group.

In the four months following the 2024 U.S. election, the share of sampled news influencers with a Bluesky account nearly doubled, increasing from 21% to 43% by March 2025. These influencers, many of whom lean liberal or progressive, have added Bluesky to their social media presence, but most also remain active on X.

Bluesky only opened public access in February 2024, which excluded it from the initial Pew study. This follow-up analysis looked at the same 500 influencers from the 2024 sample, examining their platform presence into 2025.

Despite Bluesky’s rapid growth, X remains the most widely used platform among news influencers. As of early 2025, 82% of influencers from the original sample were still on X, only slightly down from 85% in mid-2024.

Additionally, the majority of influencers with Bluesky accounts also maintain active X accounts. Only 6% have joined Bluesky without also being on X, while 37% use both platforms. In contrast, 46% still use only X.

Among those who identify as liberal or supported Democratic candidates like Joe Biden or Kamala Harris, 69% now have Bluesky accounts. That compares with just 15% of conservative or right-leaning influencers and 47% of those without a stated political affiliation.

Even among left-leaning users, most have not abandoned X. About 75% still use the platform, along with 87% of right-leaning influencers and 83% of politically neutral ones.

When it comes to posting habits, influencers remain far more active on X. In the first quarter of 2025, 83% of influencers on X posted four or more times per week. Just 6% posted occasionally, and only 11% were mostly inactive.

In contrast, only 31% of influencers on Bluesky posted regularly during the same time. Nearly half (48%) were inactive or inconsistent in their posting. This pattern holds across ideological groups, with far more consistent posting on X than Bluesky.

Bluesky activity is increasing slowly. In January 2025, only 54% of users were Bluesky monthly active users with a Bluesky account posted at all. By March, that number had risen to 66%. Meanwhile, X saw a slight drop: from 92% active in early January to 87% by the end of March.

Despite these shifts, Bluesky’s user base and engagement still trail X’s by a significant margin.

The current trend suggests that most news influencers are not switching from X to Bluesky, but rather using both platforms. Bluesky is seen as a new space for political and civic dialogue—especially on the left—while X remains the primary channel for broader reach and visibility.